Jakarta Secretary Concerning Formula E To Be Held In 2022: We Are Not Pessimistic

ILLUSTRATION/UNSPLASH

JAKARTA - DKI Regional Secretary Marullah is optimistic that Jakarta will be able to hold a Formula E racing event in 2022.

"For us, no one is pessimistic," said Marullah when met at the DKI DPRD Building, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, September 15.

Marullah said that the implementation of Formula E had become an instruction from the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan through Ingub Number 9 of 2021 regarding the Settlement of Regional Priority Issues for 2021-2022.

In this instruction, there are 28 issues that are the targets of achieving the completion of regional priority issues in 2021-2022. One of the issues on the list is the implementation of Formula E.

Therefore, even though there is a polemic, the Formula E title is still being pursued.

"The priority of Formula E is in accordance with Ingub. For me it is in accordance with the procedure. Hopefully it can be carried out. Now talks are being held," said Marullah.

Currently, the Formula E plan is being debated in the DPRD. Two factions, namely PDIP and PSI, filed an interpellation right to ask Anies for clarification on Formula E. These two factions think that Formula E will waste regional budgets that are running low due to the pandemic.

However, Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ahmad Riza Patria, admitted that his party would look for sources of funds other than the APBD to pay off the commitment fee for Formula E for 5 years, namely in the form of sponsorship from the private sector.

Currently, the DKI Provincial Government has disbursed the APBD of almost Rp. 1 trillion. In detail, the payment of a commitment fee for 2 terms paid in 2019 was 20 million pounds sterling or equivalent to Rp360 billion, a term 1 commitment fee in 2020 was 11 million pounds sterling or equivalent to Rp200 billion, and a bank guarantee of 22 million pounds sterling or Rp423 billion.

Until finally, the payment of the commitment fee was postponed by Anies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Anies still has to pay the Formula E commitment fee in term 2 2020, the 2022/2023 session 26.6 million pounds sterling, and the 2023/2024 session 29.2 million pounds sterling.

"Later, the program will not only be charged to the APBD. In fact, it will be charged by the private sector, by the sponsor," said Riza.

However, he considers that the commitment fee payment for 5 years of Formula E implementation does not have to be repaid in the near future. It is possible, said Riza, that the commitment fee could be paid by the sponsor if Formula E was held in 2022.

"It will be paid off later, in the following years. Does it all have to be paid off this year? No," he said.