Inadequate fund and skill impede envoys
JAKARTA (JP): Legislators identified more funding and diplomatic skill as the keys to help the foreign ministry improve the country's image.
Abu Hasan Sazili from the Golkar-faction said yesterday that a lack of funds often stops diplomats from informing people of the Indonesian perspective.
"Diplomacy needs sufficient funds, thus these funds should receive proper attention," said the vice-chairman of the House of Representative's Commission I on foreign policy and defense.
According to Sazili, incidents like the recent spat between Indonesia and Australia are due in part to a lack of understanding of each other's culture and political systems.
A more aggressive media and community campaign will hopefully curb future misunderstandings, he said.
Preparing brochures and other media campaigns to inform the world of Indonesia's social and political stance takes money, he stressed.
The ministry of foreign affairs has allocated Rp 2.4 billion (US$ 1.06 million) from the current state budget for external relations programs aimed at enhancing foreign ties in the political, economic, social-cultural and technological fields.
About Rp 875 million is appropriated to the "promotion of Indonesia's image" under the directorate general for social and cultural relations and foreign information.
Apart from financial constraints, Sazili also touched on the skill of Indonesian diplomats.
"We don't close our eyes to the fact that there are still some of our diplomats who have performed their jobs poorly," he remarked. He said the government must pay special attention to the problem.
"Although the appointment of ambassadors is a presidential prerogative, we hope that higher quality people will be assigned," he said, while noting the high standard of past Indonesian ambassadors.
Aisyah Amini, chairperson of Commission I, joined in the call for better quality and more active diplomats.
"They are actually already active but it needs to be elevated further. If we stagnate like this while others are improving, then it won't be balanced," the legislator from the United Development Party told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
Both Aisyah and Sazili were speaking after a closed hearing with the Indonesian charge d'affaires Zakaria Sumitamadja to get first hand information of the recent Indonesian flag burning incidents in Australia.
Legislators said the hearing, usually open to the public even at a ministerial level, was closed to the public on the request of the government.
The legislators said the nomination of a new ambassador to Australia was not discussed.
Zakaria said that relations were not effected by Indonesia's withdrawal of nominee Lt. Gen. (ret.) H.B.L. Mantiri.
Zakaria also rejected rumors that he would be nominated as the next ambassador.
"There's no such thing as a second man becoming number one," he retorted.
Putting aside the question of a civilian or military candidate, Zakaria said the main quality for any nominee is the ability to bridge the interests of both countries. (mds)