Indonesia president appoints former corruption watchdog deputy to head energy regulator

JAKARTA - Indonesia's president appointed a former senior official at the corruption watchdog to head energy regulator SKKMigas, as part of efforts to restore investor confidence in the country's graft-ridden energy sector.

"The presidential decree also appointed Amien Sunaryadi as the head of SKKMigas," Energy Minister Sudirman Said told reporters, replacing acting chairman Johannes Widjonarko. The decision was effective Nov. 18, he said.

Said added that he believed Sunaryadi, who previously served as a deputy chairman tasked with designing the institutional system of Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), was well suited to the role.

"SKKMigas needs to be managed by a fighter, and in my opionion Sunaryadi can be categorized as a fighter. His strength, as someone very concerned with the institutional system, is much needed at SKKMigas."

Sunaryadi's predecessor, Rudi Rubiandini, is serving a seven-year prison term for graft, after a probe launched by the KPK.