TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said he will announce his decision on whether Budi Gunawan will be installed as the next National Police chief after his visits to a number of foreign countries.

“I will settle everything next week. There are several matters to be addressed first,” Jokowi said after opening a National Coordination Meeting of Drugs Abuse at Hotel Bidakara, Jakarta, on Wednesday, February 4, 2015.

Earlier on Tuesday, February 3, 2015, Jokowi held a meeting with the Great Indonesia Coalition (KIH) leaders at the Presidential Palace. Tempo’s source at the palace said that the meeting was initiated by the party leaders.

During the meeting, the coalition asked Jokowi to make his decision on Budi Gunawan’s nomination after Budi's pretrial. The source told Tempo that the party leaders in the coalition had already realized that Jokowi would scrap Budi Gunawan’s inauguration.

“Therefore, they are intentionally buying some time, asking [Jokowi] to make a decision over Budi Gunawan after the pretrial,” the source said.

However, the source added that Jokowi would press for calling off Budi’s inauguration, and that the palace was hoping Budi Gunawan would withdraw from his nomination.

“It would be great if Budi withdrew [from the nomination],” State Secretary Pratikno said, quoting Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto who earlier said that Budi Gunawan’s withdrawal would be the best option.

ANANDA TERESIA