'€œAll processes in the composition of the 2015 city budget must immediately be completed. After that, the budget can be delivered to the people, the programs that have been designed can be delivered. Let'€™s work for the people, work for Jakarta, as soon as possible,'€ Jokowi said as quoted by kompas.com.

The President was speaking after hosting a meeting attended by Governor Ahok and City Council speaker Prasetio Edi Marsudi at the State Palace in Jakarta in Tuesday.

During the meeting, President Jokowi also called for an immediate solution to a controversy surrounding the council'€™s right of inquiry against Ahok, so that the latter might get on with implementing his programs.

'€œ['€¦] there should be no prolonged conflict. I'€™ve asked for the controversy surrounding the right of inquiry to be put to bed, through deliberation and consensus,'€ said Jokowi.

Prasetio, meanwhile, claimed the meeting had been extremely amicable. Both Ahok and Jokowi, he said, were his friends and comrades in arms, adding that he had not, therefore, been able to reject the invitation to the meeting.

'€œMy only goal is for us all to work together for Jakarta. We don'€™t want to fight anymore. We want to work for a better future,'€ said the council speaker.

Commenting on the meeting, Ahok said he and Prasetio had reached an agreement that they would no longer call into question the 2015 city budget, which was based on a gubernatorial regulation (Pergub).

Once signed, the budget could be disbursed on April 20, added the governor.

Based on the last Pergub evaluation meeting with the Home Ministry on April 10, the Jakarta administration'€™s approved budget is Rp 69.28 trillion (US$5.33 billion), comprising Rp 63.65 trillion from the 2014 city budget and Rp 5.63 trillion from the Pergub. (fsu/ebf)(+++)

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