TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The coordinator of the presidential expert staff, Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Ari Dwipayana, said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has not planned yet to appoint new millennial special staff following the resignation of Adamas Belva Syah Devara and Andi Taufan Garuda Putra.

“Until now, the president has no plan to appoint new special staff,” said Ari via a text message on Monday, April 27.

According to Ari, the appointment of special staff is the president’s full authority, depending on his needs in carrying out presidential duties. “The president is now focusing on the handling of COVID-19, both the health and socio-economic impacts.”

Previously, two presidential special staffs from the millennial generation, Adamas Belva Devara and Andi Taufan stepped down from their post after they were accused of being involved in conflicts of interest.

Belva was deemed to have a conflict of interest since his online learning platform RuangGuru was involved in a government’s program, while Andi was implicated in a scandal after sending a circular to regional community heads, in which he demanded support for his startup PT Amartha Fintek’s program.

President Jokowi said on Friday, April 24, that he accepted the decisions of his two staff to resign from their positions. “I understand why they decided to resign. They helped me a lot. I believe, inshallah (By God's willing), they will be successful in their respective expertise,” he said.

DEWI NURITA