Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The United Development Party (PPP) now depends solely on the Constitutional Court to avoid a historic defeat of not having representation in the House of Representatives for the first time in its history.

The court on Monday began to try a motion by the Muslim-based party to add at least 193,088 more votes to its tally, which will help the PPP pass the electoral threshold of 4 percent of popular votes.

PPP received 5.9 million votes in the Feb. 14 general elections, representing 3.87 percent of the overall vote tally nationwide. The party has never failed to win a House seat before.

Lawyers representing the PPP told the panel that many votes for the party were unaccounted for due to a mishap in the counting process, most notably in Banten province.

Many votes cast by PPP voters have been unlawfully counted as votes for the Garuda Party, lawyer Darma Rozali Azhar said during the hearing at the Constitutional Court in Jakarta.

PPP demanded the "recovery of lost votes" and a revote in certain electoral districts in Banten.

The PPP was founded in 1973 as a merger of four Muslim-based parties including the Nahdlatul Ulama Party, the United Tarbiyah Islamiyah Party, the Indonesian Islamic Brotherhood Party (PSII), and the Indonesian Muslim Party (Parmusi).

It emphasizes Islamic values as the party's line and carries the Kaaba as the party symbol.

The results from the legislative election are as follows:

1. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) – 16.72 percent
2. Golkar Party – 15.29 percent
3. Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) – 13.22 percent
4. National Awakening Party (PKB) – 10.62 percent
5. National Democratic Party (Nasdem) – 9.66 percent
6. Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) – 8.42 percent
7. Democratic Party – 7.43 percent
8. National Mandate Party (PAN) – 7.24 percent

Below the 4 percent threshold:

1. United Development Party (PPP) – 3.87 percent
2. Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) – 2.81 percent
3. United Indonesia Party (Perindo) – 1.29 percent
4. Gelora Party – 0.82 percent
5. People's Conscience Party (Hanura) – 0.72 percent
6. Labor Party – 0.64 percent
7. Ummat Party – 0.42 percent
8. Crescent Star Party (PBB) – 0.32 percent
9. Garuda Party – 0.27 percent
10. Nusantara Awakening Party (PKN) – 0.22 percent

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/ppp-wants-court-to-award-nearly-200000-votes-to-stay-in-parliamen