Quality of our diplomats

Quality of our diplomats

From Koran Tempo

The foreign ministry has been in the public spotlight recently, particularly because our embassies/consulates general and other representative offices abroad are still ineffective.

Indeed, the majority of the officials sent abroad have been picked not on the basis of their qualifications, as their selection entails a certain amount of money agreed upon by both sides.

It is a fact that many of our diplomats do not speak English or any European language particularly well. As a result, the local staff hired by our embassies are more creative and smarter than the diplomats themselves.

According to information from internal circles at the foreign ministry, most recruits are diplomats' children. This means nepotism, doesn't it? Actually, the candidates should have been selected from among the best students in Jakarta, and should have competed with our top students in leading universities throughout Indonesia.

Given the quality of our present diplomats, Indonesians abroad cannot expect to be assisted or protected to the maximum by these diplomats.

IKRAR FATIHILAH

Public Advocacy

Jakarta's Regional

Executive Board