JAKARTA. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo appointed on Tuesday an accountant, Amien Sunaryadi, a former top official with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), to lead graft-ridden Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas).

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said said at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday that Jokowi had chosen Amien to help reform the agency, which is responsible for regulating and overseeing the operation of oil and gas companies such as Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP and Total.

"Amien will be inaugurated today. He will lead the reform of the agency," said Sudirman.

Amien, a partner with and Ernst and Young Indonesia, is among the first batch of officials who helped set up the KPK when the agency was formed in 2002, working with then KPK chairman Taufikurahman Ruki and fellow official Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas.

The SKKMigas has been plagued with major graft cases involving its chairman, Rudi Rubiandini, who was caught red-handed by the KPK for accepting bribes from several companies. Rudi was sentenced to seven years in prison in April. (ren)

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie