President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) appointed Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD as ad-interim minister of state apparatus utilisation and bureaucracy reform.
Mahfud is appointed as ad-interim minister to ensure optimal running of the ministry’s administration and operations following the demise of Minister Tjahjo Kumolo earlier this July, while the president mulls over who will be Kumolo’s definitive successor.
“The state apparatus utilisation and bureaucracy reform minister’s post will be occupied by Mahfud MD on an ad-interim basis, while the process to designate the definitive replacement is ongoing,” Special Staff for the Minister of State Secretariat Faldo Maldini stated here, Friday.
The State Secretariat Ministry had earlier issued a letter, numbered B-596/M/D-3/AN.00.03/07/2022 and signed by Minister of State Secretary Pratikno on July 4, 2022, announcing Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian will serve as the ad-interim minister from July 4 to July 15.
As the appointment is expected to expire on July 15, President Jokowi is yet to declare the definitive minister to replace Kumolo, he noted.
Maldini said that while the president determines the new definitive minister’s name, Mahfud, as the ad-interim minister, would ensure the ministry’s administration remains optimal.
The special staff is yet to confirm when the president will announce the name of the new minister of state apparatus utilisation and bureaucracy reform.
“We all hope that the appointment would maintain the ministry’s performance and achievement in the future. This process is normal as indeed, (the president) could not make a decision in rush because the most important is that all aspects will be properly executed,” he emphasized.
This is the second instance that Mahfud has been appointed as ad-interim minister, as he had served as ad-interim minister before the president replaced him with Minister Karnavian on July 4.
Kumolo passed away at the Abdi Waluyo Hospital, Central Jakarta, on July 1 after receiving intensive care for 13 days. He was buried with military honours at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery, South Jakarta.
Source: Antara News