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