Agum suspended from Cabinet post

Agum suspended from Cabinet post

JAKARTA: Minister of Communication Agum Gumelar has been
officially suspended following the announcement by the General
Elections Commission that Agum has qualified as one of five vice
presidential candidates.

In a presidential decree signed by President Megawati
Soekarnoputri on Sunday, Minister of Research and Technology
Hatta Radjasa was also appointed as ad interim minister to fill
Agum's position.

Government Regulation No. 9/2004 stipulates that all Cabinet
ministers participating in the presidential race will be
suspended from their posts.

Former coordinating minister for political and security
affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and former people's welfare
minister Jusuf Kalla had earlier resigned after they decided to
run as presidential and vice presidential candidates
respectively. --JP