Bima Mayor Aji Man Denies Nepotism in Wife and Relative's Appointment
The Mayor of Bima, A Rahman, also known as Aji Man, has spoken out following the recent inauguration of his family members as officials within the Bima City Government. Aji Man was reported to have appointed his wife, Badrah Ekawati, as the Secretary of the Bima City Health Office, and his cousin, Irwansyah, as the Head of the Procurement of Goods and Services Division of the Bima City Regional Secretariat.
According to Aji Man, the appointment of his wife as the Health Office Secretary does not constitute a promotion. Badrah is said to have merely been moved back to a previous position she held in 2016.
“I have returned her to her original position. She is not an Echelon II official. She is Echelon III, so we must look at her competence and track record. She was previously in a non-job position due to the regional elections,” Aji Man stated, as reported by detikBali on Tuesday (7/7/2026).
Aji Man also denied that the inauguration of 87 Echelon II and Echelon III officials included any brothers-in-law, as had been rumoured. He clarified that the individual referred to as his brother-in-law has no familial relationship with him.
He urged the public to verify the information directly to confirm the truth, describing the allegations regarding the appointment of a brother-in-law as slander.
“To say it is a brother-in-law is slander. There is no brother-in-law. Just check it; come to Bima. Where is my brother-in-law? It can be seen,” he asserted.
He reiterated that the appointment of his wife, Badrah Ekawati, as the Health Office Secretary was not a promotion. He noted that Badrah has served as a civil servant for 33 years.
“So, my wife’s position was not raised. Every appointment must also receive approval from the BKN (National Civil Service Agency),” he said.
The Democratic Party politician from NTB stated that his wife does not hold an Echelon II position, which would require an open selection process or a selection committee (pansel). He maintained that Badrah’s appointment was conducted according to the established mechanism.
“Without the BKN’s technical recommendation, her employment status would be frozen. In this day and age, what goes viral is not necessarily true. Bima City is a small place,” he added.