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