House queries ambassadorial candidates<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): As part of its constitutional obligations, the
\nHouse of Representatives (DPR) queried on Thursday nine
\nprospective candidates for Indonesian ambassadorial positions.<\/p>\n
The hearing was held by House Commission I on security
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
\"This is the first time in Indonesia's legislative history
\nthat the House has held a hearing with ambassadorial candidates.<\/p>\n
\"The hearing, as stipulated in the amended 1945 Constitution,
\nis held to obtain the House's recommendations on the candidates'
\ntrack records,\" Commission I chairman Yasril Ananta Baharuddin
\nsaid on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He said the hearing was not part of a fit-and-proper test,
\nmerely an interview to learn each candidate's vision and mission
\nfor their posts as representatives of the country abroad.<\/p>\n
\"We're just trying to get to know more about these
\nambassadorial candidates.<\/p>\n
\"This is a double-check to ensure that the government does not
\npick wrong persons for the ambassadorial posts,\" Yasril said.<\/p>\n
He admitted that the House did not have the authority to
\nreject the candidates, and will only comment to the government on
\ntheir observations of the candidates.<\/p>\n
In October 1999, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
\namended Article 13 and Article 14 of the 1945 Constitution,
\nstipulating that the House's opinion must be taken into
\nconsideration by the president before the appointment of
\ndiplomats.<\/p>\n
The candidates that went through Thursday's hearing were
\nformer state minister of state administrative reform, Freddy
\nNumberi, as ambassadorial candidate for New Zealand, Golkar
\nlegislator Ekky Syachrudin for Canada, former foreign ministry's
\nsecretary-general Rahardjo Jamtomo for Germany, current foreign
\nministry spokesman Sulaiman Abdulmanan for Belgium.<\/p>\n
The government also named deputy to Indonesia's permanent
\nrepresentative to the United Nations, Makmur Widodo, to be the
\nchief of the Indonesian representative office for the UN.<\/p>\n
Other ambassadorial appointees are Dachlan Abdul Hamied for
\nIraq, M. Indro Y. Udono for Switzerland, A.A. Kustia for China,
\nand Susanto Santoyo for Italy. (dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-queries-ambassadorial-candidates-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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