Legal counsel Frederika Koraib reading the KPU’s written statement for Case No. 194/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the 2024 Dogiyai regent election results dispute, Friday (1/31/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — Dogiyai Regency Elections Commission (KPU) as the Respondent adheres to the election principles as stated in the KPU Regulation No. 1774 of 2024. They decided not to change the vote results and did not follow the collective agreement of the great elder of Mee tribe, Simapitowa/Tota Mapiha group, which encompasses five districts. This agreement required the vote transfer for a candidate pair with the most votes from among Candidate Pairs 1 Ruben Magai–Mateus Douw, 3 Otopianus P. Tebai–Angkian Goo, and 6 Oskar Makai–Yani Bobi.

The Dogiyai Regency KPU’s legal counsel Frederika Korain delivered the statement at the examination hearing for Case No. 194/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the 2024 Dogiyai regent election results dispute to hear the Respondent’s response and testimonies by the Relevant Party and the Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu). Chief Justice Suhartoyo presided over the hearing, accompanied by Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah in panel 1 courtroom on Friday, January 31, 2025.

Responding to the arguments of Candidate Pair 3 Otopianus P. Tebai–Angkian Goo (Petitioners), the Respondent stated that the KPU Regulation No. 1774 of 2024 prohibits changes to the vote results at polling stations. In contrast, the collective agreement made by the great elder of Mee tribe, Simapitowa/Tota Mapiha group may allow changes to the vote results if the Respondent allows. This agreement required that votes be transferred to the candidate pair with the most votes.

“The Respondent was not able to accommodate the statement letter of the great elders, considering the Respondent must ensure that the election was conducted with fair and honest principles, [on the other hand] this letter provides a condition, and as such, the Respondent could not grant the request of the letter, and [decided to] comply with the KPU regulation,” Korain clarified.

Also read: Vote Shift Suspected in Five Districts in Dogiyai

At the preliminary hearing on January 16, 2025, the Petitioners requested the annulment of the Dogiyai KPU Decree No. 701 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 Dogiyai regent-vice regent election results. The Petitioners alleged election violations in five districts: Mapia, Central Mapia, West Mapia, Piyaiye, and South Sukikai, including a shift of votes or support to Candidate Pair 2 Yudas Tebai-Yuliten Anauw from the great elder of Mee tribe, Simapitowa/Tota Mapiha group, whose authority encompasses the five districts.

The collective agreement was made by the tribe elder whose authority covers five districts that had 31,115 votes, which were intended to be directed to Candidate Pairs 1, 3, or 6. The agreement stated that among the three, the pair acquiring the most votes in the valley region of Kamu, South Kamu, East Kamu, North Kamu, and Dogiyai Districts would be promised votes from Simapitowa group. In the end, Candidate Pair 3 obtained 7,174 votes—the highest compared to Candidate Pair 1 with 4,398 and Candidate Pair 6 with 5,695 votes—and should earn the 31,115 votes from Simatipowa. However, the KPU (Respondent) ignored the agreement and shifted the votes to Candidate Pair 2.

Read also:

Petition for Case No. 194/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025

Respondent’s response

Bawaslu’s statement

Relevant Party’s statement

 

Author            : Sri Pujianti
Editor             : N. Rosi
Translator      : Ryan Alfian/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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