Golkar, PKB offered ambassadorial posts
Golkar, PKB offered ambassadorial posts
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri has offered two of 14
ambassadorial posts to the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the
Golkar Party.
Golkar deputy treasurer Iris Indira Murti was set to be
assigned to Finland while PKB foreign affairs department head
Abdul Wahid Maktub was nominated for Qatar.
Former National Police chief Gen. (ret) Rusdihardjo and Ahmad
Bey Sofwan, a senior official at the National Intelligence Agency
(BIN), were two other non-career diplomats to be appointed. They
would be stationed in Malaysia and East Timor respectively. The
remaining posts were given to career diplomats from the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs.
Both Golkar and the PKB were unavailable to comment on how the
parties had lobbied the President to obtain the ambassadorial
posts.
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
legislator Paulus Widiyanto said that his party did not have
anyone suitable to be an ambassador.
"Speaking frankly, PDI Perjuangan has never discussed foreign
assignments for its members and I know we have no skilled cadres
for it."
It was the first time the President has given ambassadorial
posts to politicians. Previously, Megawati had appointed career
diplomats and non-political figures. Her predecessor Abdurrahman
"Gus Dur" Wahid assigned Golkar figure Ekky Syachruddin as
ambassador for Canada in 2000.
The House of Representatives' Commission I on defense,
information and foreign affairs held a hearing with nine
ambassadorial candidates to determine their vision and mission
during the three-year assignments.
"The remaining five will present their vision and mission to
the commission on Thursday," commission chairman Ibrahim Ambong
said after the closed hearing.
Ibrahim acknowledged that the House had no authority to turn
down the ambassadors as it was the prerogative of the President
according to the amended 1945 Constitution. "The President
appoints new ambassadors after listening to the House's opinion."
Astrid S. Susanto, a member of the commission, expressed the
commission's deep concern with the poor skills of the candidates
from the ministry.
"They are unable to give clear explanations about the
countries they will be posted to," she said.
Ambassadorial candidates
No. Candidates Countries Background
1. Iris Indira Murti Finland Golkar politician
2. Anwar Santoso Pakistan Career
3. Djismun Kasri Uganda Career
4. Ahzam B Razif Senegal Career
5. Kemas Fachruddin Yemen Career
6. Rusdihardjo Malaysia Former police chief
7. Faisha H Soeftendy Greek Career
8. Bambang Prayitno Vatican Career
9. Broto Utomo Bulgaria Career
10. Abdul Wahid Maktub Qatar PKB politician
11. Ahmad Bey Sofwan East Timor Intelligence/BIN
12. Artauli Tobing Vietnam Career
13. Primo Aluwi Julianto New Zealand Career
14. Gede Putu Artisme Namibia Career