Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Cabinet Minister Sudi Silalahi says that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has signed a government regulation in-lieu-of-law (perppu) to fill the vacant leadership in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), three of whose five leaders have been implicated in criminal cases.

"Yes, [it] has been signed," he told reporters after a closed meeting at the State Secretariat in Jakarta on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com. He said that the office was now drafting a presidential decree as a follow up of the regulation issuance.

Presidential spokesman Andi Malarangeng earlier said that the issuance of the regulation on KPK was the best solution to help KPK conduct its duties following implication of three of its five leaders in criminal cases.

Yudhoyono was slated to announce the regulation before his departure to Pittsburg in the United States on Sept. 23 to attend the G-20 summit of the world's most powerful economies.

The meeting on Tuesday was also attended by State Secretary Hatta Radjasa, National Police chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri and Attorney General Hendarman Supandji.

Yudhoyono said last week that he had consulted with the heads of three state institutions – the House of Representatives speaker Agung Laksono, Constitutional Court chief Mahfud MD and Supreme Court chief Harifin A. Tumpa – on the matter, and that they all agreed on the perppu issuance.

"All three think it is logical to issue the perppu in the absence of [legal] reference to tackle this issue [of vacant KPK leadership]," he said

Suspended KPK chief Antasari Azhar will soon stand trial for murder and will have to relinquish his post in accordance with the KPK law. Deputy chiefs Chandra M. Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto have been named suspects for their alleged abuses of power.