Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Mathius Fakhiri said there were no security disturbances, particularly armed conflicts, during the voting day of the 2024 General Election in Papua on Wednesday (2/14/2024).
“The voting process could proceed smoothly,” Fakhiri said.
He emphasized that his office had rejected the ‘noken’ system in the jurisdiction of the Papua Police. In the noken voting system, voters place their unmarked ballots into a noken carried by the candidate’s witness they have chosen, thus compromising the secrecy of the vote, or the voting results are determined by acclamation.
According to Fakhiri, the implementation of the noken system could trigger security disturbances, including armed conflicts. “As happened in Puncak Jaya Regency, disturbances occurred because of disputes over whose voice it belongs to. The same thing also happened in Paniai,” said Fakhiri.
He hoped that areas unable to conduct voting could promptly organize supplementary voting. “We also hope that the vote counting process at the district level can be completed soon so that all ballot boxes can be moved to the regency,” he added.
Fakhiri stated that the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Police were ready to guard the entire election process, including the return of ballot boxes from polling stations to the district/city General Election Commission (KPU). “Hopefully, any protests about the results can be addressed according to the existing mechanisms,” he said.
He expressed gratitude to the community for maintaining security and order during the 2024 Election. “I will certainly encourage the election organizers and security personnel to remain enthusiastic in carrying out the tasks entrusted by the state to fulfill all these responsibilities,” he concluded. (*)
