Jakarta (ANTARA) – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa on Tuesday dismissed concerns that the nomination of Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Djiwandono as a deputy governor of Bank Indonesia (BI) could undermine the central bank’s independence, saying decisions at BI are taken collectively, not by individuals.Purbaya said BI operates through consensus among its leadership, limiting the influence of any single official.“BI does not have one deputy governor, it has seven. No one can dictate outcomes alone; they deliberate,” he told reporters.He said Djiwandono is expected to relinquish his political party position and become independent before undergoing a parliamentary fit-and-proper test.Djiwandono is a nephew of President Prabowo Subianto and a member of Prabowo’s Gerindra Party.Purbaya added that any excessive government interference in BI would quickly draw public scrutiny.“We will uphold the central bank’s independence. The situation today is not like in 2020, when a crisis forced extraordinary coordination,” he said, referring to the burden-sharing scheme between BI and the government during the COVID-19 pandemic.The minister also stressed that BI would not be compelled to finance President Prabowo’s development agenda.“I will not pressure the central bank to fund our projects,” he said.BI on Monday confirmed the resignation of deputy governor Juda Agung, effective January 13, creating a vacancy at the central bank.BI communications chief Ramdan Denny Prakoso said Governor Perry Warjiyo has proposed several candidates to fill the post.State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi later disclosed the nominees as Deputy Finance Minister Djiwandono, Dicky Kartikoyono and Solihin M. Juhro, with the latter two serving as BI officials.Market analysts said the nomination is unlikely to rattle financial stability if institutional safeguards are maintained.Rizal Taufikurahman, head of macroeconomics and financial studies at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF), said the rupiah would not be negatively affected as long as BI’s independence is preserved.“As long as institutional credibility is intact and the boundary between fiscal and monetary policy remains clear, this candidacy will not add pressure on the rupiah or macroeconomic stability,” he said.Taufikurahman added that the selection process should prioritize transparency and public trust.“The key is ensuring the new deputy governor strengthens confidence in BI as an independent institution,” he said.