Wardiman to be envoy to Japan: Source

JAKARTA (JP): Japan has given its green light to the appointment of former education minister Wardiman Djojonegoro as ambassador to the country, a reliable source said over the weekend.

"The Japanese government has officially informed your government of our approval," a Japanese source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Jakarta Post Saturday.

Wardiman, a minister from 1993 until March this year, is an old friend of President B.J. Habibie. He would replace Wisber Loeis.

A government source said early this week Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas preferred the ministry's director general for foreign economic relations Soemadi Brotodiningrat for the posting.

"We need a first class ambassador to Japan as the country is our most important trading partner and creditor, but the President has the prerogative to appoint an ambassador," the source said.

Habibie has also opted to nominate his younger brother, Junus Effendy Habibie, as ambassador to Germany to replace senior diplomat Izhar Ibrahim, the source added.

"He apparently suspended the plan after receiving strong criticism over it."

Junus was previously the ambassador to Britain. The president recently appointed him chairman of the Batam Industrial Development Authority. He was replaced abruptly following criticism that the appointment smacked of nepotism.

Ruhut Sitompoel, a lawyer and an executive of the Pemuda Pancasila organization, was also reportedly nominated as ambassador to Singapore, traditionally a post for a senior military officer. The plan has apparently been dropped.

Maj. Gen. Luhut Panjaitan, the commander of the Army's Training Center in Bandung, West Java, is among those tipped for the strategically important post.

"If we upheld Sitompoel's nomination, I am sure Singapore would veto him," the source said. (prb)