Legislators upset with envoy candidates<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A number of legislators taking part in selection hearings for 19
\nambassadorial candidates have expressed their disappointment with
\nthe government for proposing candidates whom the legislators
\nclaimed were of low quality.<\/p>\n
House defense and foreign affairs commission deputy chairman
\nEffendy Choirie blamed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the
\ncandidates' alleged shortcomings.<\/p>\n
\"We must have a consultation meeting with the minister of
\nforeign affairs to discuss the candidates. And we will suggest he
\nput forward nominees with solid reputations,\" he told The Jakarta
\nPost on the sidelines of the closed-door selection hearings here
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He was commenting after the completion of hearings into the
\nsuitability of five candidates: Donilo Anwar, Imron Kotan,
\nIndracahyuni, Perwito Rini and Wiyoto Pujowasito, all of whom
\ncome from within the foreign affairs ministry.<\/p>\n
The five candidates were nominated for ambassadorial posts in
\nthe Russian Federation, Myanmar, India, Sweden and Cuba.<\/p>\n
Fellow legislators Djoko Susilo of the Reform faction and Arif
\nMudatsir Mandan of the United Development Party (PPP) faction
\nconcurred, saying none of the candidates had the necessary skills
\nand proficiencies.<\/p>\n
\"The candidates were very, very disappointing. We were upset,\"
\nDjoko said, adding that this was a classic problem with the
\nforeign affairs ministry.<\/p>\n
Of the 19 candidates examined, only four candidates came from
\noutside the ministry. They were international political affairs
\nexpert Juwono Sudarsono, Hasanuddin University rector Basri
\nHasanuddin, politician Abdullah Syarwani, and senior journalist
\nSusanto Pudjomartono.<\/p>\n
Some legislators disclosed that during the hearings all the
\ncandidates were required to demonstrate their merits before the
\ncommission members.<\/p>\n
The candidates, for example, were required to show a solid
\nunderstanding of domestic issues in the social, economic and
\npolitical fields.<\/p>\n
Effendy emphasized that an ambassador was not only a public
\nrelations officer, but also represented the nation overseas.<\/p>\n
He said that besides having a mastery of the situation in the
\nhost country, a candidate should also fully understand what was
\nhappening in his own country.<\/p>\n
Djoko revealed that some of the candidates were not able to
\nexplain the differences between Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and
\nMuhammadiyah, the country's largest and second largest Muslim
\nmass organizations.<\/p>\n
\"How then can they hope to explain about radical Islamic
\ngroups overseas?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
He also criticized the ministry of foreign affairs for its
\nfailure to ensure regeneration in its ranks. He disclosed that
\nmost of the candidates recommended by the ministry were older
\nfigures.<\/p>\n
According to Djoko, the commission would possibly announce the
\noutcome of the hearings on March 4 or March 5.<\/p>\n
Wednesday's hearings were presided over by commission deputy
\nchairman Amris Hasan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) as commission chairman Ibrahim Ambong
\nof Golkar was in Kuala Lumpur with President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's entourage at the Non-Aligned Movement conference
\nthere.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legislators-upset-with-envoy-candidates-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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