The Respondent’s legal counsel Suwandi Arham testifying in the examination hearing of case No. 259/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Maybat Regent election results dispute, Thursday (1/30/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Maybrat Regency Election Commission (KPU) as the Respondent denied the structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) alleged violations in the 2024 regent-vice regent election, which they testified in the Case No. 259/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Maybrat regent election results dispute.

The hearing included the Respondent’s response, testimonies by the Relevant Party and Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), and parties’ evidence validation. Chief Justice Suhartoyo presided over the hearing, accompanied by Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah in panel 1 courtroom on Thursday, January 30, 2025.

The Maybrat regent-vice regent candidate pair 2 (Agustinus Tenau and Marthen Howay) served as the Petitioners, meanwhile the candidate pair 3 (Karel Murafer and Ferdinando Solossa) acted as the Relevant Party.

The Respondent denied the TSM violations, including allegation that the Relevant Party influenced the district election committee (PPD) appointment. They clarified that the PPDs were recruited by following the regulations and that public input was welcomed from May 4-10, 2024.

“The Respondent rejected the a quo argument considering they never received recommendations or public feedback on the recruited PPD candidates,” added Suwandi Arham, the Respondent's legal counsel.

The Respondent also denied the Petitioners’ argument, stating that the polling station working committee (KPPS) was involved in the voting of remaining ballots to secure the win for the Relevant Party. The Respondent stated that the alleged event was not stated in the C-special incident and/or witness objection-KWK forms, “As such, the argument is unfounded and legally groundless,” Suwandi said.

In addition to PPD and KPPS, the Respondent also refuted the alleged involvement of state civil apparatus. They explained that such involvement was never reported to Bawaslu Maybrat Regency as the supervisor of the 2024 Maybrat regent election. Likewise, the Respondent did not receive any report about the alleged intimidation of the Petitioners’ supporters.

“Regarding intimidation, Maybrat Regency Bawaslu never received any reports. The Respondent also never received a recommendation,” Suwandi added.

The intimidation argued by the Petitioners, even leading to a loss of life, was also responded to by the Relevant Party in its testimony, stating that the Petitioners did not specify thoroughly in their petition. In fact, the Relevant Party admitted that it was their supporters who received intimidation and persecution.

“The violence was instead experienced by a Relevant Party’s supporter named Melkianus Jitmau who was assaulted using a machete,” said Abd Latif Lestaluhu, the Relevant Party’s legal counsel.

The Relevant Party also responded to the Petitioners’ argument which alleged the involvement of the acting regional secretary or Maybrat Regency Regional Secretary Assistant II in securing the win for the Related Party.

The Related Party argued that the Petitioner failed to specify the alleged relationship and orders given to the Acting Secretary.

“We need to emphasize that the Related Party has absolutely no power against the bureaucracy in the Maybrat Regency Government,” Latif asserted. 

Regarding this involvement, the Maybrat Regency Bawaslu clarified that the Petitioner’s accusation was based on the acting regional secretary’s presence at the inaugural campaign, which was a peaceful declaration. They emphasized that the acting secretary’s attendance was not to support any candidate but was due to an official invitation from the Maybrat Regency KPU.

“For the peace declaration, [the acting secretary did] not present for the campaign of candidate pair 3, but was invited by the Maybrat Regency KPU,” said Isai Asmuruf, the Maybrat Bawaslu Head.

Also read:

Intimidation and Violence in Maybrat Regent Election

In the preliminary hearing, the Petitioners also alleged TSM violations including the appointment of the district election committee, polling committee, and polling station working committee by the Relevant Party. The Petitioners argued that the said committees voted at several polling stations using the rights of absent voters and used the names of deceased voters who were still listed on the final voter list (DPT).

They also argued that several state civil apparatus (ASN) within the Maybrat Regency Government, including the regional secretary, were involved in campaigning for the Relevant Party.

The Petitioners also argued that the intimidation, threats, and violence even resulted in loss of life. In their petition, the Petitioners stated that the loss of life occurred due to a dispute and commotion over a problem with the voting invitation letter.

Notably, a similar petition on the Maybrat regent election results dispute was also filed by candidate pair 1 (Kornelius Kambu and Zakeus Momao), registered as Case No. 234/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025.

Read Also:

Petition for Case No. 259/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025

Respondent’s Response

The Relevant Party’s Statement

Bawaslu’s Statement

Author       : Ashri Fadilla

Editor        : N. Rosi
Translator  : Ryan Alfian/FS (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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