The Relevant Party’s Abhan (second from right) testifying in the examination hearing of case No. 101/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Teluk Bintuni Regent election results dispute, Thursday (1/30/2025) in panel 3 courtroom. Photo by MKRI/Bayu

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — Teluk Bintuni Regency Election Commission (KPU) as the Respondent denied allegations of double voting in multiple polling stations. The regent-vice regent candidate pair 2 Daniel Asmorom-Alimudin Baedu (the Petitioners) argued that nine voters cast their votes in two different polling stations.

The Respondent’s legal counsel, Ali Nurdin delivered the statement in the hearing of case No. 101/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025. The hearing included the Respondent’s response, testimonies by the Relevant Party and Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), and evidence validation. Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat presided over the hearing, accompanied by Justices Anwar Usman and Enny Nurbaningsih in panel 3 courtroom on Thursday, January 30, 2025.

Ali explained that the Teluk Bintuni KPU investigated 10 names argued by the Petitioners to have voted in multiple polling stations and found that each voter only voted once at their respective polling stations. Despite the accusations, the Respondent confirmed that Tantowi Djauhari only voted once at polling station (TPS) 11 in East Bintuni, and Nur Aida who only voted at TPS 20 in East Bintuni, Ahmad Syaiful only voted at TPS 17, not at both TPS 17 and 19 in East Bintuni. Buce Fimbay cast his vote once at TPS 14 in East Bintuni, and Audi Leonar Liwang, voted only once at TPS 21 in East Bintuni. Nurmin Fimbay, accused of voting at TPS 17 and 19 in East Bintuni, actually voted at TPS 17. Nurhayati Kwando voted solely at TPS 02 in East Bintuni, Simon Bernadus at TPS 16 in East Bintuni, and Yohanes Trudo Fatuban at TPS 21 in East Bintuni.

“The Petitioners’ argument was false, as the accused voters only voted once at the polling station where they registered in the final voters list (DPT), according to the statement letters from the said voters,” Ali explained.

Ali also denied the argument that the Teluk Bintuni Regency KPU committed violations in distributing the C-notification forms to the DPT voters. He explained that the Respondent had delivered the voting notifications gradually, up to three days before voting.

“The polling station working committee (KPPS) tried to deliver the notification invitations several days, even one day before voting to increase voter turnout,” Ali explained.

“C-notification form is not required for voting, so if voters do not present the form, they can still vote by presenting their resident IDs or citizenship documents,” Ali emphasized.

Candidate pair 1 Yohanis Manibuy-Joko Lingara (the Relevant Party) expressly rejected the argument of vote buying by their campaign team in Pera-Pera Hamlet (Tomu District), Kalitami Hamlet (Kamundan District), and Weriagar Hamlet (Weriagar District). Their legal counsel, Abhan explained that based on their statement uploaded in the Court’s website, if vote buying occurred, it should be under the Teluk Bintuni Bawaslu jurisdiction.

Abhan also denied the argument that candidate pair 1 was ineligible to run in the Teluk Bintuni regent election. The Petitioners argued that candidate pair 1 had personal debt and allegedly manipulated the debt statement letter issued by the Manokwari District Court No. 338/SK/HK/08/2024/PN Mnk on August 20, 2024.

Abhan explained that the KPU Regulation No. 8 of 2024 Article 14 letter j regulates the nomination of governors-vice governors, regents-vice regents, mayors-vice mayors, stating that “[The candidate] does not have individual and/or legal entity debt under his/her obligations which harm the state finances”.

“The debt in question did not relate to that of state finances, either individually and/or as a legal entity. Therefore, the statement letter issued by the Manokwari District Court remains valid,” Abhan explained in his statement.

The Teluk Bintuni Regency Bawaslu Head, Supiah Tokomadoran delivered a statement regarding the allegation of relocating a polling station to the yard of a supporter of candidate pair 1. Based on the Bintuni District Supervisory Committee report, the polling station was relocated because the previous house owner was not willing to have its yard used for a polling station.

Supiah also addressed the alleged vote-buying arguments by the candidate pair 1’s campaign team. “Teluk Bintuni Regency Bawaslu investigated the No. 014 report, and et cetera as read, dated November 29, 2024, the report was dismissed as it did not have sufficient evidence,” Supiah said.

Teluk Bintuni regent-vice regent candidate pair 2 Daniel Asmorom-Alimudin Baedu (The Petitioners) request a re-vote for the regent election considering alleged violations, including several voters found cast their votes at two polling stations.

In addition to double voting, the Petitioners also accused the campaign team of candidate pair 1 of vote buying which reportedly aimed at influencing voters in the hamlets of Pera-Pera, Kalitami, and Weriagar.

In their petitums, the Petitioners requested the Court to order the Teluk Bintuni KPU for a revote at 76 polling stations, with details as follows: 47 polling stations in Bintuni District, five polling stations in Babo District, six polling stations in Aroba District, and 18 polling stations in Manimeri District. (*)
 

Author       : Nawir Arsyad Akbar

Editor        : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR             : Tiara Agustina
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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