VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), on Monday, inducted Budi Arie Setiadi as minister of communications and informatics at an inauguration ceremony in the Presidential Palace here.

Setiadi succeeded the previous office holder, Johnny G. Plate, who was dismissed on May 19 after being named a suspect in the alleged corruption case related to the ministry's base transceiver station (BTS) projects.

"By Allah, I swear that I will be loyal to the 1945 Constitution of Indonesia and will carry out all laws and regulations as straightforwardly as possible, as well as dedicate myself to the nation and the country," as read by Setiadi during his inauguration ceremony.

Between Plate's dismissal and Setiadi's inauguration, Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD served as the acting minister.

Presidential Decision No. 62P of 2023 on the Inauguration of Minister of Communications and Informatics of the Onward Indonesia Cabinet, dated July 14, 2023, is the legal basis of Setiadi's induction.

Setiadi's most recent office before his induction as minister was the deputy minister of villages, development of disadvantaged regions, and transmigration, working with Minister Abdul Halim Iskandar since 2019.

Setiadi, a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), is the chief of Projo, a public organization uniting Jokowi supporters established in August 2013. 

Through the organization, he supported Jokowi's two presidential bids in 2014 and 2019.

Born on April 20, 1969, Setiadi was a graduate of the University of Indonesia's (UI's) Communication Studies programme in the Faculty of Social and Political Studies. He served as the faculty's Students Representatives Council (BPM) head in 1994 and the university's Students Senate presidium member from 1994 to 1995.

During his university years, he served as managing editor for the Suara Mahasiswa UI university press from 1993 to 1994. He also worked in various newspapers and national media for several years after graduating from UI. (Antaranews)