Indonesian lawmakers on March 27 approved Finance Minister Agus Martowardo as the new governor of the Bank Indonesia (BI), based on the nomination of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Martowardo, 57, was voted in favour by 46 to 7, with one abstention, after being questioned for about eight hours on bank ownership, market reciprocity, inflation management and monetary policy, said an economic advisor of the Indonesian President.

He will take office in May when his predecessor, Darmin Nasution, ends his term.-VNA