Elected Jayapura Mayor Denies Promising Money from State Budget

An examination hearing for Case No. 279/PHPU.WAKO-XXIII/2025 disputing the 2024 Jayapura mayor election results to hear the Respondent’s, Relevant Party, and Bawaslu, before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on panel 2, Thursday (1/30/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

JAKARTA (MKRI) — Candidate Pair Number 2 Jhony Banua Rouw and Darwis Massi (Relevant Party) denied committing money politics by promising or giving constriction materials and money during the campaign through the self-help housing stimulation assistance (BSPS) program sourced from the state revenue and expenditure budget (APBN). This was conveyed at the 2024 Jayapura mayor election results dispute hearing in the Constitutional Court (MK).

“The Petitioners are challenging the Petitioners’ vote acquisition, which is far from the threshold, by generalizing arguments that are considered a fundamental issue as if there have been structured, systematic, and massive violations,” stated the Relevant Party’s legal counsel Ahmad Suherman at the hearing set to hear the Respondent’s answer, the Relevant Party’s statement, and Bawaslu’s statement for Case No. 279/PHPU.WAKO-XXIII/2025 on Thursday, January 30, 2025.

Alleged Violations Not Proven

Jayapura City Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body) member Rinto Pakpahan stated that Jayapura Bawaslu had received a report of an alleged violation committed by Regent Candidate Number 2 Jhony Banua Rouw, who had promised construction materials and money to residents of Jayapura City in five districts using the BSPS program from the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry (PUPR) Housing Work Unit during the campaign period. However, Jayapura Bawaslu issued a notification that the report could not be followed up because the alleged violation could not be proven.

“[The report] could not be followed up on the grounds that it was not proven to be an election violation,” stated Pakpahan before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on panel 2.

He stated that Jhony Banua Rouw’s activities at Maranatha Polimak Church in Ardipura Village were a form of dissemination and counseling activities carried out by the BSPS facilitator team. The reported actions of Jhony Banua Rouw could not be categorized as promises of goods and money to the public by using central government programs, funding, apparatus, and ministries at the campaign stage of the jayapura mayor election.

Also read: Jayapura Mayoral Election Campaign Allegedly Linked to State Budget

KPU Denies Voters List Manipulation

The Jayapura City Elections Commission (KPU as the Respondent denied any impartiality in the form of manipulation and mobilization of the additional voters list (DPTb). They claimed to have recapitulated the DPTb from September 17 to October 28, 2024 and September 17 to November 20, 2024. The Petitioners did not explain what kind of manipulation, how, and when the alleged manipulation had been conducted.

“The Respondent has conducted a recapitulation and they found no problem [in the vote recapitulation results],” argued the Respondent’s legal counsel Muhammad Sigit Ismail.

He said that the final voters list (DPT) only listed 289,451 voters and the Respondent noted that the additional final voters list (DPTb) only listed 122 voters. However, in the petition, the Petitioners mentioned the number of additional voters reaching 296,954 voters, which actually exceeded the final voters. The Petitioners also did not explain at which polling stations the number of additional voters had affected voter turnout.

Based on the Jayapura City KPU Decree No. 457 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 Jayapura mayor election results dated December 11, 2024, the votes received by the candidate pairs were as follows: Candidate Pair Number 1 Frans Pekey-Mansur with 26,105 votes, Candidate Pair Number 2 Jony Banua Rouw-Darwis Massi with 68,922 votes, Candidate Pair Number 3 Boy Markus Dawir-Dipo Wibowo (Petitioners) with 28,019 votes, and Candidate Pair Number 4 Abisai Rollo-Rustan Sarru with 72,351 votes. However, in their petitums, the Petitioners requested the Court to declare the KPU’s decree invalid and void; to declare Candidate Pair Number 2 Jony Banua Rouw and Muh Darwis Massi having been proven legally and convincingly of committing fraud, violations, and abuse of authority so that they are subject to sanctions of disqualification from the 2024 Jayapura City mayor election; and to order the Jayapura City KPU to conduct a revote throughout Jayapura City by excluding Candidate Pair Number 2.

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Elected Jayapura Mayor Denies Promising Money from State Budget