The Papua gubernatorial election process has resumed with the issuance of the Papua General Elections Commission (KPUD) Decree No. 33/2012, dated Oct. 5, 2012, on the time schedule of the election.
Decree No. 33/2012 was issued following a decision from Constitutional Court (MK) Decision Letter No. 3/SKLN-X2012, which was announced on Sept. 19, 2012, during the trial verdict of the KPUD’s lawsuit to the MK regarding the authorization of the implementation of the election, which was carried out by the Papua legislature.
Before the KPUD filed the lawsuit, the Papua legislature had already opened the registration process for Papua gubernatorial candidates based on Special Provincial Bylaw No. 6/2011 on the election of the Papua governor and deputy governor.
Based on the MK ruling, the Papua gubernatorial election process has been reinstated, while candidates who have registered at the Papua legislative council will be transferred to the Papua KPUD to take part in the following election process.
Seven Papua gubernatorial candidate pairs have so far registered at the Papua legislative council; Habel Melkia Suwae-Yop Kogoya, M.R. Kambu-Blasius Pakage, Alex Hesegem-Marthen Kayoi, and Lukas Enembe-Klemen Tinal, nominated by political parties, and independent candidate pairs; Welington Wenda-Weynand Watori, Noak Nawipa-John Wob, and John Karubaba-Willy B. Magai.
In the schedule set by the Papua KPUD, the election process commences from the opening of registration for those candidates who have not yet registered at the Papua legislative council.
“The other candidates who have not yet registered have been given another chance to register at the Papua KPUD. We’ve formulated a schedule for independent candidates to register from Oct. 8 to 12 and those nominated by political parties from Nov. 8 to 14, 2012,” explained Papua KPUD head Benny Suweni.
The election has been rescheduled for Jan. 29, 2013. “The people of Papua have been waiting a long time to pick their leaders. We hope the scheduled election will be carried out on time,” he said.
The Papua gubernatorial election has been postponed for more than a year.
“Had it taken place according to the normal schedule, the election would have been held on Sept. 26 last year,” said Benny.
Independent candidate pair Yan Piter Yembisa and Heemsberche Bonay have registered themselves at the Papua KPUD on Oct. 12, after it opened registration for gubernatorial candidate pairs. Former Papua governor Barnabas Suebu and his running mate, former Tolikara regent John Tabo, ensured they would register as candidates on Nov. 10, 2012.
“We picked the date because it is in line with the Papua KPUD schedule,” said Daniel Gerden, Barnabas Suebu and John Tabo’s campaign team leader.