Marty set for UN post after Rezlan recalled home

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia's Ambassador to Britain, Marty Natalegawa, will be nominated as the country's permanent representative to the United Nations, replacing Rezlan Ishar Jenie who is set to assume the role of the Foreign Ministry's director general for multilateral affairs.

The latest shakeup comes on the heels of a scandal which saw previous multilateral affairs director general Moh. Slamet Hidayat probed by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) as part of a graft investigation.

""Reslan will take up the post after Slamet's resignation,"" a high-ranking official told The Jakarta Post recently.

The official, who asked for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda will soon inaugurate Reslan.

Slamet is allegedly connected to a graft case concerning the construction of the Indonesian embassy in Singapore when he was Indonesia's ambassador to the city-state between 2003 and 2005.

The AGO's director of investigations M. Salim confirmed Sunday his team had been investigating the case for some time.

""We are continuing to gather evidence. We have questioned many officials from the ministry, including the (former) director general,"" he told the Post.

Pending approval from the House of Representatives, the UN appointment will be another prestigious posting for Marty who has been recognized as one of the ministry's most capable diplomats.

Prior to his first ambassadorship in London, Marty, 44, was Foreign Ministry spokesman and director general for ASEAN affairs.

Several names are circulating as possible replacements for Marty in London, including the head of the House of Representatives' Commission I Theo Sambuaga of the Golkar Party and Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal.