Governor Joko âJokowiâ Widodo says he has submitted a request for leave to the President to enable him focus on the presidential bid ahead of campaign season in June
overnor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo says he has submitted a request for leave to thePresident to enable him focus on the presidential bid ahead of campaign seasonin June.
Jokowi has been named as Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) presidential candidate. His nomination, however, is not yet official until it was registered with the General Elections Commission (KPU) from May 18-20.
'I have submitted a request for leave to the President. I also notify it to the Home Affairs Ministry,' Jokowi said at City Hall on Tuesday.
Home Affairs Ministry spokesman Didik Suprayitno confirmed that the ministry had received the request.
'We have received the request to become non active this morning. In his request, Pak Jokowi seeks an approval to become non active from the day the PDI-P registers him as its presidential candidate to KPU until the KPU announces the president and vice president-elect,' Didik told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Government Regulation (PP) No.18/2013 stipulates that regional leaders aspiring to run for president and join campaign trails should submit request for leave 12 days before the registration to KPU at the very latest.
According to Ministerial Regulation No.13/2009, should the request approved by the President, the governor will be non active until the KPU announces the president and vice president-elect.
The presidential election is slated to take place on July 9, while the runoff
in September.
Public administration expert of the Andalas University Saldi Isra said that in
accordance to regulations, the deputy governor will automatically take over the
governor's duties once the governor was non active.
'The administration should do just fine,' he said.
Saldi also suggested that the governor only leave office during the campaign
season.
While expressing his readiness, Deputy Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama
acknowledged that his duties would double than it is now.
'Clerical duties will double than they are now. I usually scan paperwork that will be checked by the governor. After I became the acting governor I should read them all by myself,' he told reporters at his office.
Ahok emphasized that he would run the administration the way it was currently.
'I will run the administration in compliance with the governor's direction. It's not like I will create policies or do things which couldn't be done before. I will still discuss everything with the governor,' he said.
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