JAKARTA - The House of Representatives approved president Joko Widodo's proposal to merge the Ministry of Research and Technology with the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) so that it becomes the Ministry of Education, Culture and Technology.

In addition to the merger, all factions in the House of Representatives also agreed on the establishment of a new Ministry, namely the Ministry of Investment and Job Creation.

PDIP Faction DPR member Masinton Pasaribu said that this plan has emerged since last year.

"We see the President in 2020 has already announced it (the merger of ministries, red) how there is efficiency in the ministry as well as the law orders such as the ministry of investment," Masinton said in a virtual discussion titled "Evaluation of Cabinet and Political Map 2024", Saturday, April 10.

Masinton said, in a letter sent to the House of Representatives is not mentioned in detail the reason President Jokowi wants the fusion of the 2 ministries. However, the Bamus meeting agreed to approve the proposal brought to the plenary of the House of Representatives.

"In the presidential letter is not mentioned in detail but based on Law No. 39 of 2008 on state ministries, the merger for example must be the approval of the House of Representatives. So because earlier in the meeting of the relevant commission, commission X, the discourse has been raised," said the member of Commission III of the House.

Masinton believes the President will realize the combination of the two ministries. But who leads the ministry is the president's prerogative.

"So the merger will most likely be done by the president because the House of Representatives has already expressed approval for the merger, and then also the investment ministry has got approval. Later whether the president will (appoint, red) to fill people, that's the prerogative of the president," Masinton said.

Meanwhile, members of the House of Representatives from the MCC Faction admitted that they would inevitably approve the proposed merger of 2 ministries because it had been agreed in the Bamus meeting.

However, the MCC provided an important note for the implementation of the smelting of the ministry in order to be considered by the government.

"Because mindahin ministry is not rich mindahin cabinets. Mah cabinets are silent, this is what people move, programs, DIPA, can have an impact on performance,"Jelas Mardani.

Not to mention concerning Law 11 of 2011 on the National System of Science and Technology which is a derivative of article 31 paragraph 3 of the 1945 Constitution.

"This is sad, because it shows the government the word poco-poco for research and technology, whereas when pandemic developed countries actually invested large funds for research and technology. So he can be the leader in capturing great opportunities because there are only before COVID and after COVID," said Mardani.

Mardani regretted the fusion of the 2 ministries in the midst of the pandemic that the country should be able to optimize the Ministry of Technology for the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. In fact, he said, this decision is a step backwards for the government.

"For me the record of this magnitude is a step back from the application of the Law," mardani said.


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