Komnas replaces secretary general

JAKARTA: The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) named Gembong Prijono as its new secretary general replacing Asmara Nababan.

Gembong, who is secretary general at the ministry of resettlement and regional infrastructure, passed the screening process conducted by a human resources consultant company.

His appointment still needs to be officially approved by President Megawati Soekarnoputri next week.

In a closed-door House of Representatives plenary session, a team of 13 commission members also approved 20 additional names picked to become possible members of Komnas Ham.

Nababan, however, stated that he had doubts about the credibility of the new candidates.

"They had previously been rejected by the first joint selection team because there were doubts about their integrity," he stated.

The 20 new candidates, along with the 14 previously nominated candidates will be submitted to the House of Representatives within the next two weeks. The House will select 17 of the 34 candidates as new members of the national human rights body. --JP