Jakarta \u2014 The wave of bureaucratic reform within Indonesia\u2019s Ministry\nof Public Works (PU) has entered a new phase. Following the resignations\nof Director-General of Creation Dewi Chomistriana and Director-General\nof Water Resources Dwi Purwantoro, Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo\nhas pledged that the selection process for these positions will be\nconducted through a strict and transparent fit and proper test\nmechanism.<\/p>\n
This approach is intended to ensure that succession for these two\nvital directorates is filled by figures who are not only technically\ncompetent but also possess impeccable integrity in line with President\nPrabowo Subianto\u2019s directive.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe process is still ongoing. There is still a fit and proper test\nthat I am conducting personally with my team, but it is not yet\ncomplete. Hopefully within one or two months I will be able to submit my\nrecommendations to the President,\u201d Dody told Kompas.com in Semarang on\nSunday (1 March 2026).<\/p>\n
The tightened selection process stems from Dody\u2019s concern that the\ninternal \u201ccleansing\u201d has not been entirely thorough. Dody has even\nengaged personnel from the Attorney General\u2019s office to assist in the\naudit and selection process to ensure that no further corruption remains\nat senior leadership levels.<\/p>\n
Internal tensions at the Public Works Ministry have persisted since\nearly 2025. Dody revealed that the Financial Audit Board (BPK) has\nissued two stern warnings regarding findings of budget irregularities.\n\u201cThe BPK sent letters to me twice. In January 2025, they cited state\nlosses of nearly Rp3 trillion. I gave until July 2025 for follow-up\naction, but there was no response from the Secretary-General or the\nInspector-General at that time,\u201d Dody stated seriously.<\/p>\n
The slow response from internal bureaucracy prompted the Minister to\nassume direct command of the cleansing operation. Dody analogised the\ncleansing as cutting off the head of the snake, not merely its tail. He\nacknowledged his distress because the \u201ccleansing tool\u201d he had been\nusing, the Inspector-General\u2019s office, was allegedly not entirely\nclean.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cannot clean my house if my soap is dirty. I see that even the\nInspector-General\u2019s office is not entirely clean,\u201d he insisted.<\/p>\n
He noted that the process resulted from preliminary audit data that\nhe presented directly to those involved. \u201cWhen I presented the\npreliminary data, they chose to resign. This aligns with the President\u2019s\ndirection: if you cannot maintain clean hands, step down or be forcibly\nremoved,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
To ensure transparency, the Public Works Minister has established a\nspecial team he calls the \u201cclean broom\u201d (lidi bersih). This team is\nstrengthened by three personnel directly seconded from the Attorney\nGeneral\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have given 90 days. If the Rp1 trillion in irregularities does not\nquickly reduce or is not returned, I myself will refer this case to law\nenforcement authorities. I cry when I think of that Rp1 trillion\nfigure\u2014imagine how many bridges and roads we could build for our\npeople,\u201d Dody said with tears in his eyes.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/replacement-candidates-for-two-directors-general-at-public-works-ministry-to-undergo-fit-and-proper-test-1772409197", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }