Tracing The Trail Of Harun Masiku's PAW Letter

A number of KPU commissioners held a press conference regarding the resignation of Wahyu Setiawan (Mery Handayani / VOI)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU), Arief Budiman, said that there were a number of signatures of PDI Perjuangan officials in submitting a request for replacement between Harun Masiku. This letter was submitted to replace Nazarudin Kiemas who died.

Arief added that the KPU had received three application letters from the PDIP DPP for this replacement. The three letters were received by the KPU in stages.

"The first letter of request for implementation of the Supreme Court (MA) decision dated August 5, 2019, was signed by two people, the Head of Bapilu Bambang Wuryanto and Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto," he said, at the KPU office, Jalan Imam Bonjol, Menteng, Central Jakarta, Friday, January 10.

After receiving the letter, the KPU sent a reply letter to the PDIP, rejecting the PAW request. However, the PDIP DPP again submitted an application letter based on a copy letter from the Supreme Court sent on September 13, 3019.

In a copy letter sent by the PDIP DPP, it was signed by the Chairman of the DPP Yasonna Laoly and Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto.

"Then because the letter was a copy, we only paid attention. Did not reply to the letter. Then the Supreme Court issued a letter or fatwa dated September 23," he said.

Based on the MA fatwa, the PDIP DPP sent another application to the KPU in a letter dated December 6, which was received by the KPU on December 18.

"The last one on December 6 was signed by Megawati Soekarnoputri and by Hasto," he said.

Then the application letter was discussed immediately at the Plenary Meeting, Monday, January 6. Arief said the PDI Perjuangan letter was responded to with the same attitude, namely refusing the request.

"So this is the third letter. Because the third letter was addressed to the KPU. So the KPU replied back on January 7, which was roughly the same as the first letter," he explained.

Arief added, there was one more process related to the determination of vote acquisition in the South Sumatra I electoral district, namely, at the time of the recapitulation at the KPU RI. So there is an objection filed, it has been discussed and has been accepted. At the time of the discussion, the KPU also submitted an explanation by letter.

"We read the letter again through that momentum. So our explanation has been through letters twice and once at a national time. And our decision, based on the rules of law, we have implemented," he said.

On the same occasion, KPU Commissioner Hasyim Asyari explained that the official decision regarding the PAW member of the PDIP faction on behalf of Nazarudin was Riezky Aprilia.

"The incident (OTT) Wednesday afternoon on January 8, means that a decision has been made and all agree that the substance is the same as the previous letter (reply) in August 2019," said KPU Commissioner Hasyim Asyari.

Previously, the Commissioner for General Elections (KPU) Wahyu Setiawan was officially named a suspect in receiving bribes by the KPK. Wahyu was proven to have asked for Rp900 million in cash.

The money will be used to pave the way for the DPR RI candidates from the PDIP. Harun Masiku gets his share of the nomination through the time change process (PAW) from Nazarudin Kiemas who died.