House finishes envoy exams<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II overseeing
\nforeign affairs wrapped up its review of 19 ambassadorial
\ncandidates on Tuesday, with traces of disappointment evident on
\nthe faces of commission members.<\/p>\n
Although legislators refused to disclose the results of the
\nassessment, some commission members acknowledged they were upset
\nby the candidates' performance during the selection hearings.<\/p>\n
\"There are some candidates who should be shifted to another
\ncountry destination. The decision should be made to align
\nchallenges with the candidates' competence,\" commission chairman
\nIbrahim Ambong told the press here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Four ambassadorial candidates were grilled on the final day of
\nexamination on Tuesday: Juwono Sudarsono, nominated for the
\nposting in Britain; Abdullah Syarwani, nominated for Lebanon;
\nCornelis Manoppo, nominated for Venezuela; and Sukarni Fikar,
\nnominated for Syria.<\/p>\n
Of the total 19 candidates, four are figures from outside the
\nforeign affairs ministry.<\/p>\n
Under the amended 1945 Constitution, the President has the
\nprerogative to appoint ambassadors, but he or she should consider
\nany recommendations from the legislators. The extended selection
\nprocess has drawn complaints from the foreign ministry for
\ncausing many ambassadorial posts to remain vacant longer.<\/p>\n
Commission member Djoko Susilo said only four to five
\ncandidates from the ministry were eligible for the ambassadorial
\npost. Legislators reached a consensus to approve 10 to 11 other
\ncandidates for reasons of empathy rather than quality, he added.<\/p>\n
\"Only 30 percent of those candidates are really qualified,\"
\nDjoko added.<\/p>\n
Based on their assessment, the legislators will ask the
\nforeign affairs ministry to evaluate each? candidacy and propose
\nan equal number of candidates from the ministry and outside it.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri ignored the objection of
\nlegislators to the nomination of Irsan Abdul Gani for Japan,
\nbecause of his advanced age.<\/p>\n
The president instead inaugurated Irsan last month, promptly
\ndrawing protests from legislators. Some dejected lawmakers
\nproposed to boycott the future examination process, but a
\nconsultation meeting between the legislators and Minister of
\nForeign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda could quell the dispute.<\/p>",
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