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Golkar mistakenly endorses two candidate pairs for Jayapura election
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Jayapura mayor Benhur Tommy Mano (left) and his running mate Rustan Saru on Wednesday present the decree of support from eight parties backing their bid for elction, including Golkar. (Antara/Indrayadi)
S
omething seemed amiss on Wednesday, the first day of candidate registration for the election in Jayapura, Papua. Two pairs of candidates claimed to be endorsed by the Golkar party, which would violate the rule that one party can only endorse one pair.
One pair, Abisai Rollo and Dipo Wibowo, calling themselves ABDI, said they were endorsed by Golkar, which has seven seats at the Jayapura Council, and the Star Crescent Party (PBB), which has one. Meanwhile, incumbent Benhur Tommy Mano and Haji Rustan Saru, calling themselves BTM-HARUS, claim to be backed by Golkar and seven other parties with a total of 33 seats.
Besides Golkar, the BTM-HARUS ticket is supported by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) with four seats, the Nasdem party with three, the National Awakening Party (PKB) with three, the Hanura party with four seats, the National Mandate Party (PAN) with four, and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) with four seats. There are a total of 40 seats in the Jayapura Council, and a candidate pair needs backing from at least eight.
Malvin Tjoe, the acting head of Golkar in Jayapura, said Wednesday the party’s endorsement for BTM-HARUS was signed by party chairman Setya Novanto on Sept. 8. “We decided on BTM-HARUS after our survey showed BTM was favored by 56 percent of party members, compared to just 6 percent for Abisai-Rollo. We obviously endorsed the winning pair,” he said.
He admitted that the party had signed a document to endorse Abisai-Rollo on June 2, but said the provincial branch of Golkar had changed its mind at a plenary session on Aug. 28 and decided to withdraw its endorsement for Abisai-Rollo on Sept. 5. “We have withdrawn our support for Abisai-Rollo and given it to Benhur Tommy Mano,” Malvin said.
Abisai said he had not been informed about the party’s change of mind and therefore went ahead with the registration at the Jayapura KPU. “I have never received any letter from Golkar to say they canceled their support,” he said.
Jayapura KPUD head Jeremias Numberi said he would study the validity of Golkar’s support for both candidate pairs. “After the investigation, we will decide who is Golkar’s rightful candidate,” he said.
The registration period ends on Friday. (evi)
