President inaugurates three new envoys
President inaugurates three new envoys
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Megawati Soekarnoputri swore in on Wednesday three new
envoys for overseas Indonesian missions, including a
representative to the United Nations in New York.
Rezlan Izhar Jenie was sworn in as Indonesia's permanent
representative to UN Headquarters, Iris Indira Murti as the
ambassador to Finland and Kemas Fachruddin as the ambassador to
Yemen.
At Wednesday's inauguration ceremony, Deputy Cabinet Secretary
Erman Radjagukguk read out a presidential decree on the
appointment of the three new envoys, while the President provided
the new envoys with letters of credential to be presented to
their respective host countries.
"This to simplify the bureaucracy, so that the new ambassadors
can present their credentials immediately to the designated
countries," a high-ranking palace official told The Jakarta Post.
Letters of credential are usually given to ambassadors a few
weeks after they are sworn in.
The three envoys had passed screening tests by the House of
Representative (DPR) last year, but were not immediately sworn
in. No official explanation was given on the delayed
inauguration.
Of the three envoys, Iris, a former House member and deputy
treasurer of Golkar, is the only non-career diplomat. Golkar is
the largest faction in the House.
Rezlan is a younger generation diplomat from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, while Kemas is a senior diplomat from the
ministry.
At the ceremony, Megawati was accompanied by Minister of
Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda and several other ministers,
including ad interim coordinating minister for political and
security affairs Hari Sabarno and National Police chief Gen. Da'i
Bachtiar.
Also on Wednesday, three new foreign ambassadors to Indonesia,
including British Ambassador Charles Thomas William Humfrey CMG,
presented their credentials to Megawati.
Ambassador Humfrey is to replace Ambassador Richard Gozney,
and is a senior diplomat who has served at the United Kingdom
Mission to the UN and British Ambassador to Seoul.
Megawati also received the credentials of new Sri Lankan
Ambassador Grace Nesamalar Niliah and United Arab Emirates
Ambassador Yousif Rashid Yousif Rashid Alshram.
Newly inaugurated ambassadors
----------------------------------------------------------------
Name Country Affiliation
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rezlan Izhar Jenie UN Mission, New York Career diplomat
Kemas Fachruddin Yemen Career diplomat
Iris Indira Murti Finland former Golkar
deputy treasurer
----------------------------------------------------------------