House screens ambassadorial nominees

House screens ambassadorial nominees

Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives began to screen on Monday 20
ambassadorial nominees, with some legislators predicting the
three-day process would see the elimination of more than one
foreign ministry official.

Legislators have questioned what they say is an uneven balance
of foreign ministry officials versus nominees from outside the
ministry.

Of the 20, 17 are officials from the ministry. The other three
are former director general of defense strategy at the Ministry
of Defense Maj. Gen.(ret) Sudrajat, who has been nominated to
take up the post in China and Mongolia; top Prosperous Justice
Party (PKS) executive Salim Segaf Al-Jufrie for Saudi Arabia and
lawmaker from the Democratic Party Irzan Tanjung for the
Philippines.

Legislator Djoko Susilo from the National Mandate Party (PAN),
said most of the nominees from the foreign ministry had mediocre
diplomatic skills.

"Nothing stands out -- and they are not what we are looking
for, that is to be a good salesman (for the country)," he said on
Monday.

Djoko said some of the nominees were unfamiliar with the
policymaking process.

"Some of them, including the ones who just had their
presentation, are incapable of comprehending a multi-track
diplomacy ... that is to be actively in touch with the executive
power, civil organizations and the legislature," he argued.

Furthermore, he said, many of the nominees would soon be
eligible for a pension, which could disturb their performance.

Djoko said it was more than likely the House would reject a
few of the nominees from the foreign ministry due to their
unimpressive track records.

"In the past, the president has eventually agreed with our
recommendations, including if we rejected the nominees," he said.

In accordance with the Constitution, the House screens
ambassadorial nominees, and makes its recommendations to the
President.

A recommendation can either be a full endorsement, endorsement
but for another destination country or rejection.

Legislator Muhammad A.S. Hikam said several nominees,
particularly from the foreign ministry, were not up to scratch.

"The possibility of rejection is are always there. We have
several parameters to grade the nominees, such as communication
skills, knowledge on the destination country and health," he
added.

Among the 20 nominees are those for posts in the United
States, China, France, Australia and the United Kingdom.

For the U.S. post, the nominee is Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat
-- former envoy for Australia and the present ministry
secretary-general -- to replace Soemadi DM Brotodiningrat.

For Australia, the nominee is Acehnese Teuku Mohammad Hamzah
Thayeb who currently heads the ministry's directorate for East
Asia and the Pacific to replace Imron Cotan.

Foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa, who was active as
a member of the Indonesian delegations in the United Nations and
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is nominated to fill
the post in the UK.