Andi Taufan Garuda Putra, one of several millennials handpicked by President Joko Widodo to form his "special staff" team comprising young, successful Indonesians, has stepped down from his role over a highly controversial conflict of interest allegation.
Last week, a letter dated April 1 from Andi to district heads across Indonesia leaked online and went viral. In it, Andi appealed for the leaders' support for a COVID-19 relief program headed by online lender PT Amartha Mikro Fintek, which specializes in providing loans to micro and small enterprises.
Andi, a Harvard graduate, is the founder and current CEO of PT Amartha Mikro Fintek.
The leaked letter sparked anger in Indonesia, with many accusing Andi of taking advantage of his public role to further his company's cred. Amid all the criticism, the staffer finally announced his resignation this morning.
"I am announcing my resignation as a Special Staff of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, which I applied for in a letter dated April 17, 2020 and approved by the president," Andi wrote.
"I have learned so many valuable lessons. I am not impervious to faults. For that, I apologize and I will try my best to become a better person."
The COVID-19 relief program reportedly did not take off.
Andi's resignation came after another special staffer, Adamas Belva Syah Devara, stepped down three days ago following a similar conflict of interest controversy. Adamas is the co-founder and CEO of education technology startup Ruangguru, which was recently appointed a government partner for the Pre-Employment Card program launched to provide training to workers laid off or furloughed amid the COVID-19 crisis.