Hatchet hard to bury completely in contested S. Tangerang poll

Some losing candidates in the first South Tangerang mayor’s election conceded defeat on Monday and agreed to work together with the winner of the poll, the ticket of Airin Rachmi Diany and Benyamin Davnie.

Rodiah Najibah and Sulaiman Yasin, who ran on one ticket, stated they could accept defeat and were ready to lend a hand to the new leadership in South Tangerang.

“We have accepted our defeat and have left it to the General Elections Commission [KPU] to decide on the final result. Pak Sulaiman and I are ready to start a new way to work with development programs set up by the winning candidates,” Rodiah said Monday.

Sulaiman said the pair had signed the South Tangerang KPU’s final tally as proof that they conceded defeat.

“We have even congratulated the ticket of Airin-Benyamin. Their victory in the election is the victory of South Tangerang’s people and we will support it,” he said.

The South Tangerang Election Commission announced Thursday that Airin Rahmi Diany and Benyamin Davnie won the city’s first mayor election, which has been marred by allegations of fraud. The Airin-Benyamin ticket won 188,893 votes, or 46.43 percent of the vote, followed by Arsid-Andre Taulani with 187,778 (46.16 percent), Yayat Sudradjat-Norodom Sukarno with 5.56 percent and Rodiah Najibah-Sulaiman Yasin with 1.85 percent. The four pairs of candidates running in the Nov. 13 mayor election were Yayat Sudradjat and Norodom Sukarno, Rodiah Najibah and Sulaiman Yasin, Arsid and Andre Taulani, Airin Rachmi Diany and Benyamin Davnie.

However, Arsid and Andre’s campaign team rejected the commission’s decision, saying they believed the election was marred by fraud involving Airin Rachmi Diany and Benyamin Davnie.

Arsid and Andre’s campaign team submitted reports and evidence of the alleged fraud to the Constitution Court late last week.

In response to Arsid and Andre’s lawsuit, Airin and Benyamin’s campaign team said it would counter sue.  

Airin and Benyamin’s campaign team also claimed it had collected evidence of fraud, money politics and manipulation committed by Arsid and Andre Taulani.

Based on the KPU’s count, 57 percent of the 732,190 registered voters went to the polls. The low turnout was blamed on the lack of credible candidates with a clear vision. South Tangerang, which comprises Ciputat, East Ciputat, Pamulang, Pondok Aren, Serpong, North Serpong and Setu districts, was part of Tangerang regency until October 2008.

With a combined population of 1,037,000, the new municipality has grown into a region with an impressive growth in housing and trade and services. Some of the fastest-growing housing complexes like Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) are in South Tangerang.