Bima Mayor Aji Man Denies Nepotism in Wife and Relative's Appointment

The Mayor of Bima, Aji Man, has defended the appointment of his wife and a relative to key positions in the city administration, denying accusations of nepotism. According to Aji Man, the appointment of his wife, Badrah Ekawati, as Secretary of the Health Department was not a promotion. He stated that Badrah was simply returned to her original position, which she had previously held in 2016. ‘I returned her to her initial position. So, she is not an echelon II official. She has been a civil servant for 33 years, so her track record should be considered,’ he said. He also clarified that the other appointed official, Irwansyah, who was named Head of the Procurement of Goods and Services (PBJ) Bureau, is not his brother-in-law. Aji Man challenged the public to verify the family relationship, stating that Irwansyah is not related to him. ‘The one said to be my brother-in-law is not. Check it, come to Bima. Where is my brother-in-law? That is slander,’ he asserted. He further explained that his wife’s appointment did not involve a promotion to an echelon II position, which would require an open selection process and approval from the National Civil Service Agency (BKN).