Bawaslu’s representative Petru Paulus Sarkol testifying at the examination hearing for Case No. 236/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Asmat regent election results dispute, Friday (1/31/2025). Photo by MKRI/Bayu.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – The Asmat Elections Commission (KPU), as the Respondent, denied the argument that suggested the “one man, one vote” mechanism had been manipulated to resemble the noken* system at 64 polling stations (TPS). They also pointed out that the vote counts for the two candidate pairs in the Asmat regent election, as presented in the Petitioners’ petition, were actually based on the “one man, one vote” system, not the noken system.

The noken or ikat system is a voting mechanism in which voters delegate their voting rights to a tribal leader, who further discusses and agrees on selecting a particular candidate pair. However, the Asmat regent election no longer implements the noken system, as outlined in KPU Decree No. 1774 of 2024 on voting and vote counting in the governor, regent, and mayor elections.

This statement was delivered by Yusuf Agung Purnama, the Respondent’s legal counsel, at the examination hearing to hear testimonies from the Respondent, the Relevant Party, and Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body), as well as validate evidence for Case No. 236/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025. The hearing was presided over by Constitutional Justices Arief Hidayat, Anwar Usman, and Enny Nurbaningsih on panel 3 on Friday, January 31, 2025.

“The Respondent argued that the Asmat regional head election was executed in accordance with the laws and regulations, with each phase of the election carried out professionally and in compliance with established procedures,” said Yusuf in the plenary courtroom.

Yusuf denied the argument that voting was conducted by the polling station working committee (KPPS), village heads, and indigenous leaders without any prohibition from the polling station supervisors. He explained that the Respondent had followed up on the recommendation from the Asmat Bawaslu to conduct a revote at TPS 01 of Kampung Bine due to multiple votes cast by the same individual.

The Asmat KPU also conducted a revote at TPS 01 in Kampung Aou and Kampung Weo due to violations committed by KPPS. Additionally, a revote was held at TPS 01 in Kampung Bayun because an individual had used their voting rights more than once, as identified by the polling committee (PPS).

“Regarding the Petitioners’ argument claiming that the voting was carried out by KPPS, village heads, and indigenous leaders without any prohibition from the polling station supervisors, our response remains the same, Your Honors, we have followed up on the recommendation from Bawaslu,” said Yusuf.

In addition, he explained that vice-regent candidate 01 Yoel Manggaprou had resigned from his position as a member of the Asmat Legislative Council for the 2024-2029 period. The Asmat KPU has also attached proof of Yoel Manggaprou’s resignation.

Likewise, Candidate Pair 01 Thomas Eppe Safanpo-Yoel Manggaprou (Relevant Party), through their legal counsel Hardian Tuasamu, also stated that Yoel Manggaprou had resigned from his position.

“Before the determination, the decree for the official dismissal had been issued. The resignation had been submitted on August 28, 2024, as an elected DPRK (Papua Regional Legislative Council) member candidate,” said Hardian.

Meanwhile, Petrus Paulus Sarkol, a member of the Asmat Regency Bawaslu, stated that Bawaslu had received 14 reports and five findings. Of the 14 reports, only one was officially registered. For the five findings, Bawaslu recommended a revote at five polling stations, which has already been implemented by the Asmat Regency KPU.

“Regarding the issue of noken system raised by the Petitioners, it does not apply in Asmat, as it is not permitted by the applicable statutory regulations,” Sarkol said.

Also read: Asmat Regent Election Dispute: Petitioners Challenge Shift from “One Person One Vote” to Noken System

At the previous hearing, Candidate Pair 02 Bonefasius Jakfu and Abdul Ganing (Petitioners) argued that there were ballot papers marked by KPPS, village heads, and indigenous leaders at 64 polling stations across 21 districts. They contended that the voting conducted by KPPS, village heads, and indigenous leaders had been disguised as the noken system.

In addition, the Petitioners argued that regent candidate 01 Yoel Manggaprou did not resign from his position as the member of the Asmat Regency Legislative Council for 2024-2029 according to the South Papua Governor Decree No. 100.2.1.4/410 of 2024 dated October 11, 2024. This clearly violates Article 32 paragraph (1) of the KPU Regulation No. 8 of 2024 on the candidacy of governors and vice governors, regents and vice regents, and mayors and vice mayors.

In their petitums, the Petitioners requested the Court to annul the Asmat Regency KPU Decree No. 75 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 regent election results dated December 7, 2024 at 64 polling stations in 21 districts, and to order the Asmat KPU to do a revote at these polling stations.

Alternatively, the Petitioners requested the Court to annul the Asmat Regency KPU Decree No. 75 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 Asmat regent election results dated December 7, 2024, and to disqualify Candidate Pair 01 in the regent election. Additionally, they also requested the Court to annul the Asmat KPU Decree No. 44 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 Asmat regent candidate pairs, as well as Decree No. 45 of 2024 on Candidate Pair 01.

(*) The noken voting system is carried out by communities in Papua, either through public agreement on vote allocation or through the delegation of votes to a tribal leader.

Author              : Nawir Arsyad Akbar
Editor                : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR                    : Tiara Agustina
Translator         : Nazila Rikhusshuba/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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