Firdaus Ali, Aide to Pramono, Inaugurated as UI Engineering Professor

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Coordinator of Special Staff to the Governor of DKI Jakarta Firdaus Ali was inaugurated as a Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia (UI), at the Makara Building UI on Wednesday (6/5/2026).

Several officials attended the inauguration, including DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung, Deputy Governor Rano Karno, Head of the Nusantara Capital Authority (IKN) Basuki Hadimuljono, Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Arif Satria, and others.

Firdaus Ali became a permanent professor in the field of innovative water management engineering.

Firdaus expressed his gratitude for the achievement. He stated that the journey to becoming a professor was not easy and required a long time.

“I am grateful with my wife that finally at the end of my career journey, I was inaugurated. This has actually been a very long journey; if I tell the story, it would be very long,” said Firdaus Ali on Wednesday.

He has even been involved since 2005 at City Hall.

According to him, the ideas he has developed so far have become part of the water governance planning in Jakarta.

“My ideas have actually been planned on how to manage water in Jakarta. So actually, there is nothing special,” he said.

One of the efforts currently being prepared by the government is the construction of a giant sea wall or Giant Sea Wall.

“Looking ahead, of course, the most urgent is related to coastal protection,” he said.

He was asked to continue providing ideas and innovations, especially to help solve various problems in Jakarta.

“The Governor asked me to help with thoughts that can solve Jakarta’s problems,” he said.

He and his wife Penny Kusumastuti Lukito, who was also the Head of BPOM in 2016, share roles, so both can still carry out their respective duties.

“We are used to sharing tasks and working together, so everything can run smoothly,” said Firdaus.