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mid mounting protest, the President issued a decree Wednesday appointing a team of five to seek three names to fill the vacant posts at the antigraft body, in the last few minutes before his departure to the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh.

"The team consists of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto, presidential advisor Adnan Buyung Nasution, Justice and Human Rights Minister Andi Matalatta, former KPK chairman Taufiequrrahman Ruki and lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis," Widodo said as quoted by Antara state newswire Wednesday.

Last week corruption watchdogs expressed their strong opposition to President Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono's plan to issue a government regulation-in-lieu-of-law (Perppu) on the appointment of three acting leaders.

Critics said the move signified the President's direct interference in the internal affairs of the independent Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Widodo added that the presidential decree would allow the team to shortlist candidates who would fill the posts left vacant by KPK chief Antasari Azhar and deputy chiefs Chandra M. Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto, following their implication in criminal cases.

Antasari was arrested by the police in April for his alleged involvement in the murder of a state-owned company director Nasruddin Zulkarnaen.

Chandra and Bibit were held as suspects last week due to their alleged power abuse when they imposed a travel ban on two graft sus-pects, Anggoro Widjojo and Djoko S. Tjandra.

"The President hopes the interim leaders will be credible and acceptable figures, therefore he has formed a selection team," Widodo said.

He added the team would submit the names of candidates to the President on Oct. 1, hoping that the three acting KPK leaders would be sworn in on Oct. 2.

Todung, who was still celebrating the Idul Fitri in Medan, North Sumatra, said he had already made contact with Buyung and the team would meet today to carry out their task as stipulated by the decree.

He said the decree was a follow-up to the issuance of the government regulation-in-lieu-of-law concerning the revision the 2002 KPK law signed by the President on Tuesday.

The regulation allows the President to appoint interim leaders when there are vacant posts at the commission.

The President, who departed for the United States on Wednesday, said it was a necessary step because he was afraid the KPK could not work with only two leaders.

Separately, KPK advisor council member Abdullah Hehamahua said people appointed from outside the commission would hamper KPK's operation because they would need time to adjust to the KPK work culture.

Meanwhile, antigraft activists reiterated their strong resistance to the President's move, saying it would be a "disaster" for the KPK's independence.