TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential Staff Office (KSP) main expert Wandy Tuturoong on Monday said there is a reason why the New Capital Act (UU IKN) allows President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to appoint the IKN head authority without an election.

Wandy said this is due to the President’s prerogative rights which will involve the House of Representatives (DPR) in its decision-making.

He explains that the head authority of the new capital city will be faced with many challenges in building the new capital, which will demand utmost focus and must be free from other aspects such as political challenges.

“This is to help the head authority to focus their energy to handle the complexity of a modern city. [We do not want] to burden them with other things,” said Wandy to Tempo on February 21.

Moreover, he argues that the new leader will have to lead the region as a city manager, which is a leadership model built over an in depth study on effective leadership in developing a modern city. Wandy also explains that the new IKN Authority will not have a Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) and will coordinate directly with members of the DPR regarding budget uses.

"There will be no DPRD, because that is the special nature of the Regional Government of the Special Capital City of the Archipelago. The basis for this specificity is in the constitution article 18B paragraph 1," he explained.

IKN Act No.3/2022 which was ratified by President Jokowi on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, states that the election of the Head of the IKN Authority and a deputy is the prerogative of the president and will not be conducted through a general election.

The term of office of the IKN Authority head is set at five years and can be extended again by the President. The head of the new capital authority can also be removed before their term ends by the President but will have the right to create regulations for the new capital.

Read: IKN Act Oversees New Capital Relocation Budget Sources

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH