With the death in July 2008 of former President Rene Harris, David Adeang lost an important ally with whom he had closely worked in the earlier part of 2008. Following the 2013 parliamentary elections, in which he was re-elected, Adeang supported the election of Baron Waqa to the presidency. Adeang was appointed to the cabinet by Waqa, and was given the portfolios of Finance and Sustainable Development, Justice, and ministerial responsibility for the Eigigu Holdings Corporation and the Nauru Air Corporation. He was also appointed Minister Assisting the President of Nauru. In July, as Waqa was out of the country, Adeang, as acting President, took the controversial decision of banning Nauruan media from broadcasting an interview in which Opposition MP Mathew Batsiua criticised the government's sacking of the chief of police. This act of censorship drew international media attention, and was condemned by the Opposition. A few days later, Adeang once more banned an interview from being aired - this time, an interview of Opposition MP Kieren Keke criticising an agreement between the Nauruan and Australian governments over the resettlement in Nauru of foreign refugees arriving by boat in Australia. Adeang saw to the broadcasting of an interview in which he himself gave the government's position on the agreement, but did not allow the Opposition's view to be aired. He explained: "Kieren's interpretation about the MOU [memorandum of understanding with Australia] does not necessarily match our interpretation of the MOU, and I think ours is the right one".