T

he Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP) has submitted seven pairs of gubernatorial candidates to the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) for verification amid problems that have mounted ahead of the upcoming election.

“We have submitted the names to the MRP to verify whether the candidates are Papuans. Based on the 2011 Law No. 21 on Special Autonomy Status to Papua, the governor and the deputy must be Papuans,” said Yunus Wonda, DPRP deputy head, while meeting MRP head Mathius Murib on Friday.

The candidate pairs are Habel Melkias Suwae - Yop Kogoya; MR Kambu –Blasius Pakage; Alex Hesegem – Marthen Kayoi and Lukas Enembe – Klemen Tinal, who are all backed by political parties, while Welington Wenda – Weynand Watori; Noak Nawipa - John Wob and John Karubaba – Willy B Magai are running as independents.

During the verification process, the candidates will be invited to Jayapura to be interviewed, Mathius said.

Yunus said that verification might take two weeks before the data was sent back to the DPRP and the General Elections Commissions (KPUD) to prepare the voting process.

The Home Ministry, the Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP) and the Papuan People’s Council (MRP) previously agreed to hold the long-awaited gubernatorial election in Papua in mid August.