Observer: The Head Of The IKN Authority Should Be Concurrently With President Jokowi

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Photo: Setkab)

JAKARTA - The name of the Head of the IKN Authority has been mentioned in President Joko Widodo's pocket. No later than mid-March 2022, the president will announce the name.

Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about the minister being able to serve as the Head of the Archipelago IKN Authority. So who is the most suitable to fill the position? Responding to this, political communication observer at Esa Unggul University, Jamiluddin Ritonga, thinks that the candidate for the Head of IKN is someone who is trusted by the president and away from corrupt behavior. This is necessary so that IKN development is free from corruption.

In addition, he said, ideally the Head of IKN is someone who masters planning, so he knows exactly how to implement it in the field. That way, according to Jamiluddin, the construction of the IKN is really in accordance with the design that has been set.

"President Jokowi seems to have two criteria. Therefore, the president should hold the position of Head of IKN," Jamiluddin said when contacted, Monday, February 21.

If the president becomes the head of IKN, he continued, the bureaucratic chain can be cut. And all problems that arise will be quickly resolved.

"Besides that, the president certainly understands the IKN design very well. Because the existing designs have certainly been approved by the president. Therefore, the lack of development in the field will be easily recognized by the president," he said.

In fact, said Jamiluddin, if the president becomes the Head of the IKN then the parties who will "play" with the IKN development budget can be braked automatically. The President, will ensure that the IKN development budget will not leak at all.

"So, there are many advantages if the Head of IKN is concurrently the president," he concluded. Previously, the Deputy Chair of the Legislative Body (Baleg) of the DPR from the PPP faction, Achmad Baidowi, said that a ministerial candidate for the head of the authority could be appointed. He also revealed the names of the figures that President Jokowi might appoint. Baidowi explained, according to the provisions of Article 9 paragraph 1 that the Head and Deputy Head of the IKN Authority are appointed and dismissed by the president. In Article 4 paragraph 1 (b) that the status of the IKN authority body is a special regional government at the ministry level, so that the position of the Head of the Authority can be held concurrently by the minister.

"The position of the head of the IKN authority can be held concurrently by the minister," said Baidowi, Monday, February 21. According to the man who is familiarly called Awiek, if you look at the provisions in the IKN Law, the opportunity to capture this position is very open. The chairman of the PPP DPP also gave a leak regarding several ministers who have the opportunity to be chosen by the President to serve as the head of the authority. Who is the minister in question? "Everything depends on the president's decision. It could be the Minister of Home Affairs (Tito Karnavian), the Minister of National Planning and Development/PPN/Bappenas (Suharso Monoarfa), and the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Mahfud MD) or an appointed minister, "said Awiek.