VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said he has not appointed a definitive agriculture minister to replace Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL), who is currently enmeshed in a legal case.

"Not yet (no definitive minister has been appointed)," Jokowi stated after attending the harvest in Indramayu here on Friday.

Limpo has been named a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in a corruption case within the ministry.

The commission also arrested Limpo on Thursday (Oct 12) evening at an apartment in the Kebayoran Baru area, South Jakarta. As of Friday, the KPK investigators were still examining Limpo.

Limpo, on Thursday (Oct 5) last week, submitted a letter of resignation to President Jokowi in the midst of an alleged corruption case being investigated by the KPK.

To temporarily handle the minister's daily duties, President Jokowi appointed Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi as acting minister of agriculture.

Jokowi had stated last week that the appointment of a definitive minister of agriculture would be carried out at the earliest.

"Yes, as soon as possible," Jokowi remarked at the Presidential Palace here on Friday (Oct 6).

"We will prepare it as soon as possible," Jokowi stated in response to the question on whether the new minister to be appointed to replace Limpo would come from the National Democratic Party (NasDem) or another one.

Meanwhile, Head of Bapanas Prasetyo Adi was appointed as Acting Minister of Agriculture to facilitate work coordination.

"This is to be more coordinative, to make things easier because usually, the National Logistics Agency (BULOG), the Food Agency, the Minister of Agriculture, and the Minister of Trade always consolidate to make things easier," the president stated. (Antaranews)