Ahok's Name Was Called By Jokowi From Last Year, The DPR Said This About The Figure Of The Head Of The Authority

JAKARTA - The Draft Law on the State Capital (RUU IKN) was passed into law at the DPR plenary session yesterday, Tuesday, January 18.

In the law, it is regulated that the regional administration of the state capital will be led by a head of authority who is directly appointed by the president.

Last year, President Joko Widodo had leaked the names of a number of candidates for the head of the authority. One of the most highlighted is the former governor of DKI Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok.

"There are many candidates. One Mr. Bambang Brodjonegoro, two Mr. Ahok, three Mr. Tumiyono, four Mr. Azwar Anas," said Jokowi at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Monday, March 2 2020.

It is known, Bambang Brodjonegoro had served as Minister of Research and Technology. He was listed as the person who participated in planning the relocation of the new capital city when he served as Head of the National Planning and Development Agency.

Second, is Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok. It is common knowledge that the closeness between him and Jokowi was built when they led the capital city of DKI Jakarta together. Ahok now sits as the President Commissioner of PT Pertamina (Persero).

The third name is Tumiyono. Currently he serves as the President Director of PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk. This state-owned construction company has a number of projects in the construction of the nation's capital or a new capital city.

The last name that Jokowi mentioned has the potential to occupy the Head of the State Capital Authority is PDIP politician Abdullah Azwar Anas. The former Banyuwangi Regent is now the Head of the Government Goods/Services Procurement Policy Institute (LKPP).

A member of the Special Committee for the IKN Bill, Achmad Baidowi, explained that the question of the name and figure of the head of the authority was entirely under the authority of President Joko Widodo.

"That's not the special committee's business anymore. The special committee has been disbanded since the plenary session," Baidowi told VOI, Wednesday, January 19.

Regarding Ahok's name, the secretary of the DPR's PPP faction emphasized that the head of the IKN Nusantara authority was directly elected by the president within the next two months. After that, it was only consulted to the DPR.

"The president has two months to decide the names, so it's not the special committee's domain anymore," said Awiek, as he is called.

"Including who is the right figure, it is absolutely the authority of the president to consult with the DPR. Who was appointed by the DPR? We don't know the agenda yet," he continued.

Asked about the figure of a candidate for the head of the IKN Nusantara authority, PPP was reluctant to comment further. "It's clear above," said the chairman of the PPP DPP.