T

he Home Ministry has sent a letter to the City Council calling on the body to expedite the appointment of Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama as Jakarta governor.

In the letter, signed Tuesday by director general for regional autonomy, Djohermansyah Djohan, the Home Ministry told City Council to '€œimmediately announce the appointment of the deputy governor as the new governor in a plenary session and to recommend the inauguration to the President through the Home Ministry.'€

Home Ministry spokesman Dodi Riyatmadji said that the letter legitimized the appointment of Ahok as the next leader of the capital city.

'€œBasically, in accordance with existing regulations, the Council should follow up and announce what the acting governor will be doing, which means him replacing Jokowi [Joko Widodo] as Jakarta governor,'€ he said.

Dodi also called on the Council to hold a plenary session to discuss the matter in the near future.

Meanwhile, Dodi pointed out that Ahok'€™s inauguration as governor should be followed up with the inauguration of his new deputy, which has not yet been decided.

'€œThe inauguration of the new deputy should be done within 15 days of the new governor'€™s inauguration,'€ he said.

City Council speaker Prasetyo Edi Marsudi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said that he would forward the letter to his deputies.

'€œI will forward the letter to the deputies so we can discuss it in a leadership meeting. But I assure you that Ahok will be inaugurated [as governor],'€ Prasetyo said. His statement undermined the attempt to challenge the legitimacy of Ahok'€™s appointment. The challenge has been spearheaded by the Gerindra Party, which Ahok, formerly a party member, abandoned last month in protest of Gerindra'€™s stance against the direct election for regional leaders.

The Jokowi-Ahok pairing was endorsed by the PDI-P and the Gerindra during the 2012 gubernatorial campaign.

Prasetyo admitted the dispute among factions in the Council was the cause of the prolonged debate.

'€œThey have yet to reach an agreement. I, as Council speaker, should resolve the dispute. I will hold a meeting as soon as possible,'€ he said.

He also promised to finalize the selection of commission leaders. The new Council was inaugurated in August.

Prasetyo also stressed that party factions '€œcannot disrupt the process because the letter from the regional autonomy directorate general [is indisputable].'€

Several figures have emerged as candidates for the deputy governorship.

'€œI, personally, choose [PDI-P Jakarta chapter chairman] Boy Sadikin,'€ Prasetyo said.

Ahok has said that existing regulations allow him to choose his deputy governor. He has also made public his desire to promote deputy governor for spatial planning Sarwo Handayani to the deputy governor post.