PRESIDENT APPROVES TEAM'S NOMINEES FOR VACANT KPK POSTS

Jakarta, Oct 6 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has received and approved three candidates submitted by the team of five to fill in vacancies in the anti-graft body KPK.

Coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs Widodo AS said in a press conference at the presidential office after meeting with the President along with other members of the team of five, the three KPK candidates that had been approved by the President were Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean, Mas Ahmad Santosa and Waluyo.

Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean is currently a commissioner at postal service company PT Pos while Ahmad Santosa is a UNDP senior advisor for human rights programs and Waluyo, general affairs director at state-owned oil company PT Pertamina.

"The President has received and approved (them) and has instructed the minister/state secretary to prepare the presidential decision for their installation. The three will be inaugurated tomorrow (Tuesday, Oct 6) afternoon," he said.

Widodo, who is a member of the team of five set up by the president to select the candidates, said that Tumpak who used to be a KPK deputy chairman dealing with prosecution affairs had been recommended to replace Antasari Azhar.

Antasari Azhari, the former KPK chairman, is now under suspension after police named him suspect for alleged involvement in a murder case.

Mas Ahmad Santosa meanwhile has been recommended to replace Chandra M Hamzah while Waluyo would take the place of Bibit Samad Rianto. Chandra and Bibit who were KPK deputy chairmen have also been named suspects by the police for allegedly abusing power with regard to the issuance of travel bans for businessmen Anggoro Widjojo and Djoko Tjandra.

All members of the team of five except Law and Human Rights Minister Andi Mattalata were present at the meeting with the President, namely Adnan Buyung Nasution, Todung Mulya Lubis, Taufikurrahman and Widodo AS.

Andi Mattalata was absent because he was attending a Golkar Party conference in Pekanbaru.*