President to Appoint New Religious Affairs Minister Soon

Jakarta (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will soon appoint a new religious affairs minister to replace Suryadharma Ali, who was named as a suspect in an alleged corruption case related to hajj pilgrimage management. "I will appoint a new religious affairs minister in the next few days. Mr. Agung is now an ad interim religious affairs minister," the President said when opening a cabinet session at the Presidential Office here on Wednesday. Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono, who is concurrently the ad interim religious affairs minister, declined to reveal the name of the new religious affairs minister. "I cannot reveal it now," he said. Suryadharma Ali returned his mandate as religious affairs minister to President Yudhoyono at the Bogor Presidential Palace on May 26. The President asked Suryadharma Ali to write a resignation letter in the next few days. "Suryadharma Ali has returned the mandate as religious affairs minister to the President," Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi said at a press conference, following a meeting between the President and Suryadharma Ali at the palace. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) had named Suryadharma Ali as a suspect in connection with his alleged involvement in a corruption case related to the hajj pilgrimage program. Suryadharma Ali is the second minister to resign from the current cabinet after Andi Mallarangeng, the sports minister, in December 2012, over alleged involvement in a corruption case. (*) Reporting by Panca Hari Prabowo