Alam Barzah Muhamad Nur (Respondent’s proxy) and legal counsel Abdullah Syukur at the examination hearing for Case No. 250/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Central Mamberamo Regency election, Thursday (1/30/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – Based on the results of physical and mental health examination by the examination team for the 2024 gubernatorial, regency, and mayoral election, Central Mamberamo regent candidate Yonas Kenelak has been deemed to meet the required standards. This confirms that he is physically and mentally fit for candidacy.

The statement was delivered by legal counsel Abdullah Syukur on behalf of the Central Mamberamo KPU (Elections Commission) as Respondent at the examination hearing for Case No. 250/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Central Mamberamo regent election results dispute on Thursday, January 30, 2025. The hearing was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on panel 1 to hear the Respondent, the Relevant Party, and Bawaslu.

“The Respondent is completely unaware of the fact that he uses a wheelchair, as mentioned by the Petitioners. Perhaps the Relevant Party can explain. What we know is that the candidate is the incumbent vice regent who was previously in good health,” added Alam Barzah Muhamad Nur, the commissioner of the Central Mamberamo KPU, clarifying the response to the claim made by Candidate Pair 03 Eremen Yogosam-Berius A. Kogoya (Petitioners).

Data Update

Candidate Pair 02 Yonas Kenelak–Itaman Thago (Relevant Party) stated that the Petitioners had been mistaken regarding the health requirements. “If any health requirements are not met, a replacement candidate will be appointed,” explained the Relevant Party’s legal counsel Stefanus Budiman.

Further, they also testified to the argument regarding the update of the final voter list (DPT) in the Central Mamberamo Tengah Regency election. They stated that the voter data updating officer (Pantarlih) had fulfilled their duties by verifying voter data and submitting the results as the basis for compiling the temporary voter list (DPS). Subsequently, on September 21, 2024, the Central Mamberamo KPU issued KPU Decree No. 399 of 2024 concerning the recapitulation of the final voter list at the Central Mamberamo Regency level for the 2024 gubernatorial, regency, and mayoral election.

Bawaslu’s Recommendation

The Central Mamberamo Regency Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body), represented by Alfius Karoba, stated that they had received a transferred report from the Papua Highland Provincial Bawaslu. Alfius added that the report had reached clarification stage, and an invitation for clarification had been issued. Yet, both the complainant and the reported party failed to attend. “There is also a report regarding Eragayam District, but neither the Petitioners nor the Respondent attended Bawaslu’s invitation,” Alfius explained.

Based on the report, Bawaslu requested a copy of the nomination requirement documents from the Respondent, including on the health status of Candidate Pair 02 Yonas Kenelak. However, it was not provided. “Therefore, this case is not pursued further, and Bawaslu’s stance remains at that point. Since the KPU has already submitted a response letter, Bawaslu has no further action to take,” Karoba explained.

Also read: Central Mamberamo Regent Candidates Deemed Unfit Physically and Mentally

At the preliminary hearing on Thursday, January 16, 2025, the Petitioners argued that regent candidate 02 Yonas Kenelak did not meet the physical and mental health requirements as stipulated in Article 14 paragraph (2) letter e of the KPU Regulation No. 8 of 2024 on the nomination of governors and vice governors, regents and vice regents, and mayors and vice mayors. As a result, they requested the annulment of Central Mamberamo KPU Decree No. 428 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 Central Mamberamo regent election results.

They also argued that the difference in vote acquisition was because the voting in Ilugwa and Eragayam Districts had not been conducted based on the provisions of the legislation, so these districts should conduct a revote. In the vote counting at polling stations, the witnesses were not given a copy of C-result-KWK forms, so they never signed the minutes of the event until the open plenary meeting of certification of vote acquisition of regent election results on December 5, 2024. The witnesses were also never given an invitation by the district election committees (PPD). Thus, the Petitioners requested that the Court order the Respondent to conduct revote in Eragayam and Ilugwa Districts, Central Mamberamo Regency, Papua Highland Province.

Also read:

Petition for Case No. 250/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025
Response by the Respondent
Statement by Bawaslu
Statement by the Relevant Party

 

Author            : Sri Pujianti
Editor             : N. Rosi
Translator       : Syifa Amelia/Yuniar Widiastuti (NL) (RA)

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian versions, the Indonesian version will prevail.

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