Jakarta – President B.J. Habibie on Friday appointed a caretaker attorney general in place of Andi Ghalib who is under an investigation for bribe-taking, the state Antara news agency said.

Deputy attorney general Ismudjoko was named interim attorney general through a presidential decree conveyed by Justice Minister Muladi to the attorney general's office, Antara said.

Habibie suspended Ghalib on Monday amid mounting public pressure for his removal following accusations of bribe-taking by the independent Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW).

The president then named Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Feisal Tanjung as a temporary replacement, but immediately came under fire from lawyers, politicians and even members of his own party who questioned the legality of the move.

Tanjung, they said, was not qualified for the job and the integrity of the attorney general's office had been sullied.

The ICW two weeks ago reported to the military police that Ghalib, a lieutenant general, had some 13 billion rupiah (1.6 million dollars) in bank accounts and time deposits.

The corruption watchdog said some of the money "could be suspected as bribes" from businessmen under investigation for banking law violations.

Ghalib maintained the money was donations to a sports federation that he headed, but the ICW said it had been deposited under his name, not that of the sports foundation.

Ghalib had headed the official inquiry into the wealth of former president Suharto, but he has been widely accused of foot-dragging.