Nethy Dharma Somba and Syamsul Huda M.Suhar, The Jakarta Post
The candidate pair of John Wempy Wetipo and John R. Banua has been reelected as regent and vice regent of Jayawijaya regency, Papua, for 2013-2018 after the Jayawijaya General Elections Commission (KPUD) announced their victory on Tuesday.
“The outcome of the plenary meeting at the Jayawijaya KPUD on Sept. 29 established Wetipo and Banua as regent and vice regent of Jayawijaya regency for the 2013-2018 period after securing 91.60 percent of the vote,” Papua KPUD head Adam Arisoi told The Jakarta Post.
The Jayawijaya regency election was only contested by two candidate pairs, the other pair being John Way and Decky Kapisa, who only secured 8.40 percent of ballots.
On Sept. 19 Jayawijaya election, 186,098 eligible voters from 40 districts and 322 villages cast their votes at 457 polling stations.
Arisoi said the outcome of the plenary meeting at the Jayawijaya KPUD was accepted by Way and Kapisa, so the Jayawijaya KPUD immediately requested the Jayawijaya Legislative Council to send a letter to the Papua governor, and later report the election result to the home minister, to arrange for the swearing-in ceremony.
“Jayawijaya is the only regency in Papua whose election outcome was not contested at the Constitutional Court,” Arisoi said.
Jayawijaya is the oldest regency in Papua province and is located in the Central Highlands. It is also well-known for its Baliem Valley Festival, which has been held annually since 1992.
Meanwhile in Gorontalo, incumbents Regent Indra Yasin and his running mate, Deputy Regent Roni Imran, were also reelected in the North Gorontalo election on Sept. 21.
Indra and Roni, who were nominated by a coalition comprising the National Mandate Party (PAN), Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), United Development Party (PPP), Democratic Party, People’s Conscience Party (Hanura) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), won 34,311 of the total 81,874 votes (51.46 percent).
Independents Thoriq Modanggu and Hardi Hemeto came second with 24.43 percent of the vote, followed by Idrus Thomas Mopili and Risjon Kudjiman Sunge, nominated by the Golkar Party, who obtained 24.11 percent.
The plenary meeting held at the North Gorontalo KPUD on Sept. 30 was tense and marred with interruptions. The two losing pairs — Thomas-Risjon and Thoriq-Hardi — raised their objections to a vote recap and refused to sign a form approving it.
The inauguration of the elected North Gorontalo regent and deputy regent is scheduled to take place on Dec. 6.