Ahok Returns His Remaining Operational Fund As Jakarta Governor

© AP Photo/Dita Alangkara

After resigning as governor, he returned Rp 1.2 billion to the city secretariat.

Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama has proposed his resignation as Jakarta Governor on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 following his conviction for insulting the Quran. Besides submitting his resignation, Ahok has also returned the remaining operational fund as governor, anamount of Rp 1.2 billion to the bank account of the city administration's secretariat.

"That's right [he returned it], on May 23, 2017, Rp 1.2 billion something," said Ahok's lawyer, Josefina A Syukur.

Josefina explained that the money was the operational funds for May 2017 period.

"The operational funds for May, the remaining is returned. So, he only used it until May 8 or 9, until the last day he worked," said Josefina.

Ahok returned the operational funds due to the issuance of Presidential Decree no. 56/P of 2017 on the temporary suspension of the Jakarta Governor and the appointment of Jakarta Acting Governor for the 2012 to 2017 period.

Ahok signed the statement letter on May 23, 2017 at Mako Brimob, Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java, where he is currently detained.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Gubernatorial and Foreign Affairs Bureau Head Muhammad Mawardi stated that the Jakarta Acting Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat can use the money received by Ahok when he was serving as Jakarta Governor.

Djarot may choose to use operational funds for deputy governor or governor. This is in accordance with the Letter of the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia No. 120/956/OTDA of 2011.

"He (Djarot) can still use his operational funds as deputy, yet he is also given a choice to use the governor's. Only one of them for sure," said Mawardi when interviewed at the Jakarta City Hall.

Mawardi added, until recently, Djarot has not decided which BPO to use. He is still waiting for Djarot's decision.

As information, BPO for Jakarta Governor is Rp 2.1 billion per month, while the deputy governor is Rp 1.4 billion. The operational funds can be used to anticipate vulnerability, coordination, community and religious assistances as well as other issues that're considered essential.

(brl/red)