Jokowi Has Not Appointed A Definitive Minister Of Agriculture To Replace Syahrul Yasin Limpo

President Joko Widodo (Photo: BPMI Setpres/Lukas)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has not appointed a definitive minister of agriculture (Mentan) to replace Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) who is caught in a legal case. "(The definitive minister) has not yet," said Jokowi after attending the main harvest in Indramayu, West Java, quoted from Antara, Friday, October 13. SYL has been named by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as a suspect in a corruption case within the Ministry of Agriculture. The anti-corruption agency also arrested SYL on Thursday night in an apartment in the Kebayoran Baru area, South Jakarta. As of this Friday, KPK investigators are still examining SYL. SYL on Thursday evening last week submitted a letter of resignation to President Jokowi amid a case of alleged corruption being investigated by the KPK. To handle the daily duties of the Minister of Agriculture for a while, President Jokowi has appointed the Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi as the acting minister. Jokowi last week said the appointment of a definitive minister would be carried out as soon as possible. "Yes, as soon as possible," said Jokowi at the Presidential Palace. Asked whether the replacement for SYL will come from the National Democratic Party (NasDem) or from another background, Jokowi only answered “ as soon as we can prepare,”. The appointment of the Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) as the Acting Minister of Agriculture to facilitate work coordination.

"To be more coordinative, it makes it easier because usually Bulog, Food Agency, Minister of Agriculture, this Minister of Trade always has to be only for consolidation to make it easier. That's in my opinion," said Jokowi.