Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has appointed Abdullah Azwar Anas as the new Minister of State Apparatus and Bureaucracy Reform and is expected to be inaugurated later on Wednesday.
"Today (September 7), at 1:30 p.m. local time (UTC +7), Azwar Anas will be inaugurated (as the new minister)," according to a source at the Presidential Palace here, Wednesday.
Anas is currently serving as head of the Government Goods and Services Procurement Policy Agency (LKPP) since January 13, 2022.
He will occupy the post of state apparatus and bureaucracy reform minister left vacant after the passing of Tjahjo Kumolo on July 1, 2022.
Related news: Widodo seeks completion of all national projects before 2024
Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian earlier held the ministerial position on an acting basis from July 4 to July 15, 2022, while since July 15, 2022, the minister's position was occupied by Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, also as acting minister.
Before serving as the LKPP head, Anas served as the head of Banyuwangi District for two terms in 2010 until 2021, and earlier, as a legislator of the House of Representatives (DPR RI).
During his tenure as Banyuwangi District head, Anas was lauded for his success in elevating the district's tourism sector through various events, such as Tour de Ijen, Banyuwangi Festival, Banyuwangi Ethno Carnival, and Banyuwangi Jazz Festival.
Banyuwangi also received the Innovation Government Award as the most innovative district in Indonesia in 2018.
Related news: President Jokowi's Nawacita vision coming true in Saumlaki
While serving as the district head, he established programmes to reduce school dropouts and provide daily and transportation allowances for school pupils from poorer families.
Anas also developed pro-active programmes to provide medical care for poor residents and to deploy vegetable merchants to seek pregnant mothers with high health risks.
In the district's farming sector, Anas developed an electronic farm card as a database of cattle farms.
Related news: Indonesia pursues new market opportunities at INSP MIHAS
Related news: Minister presses for digitization across all MSMEs business lines
