Jakarta. Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Puan Maharani announced that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has proposed Deputy Minister of Defense Muhammad Herindra as the new head of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), replacing Budi Gunawan.

Puan said that the DPR received a letter from President Jokowi regarding Budi Gunawan's dismissal as head of BIN on October 10, 2024.

"The President has proposed one name for the position. The presidential letter for the replacement of the BIN Chief, on behalf of Mr. Herindra, will undergo the fit and proper test tomorrow morning at the DPR," Puan said at the DPR building in the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday.

She mentioned that the DPR will form a team to further discuss the mechanism for the appointment and dismissal of the BIN Chief, noting that the fit and proper test for the candidate should be conducted by Commission I of the DPR, which has yet to be formed due to the recent inauguration of new DPR members.

Herindra, a former commander of the Indonesian special forces unit Kopassus, graduated from the Military Academy in 1987 and has previously served as the Chief of Staff (Kasum) of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI). He was appointed by Jokowi as Deputy Minister of Defense in 2020. Herindra is also one of the 49 figures summoned by President-elect Prabowo Subianto for selection as ministers, deputy ministers, and heads of agencies during meetings at Prabowo's residence on Monday.