(Bloomberg) – An Indonesian parliamentary committee has given the green light for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s candidate to lead the armed forces as the country seeks to beef up security to reopen its economy after the pandemic and amid territorial disputes maritime intensities.

General Andika Perkasa, 56, will oversee the military, air force and navy, including the marines. His stepfather, retired General AM Hendropriyono, has been a former head of the state spy agency and a staunch supporter of Widodo since taking office as governor of the capital, Jakarta.

As Chief of Staff, Perkasa will be tasked with defending the world’s most populous Muslim country, which has been the target of a series of terrorist attacks. Preventing such threats will be key to the success of Widodo’s plans to boost the economy by hosting international events, such as MotoGP, L’Etape Indonesia par le Tour de France and the G-20 next year.

The commission will submit the results for immediate approval by the plenary meeting, President Meutya Viada Hafid said in a statement on YouTube on Saturday.

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The approval also means Perkasa must provide security for the 2024 general election and increase military and defense capabilities in the Natuna Sea, a gas-rich expanse of waters bordering the South China Sea, with a planned budget of over 12 trillion rupees ($ 837.3 million) over the next five years.

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