Ahok is to leave budget deliberations to city secretary Saefullah, Development Planning Board (Bappeda) head Tuty Kusumawati and Financial and Asset Management Board head Heru Budi Hartono. He believes the three know the city budget better than the acting governor set to replace him .

"The city secretary, Tuti and Heru are the trio," Ahok told journalists at City Hall on Wednesday.

Ahok handed over his position to the central government's appointed acting governor on Wednesday as he and Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat were set take leave from Oct. 28 to Feb. 11.

Still, his personal objections of the leave requirement remained. He feared that people could file a lawsuit against the city budget as he believed the acting governor appointed by the Home Affairs Ministry did not have the authority to endorse it.

"People possibly can dispute the city budget in court as it is not yet legalized. We don't know," Ahok claimed. 

He also questioned the overlapping regulations on regional financial management. The Constitution and the 2003 State Finance Law stipulated that regional budget management rested solely with regional heads, he said. However, a recent 2017 Home Affairs Ministry decree grants greater authority to acting regional heads in managing policy and programs.

Ahok previously filed a petition challenging the Regional Elections Law over the compulsory leave requirements for incumbents arguing that it should be optional. The Constitutional Court is to hand out its ruling Thursday. (rin)

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