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Former boss installs Ahok as governor
A tale of two buddies: President Joko âJokowiâ Widodo (left) jokes with Basuki âAhokâ Tjahaja Purnama (right), whom he swore in as the new Jakarta governor at the State Palace on Wednesday
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span class="inline inline-center">A tale of two buddies: President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo (left) jokes with Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama (right), whom he swore in as the new Jakarta governor at the State Palace on Wednesday. Jokowi was Jakarta governor and Ahok his deputy until the former became president last month. Presidential Palce/Cahyo Bruri Sasmito
Two years after their inauguration as Jakarta governor and deputy governor, President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo and Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama met again on Wednesday in another inauguration ceremony, but this time the former handed over the leadership of the country's capital to the latter.
In a ceremony held at the State Palace, Jokowi inaugurated Ahok as Jakarta governor, a position he left last month following his inauguration as the country's seventh president.
Speaking to reporters after the 10-minute ceremony, Governor Ahok, who will serve until 2017, called his inauguration moment a 'wonder'.
'My inauguration [which was led] by the President is just like a wonder of the world. Only two years after our inauguration [as governor and deputy governor], it is now him [Jokowi] who inaugurates me [as governor],' he said.
'The President patted me and asked how could we know this [could happen],' he said.
After his inauguration, Ahok, dressed in a white uniform, spent the next 25 minutes with his wife, Veronica Tan, who looked elegant in a white kebaya and batik cloth, to receive congratulations from politicians, family members and VIP guests and have his picture taken with some of them. After many handshakes and chats with guests, the 48-year-old governor asked a waiter to bring him a glass of water in the middle of the greeting session.
Among the VIP guests attending the inauguration were former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, People's Consultative Assembly deputy speaker Oesman Sapta and former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso.
When asked how he felt after the inauguration, Ahok, the first Chinese-Indonesian to become Jakarta governor, expressed his feelings in the way a Muslim would.
'In Islam, this is not [the moment to say] alhamdulillah [thank God] but to istighfar [ask for God's mercy] three times,' he said.
Ahok left City Hall for the State Palace this morning accompanied by members of his family, including his mother Buniarti Nangsing and his younger brother Basuri Tjahaja Purnama, and subordinates from the city administration.
Basuri is the current East Belitung regent, an office Ahok held from 2005 to 2006.
Buniarti said she never expected that her son would become Jakarta's top leader.
'I hope that he will be consistent in becoming a clean leader and not corrupt,' she said.
She added that she also hoped Ahok would remain calm and control his emotions. 'He is basically a nice person. He scolds people because he loves them, so they will become better,' she said.
Ahok has sparked controversy because of his blunt opinions and temperament. He often scolded his subordinates in public over unsatisfactory performances.
Buniarti also shared her concern for her oldest son because of his many political enemies. 'He must be careful,' she said.
She said she initially did not agree with Ahok becoming a public official. 'I wanted him to be a director of a big company,' she said.
She added that she was afraid he would face many hurdles when he entered the political world, since they were Chinese-Indonesians. Chinese-Indonesians' political power was limited during the 32 years of the New Order regime and many chose to enter business instead.
She said, however, that she realized Ahok simply loved his country and wanted to do more for it. 'So be it: He wants to fight,' Buniarti said.
Regarding the objection of several groups to Ahok's appointment, Basuri said it was not a big deal. Ahok's younger brother said that the objection was the result of a misunderstanding.
Basuri said that it was time for all groups to be united to make a better Indonesia.
'If we are busy quarreling with each other, other countries will be happy' he said, adding that it was the time to show other nations that Indonesia could also be great.
Basuri said he hoped Ahok could turn Jakarta into as great a city as other top capitals in the world.
After the inauguration ceremony, Ahok moved directly into the governor's office previously used by Jokowi.
Ahok said he actually preferred his former office as it had a better view. However, he said working in the governor's office was a symbolic gesture for his new role.
He added, however, that the chair was not bad. 'This is the chair of former governor Sutiyoso. Jokowi also used the same chair, but it was moldy as the leather was old.
'I then told the General Affairs Bureau to change the leather. How could the chair of a governor be moldy?' he said. He added that the old leather had been covered up with new leather.
Ahok said he had already begun working, signing several letters as the governor of Jakarta.
