Jakarta.  A House of Representatives commission on Friday urged the government to immediately appoint a replacement for Papua Governor Lukas Enembe who is being detained on corruption charges. 

Ridwan Ramasukun, the provincial government secretary, is currently in charge of Lukas’ daily duties. Ridwan became Lukas’ stand-in because Deputy Governor Klemen Tinal – the first in the gubernatorial line of succession – passed away two years ago with no appointed replacement.

According to Ahmad Doli Kurnia, the chief of Commission II overseeing home affairs, it has been a while since he urged the Home Ministry to find someone who will take over Klemen’s position. It is so that Papua’s development can still continue, as well as to avoid a vacant seat in the governor’s office.

Doli said he did not mind the regional secretary being in charge of the governor’s daily duties, considering the arrest of Lukas by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) earlier this month. But this should not go on for too long, according to Doli.

“A governor and a deputy governor position are not the same as a [provincial government] secretary,” Doli said in Jakarta on Monday.

“Maybe it’s okay if it was just for a short while. But it cannot go on way too long. One must still listen to the appointed acting governor who will keep the office running. The Home Affairs Ministry must appoint an acting governor from the central government to lead [Papua],” Doli said.

KPK arrested Lukas under suspicion of bribery and graft. KPK also named businessman Rijantono Lakka a suspect for allegedly bribing Lukas and several provincial government officials to win infrastructure projects.

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