By Gayatri Suroyo
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo submitted a revised list of cabinet ministers to the country's anti-graft agency on Thursday, in the hope that his new ministerial team will be considered free of corruption.
Sworn in on Monday, Widodo took the unprecedented step of asking the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to vet his cabinet picks to fulfill a campaign pledge for a clean government. He had to make last minute changes after eight candidates were rejected.
"We submitted (our cabinet list) again to KPK. Until now we are waiting for KPK's recommendations," he told reporters. "If KPK gives me this second (list), I will announce it immediately."
Widodo declined to reveal the names of his cabinet, saying it would be announced as soon as possible.
The first Indonesian leader from outside the political or military elite has tried to steer clear of the traditional trading of cabinet posts for political support, aiming for a ministerial team dominated by professional technocrats.
In a last minute change, Widodo added one more cabinet post that will be a political appointee, presidential adviser Andi Wijajanto told reporters.
The cabinet will now be made up of 34 ministers, consisting of 18 technocrats and 16 from political parties in his coalition.
The former Jakarta governor plans to merge several ministries and introduce a coordinating ministry for maritime affairs.
All eyes are on Widodo's choices for the main economic ministries. They will inherit problems ranging from a widening current account deficit and cooling investment to the slowest growth since 2009.
He has promised that top ministerial positions, including finance, energy and state-owned enterprises, would be filled by technocrats.
Widodo's ministerial choices by law must first be submitted to the head of parliament before an announcement can be made, Wijajanto said. The president does not need parliamentary approval for his cabinet.
"The president will politically communicate with the speaker of parliament to maintain good relations," Wijajanto said.
(Additional reporting by Nilufar Rizki and the Jakarta bureau; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by Tom Heneghan)