Jakarta Governor Basuki âAhokâ Tjahaja Purnama is set to handpick the cityâs deputy governor and will send a letter containing the names of candidates to the home affairs minister on Tuesday
akarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama is set to handpick the city's deputy governor and will send a letter containing the names of candidates to the home affairs minister on Tuesday.
Ahok, who along with other governors attended on Monday a coordination meeting with President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo at the Bogor State Palace in West Java, said that he would consult with Jokowi on choosing the candidates.
'I'm meeting the President today. I will consult with him [regarding the deputy governor],' Ahok told reporters at City Hall in Central Jakarta on Monday.
According to government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) No. 1/2014 Article 170, paragraph one, a deputy governor, regent or mayor must be chosen one month after the inauguration of the governor, regent or mayor at the latest. The Perppu was issued by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier this year.
Moreover, paragraph one of Article 171 stipulates that a governor, regent or mayor must propose a candidate for the position of their deputy to the home affairs minister 15 days after their inauguration at the latest. Ahok was inaugurated on Nov. 19, giving him only until Dec. 4 to propose a name.
Meanwhile, paragraph two stipulates that the deputy will be appointed by the president based on the governor, regent or mayor's proposal to the minister. The deputy will then be inaugurated by the governor, regent or mayor.
Previously, Ahok has said that he had a few names in mind, most of whom were senior civil servants in the Jakarta administration. He said that he preferred civil servants rather than politicians.
'I think it is better that the deputy governor position is given to a seasoned civil servant who has a good track record,' Ahok said recently.
Strong civil-servant contenders include Sarwo 'Yani' Handayani, currently serving as head of the Governor's Team for Development Supervision (TGUPP). Ahok has repeatedly maintained his preference for Yani due to her honesty, good work ethic and clean track record.
Separately, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction head Jhonny Simanjuntak said that a Perppu must wait for the Government Regulation (PP) before being implemented.
'As far as I know, there has been no PP on Perppu No. 1/2014 yet,' Jhonny told The Jakarta Post on Monday. A PP regulates the technicalities of a Perppu.
He added that the roles of a governor and deputy governor were political offices and that the PDI-P, which along with the Gerindra Party endorsed Jokowi and Ahok during Jakarta's gubernatorial election in 2012, should have a right to propose its candidates for deputy governor.
'The PDI-P should have a say in choosing a deputy governor. It is only ethical that way,' he said, adding that the faction would endorse Boy Sadikin, son of former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin.
Meanwhile, Gerindra faction head Abdul Ghoni echoed Jhonny and said that Ahok would not be able to implement Perppu No. 1/2014 before a PP was issued.
'Technically, a PP is needed before the Perppu is implemented. Therefore we request that the President and the home affairs minister keep this in mind,' Ghoni told the Post on Monday.
He went on that Ahok's deputy should be a member of the party that endorsed him in order to 'maintain stability'.
'This way we can maintain a good relationship and maintain stability between the city administration and the City Council,' Ghoni said.
The relationship between Ahok and the council, especially with politicians from parties that have joined the Red-and-White Coalition, has soured after dozens of Red-and-White Coalition politicians tried to propose other candidates replacing Jokowi and refused to attend Ahok's inauguration at the State Palace.
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