Jakarta Provincial Secretary Tenders Resignation

Jakarta (Antara) - Jakarta Provincial Secretary Fadjar Pandjaitan said he has tendered resignation to pave the way for his candidacy for the House of Representatives (DPR) in the 2014 elections. "I have decided to resign as Jakarta provincial secretary and civil servant," he said here on Tuesday. He said he had informed both Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Vice Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama of his plan to resign. "It is true that I asked for a permission from the governor and vice governor only on Monday because I was on leave of absence from April 1 to 5," he said. Fadjar said he will register as a legislative candidate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP). "Actually, I was admitted as a PDIP member at the end of March 2013. That's why I decided to resign as Jakarta provincial secretary. According to the regulation, no civil servant is allowed to join a political party," he said. "The registration of legislative candidates which starts today will last until April 22. If I await until my retirement in August 2013 I will miss this chance. So I must resign as a civil servant as quickly as possible," he said. (*)