32/M of 1981, Saleh replaced Ali Said as Prosecutor General of Indonesia; Said was made Minister of Justice.

[3] He was one of the "Three Punakawan" (a reference to the clown servants of heroes in wayang tradition) with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Mujono and Ali Said; the nickname was based on their perceived enthusiasm for upholding the law.

[3] Saleh himself was known to frequently hold surprise inspections of prosecutors' offices, later being quoted as saying "if we want society to be well-ordered, our law enforcement institutions must be likewise first.

[1][2] The viewing was held on 22 October in South Kemang, Jakarta, and attended by national figures such as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, Minister of Justice Andi Matalatta, and Prosecutor General Hendarman Supandji.

[5] Later that day, Saleh was given a military funeral in Gunung Giri Family Cemetery in Cirebon, West Java.