Yuri for UK, but Soegiharto left out

Tony Hotland ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 04/08/2008 11:52 AM  |  Headlines

The President is to install 14 new ambassadors Tuesday, with former state minister of state enterprises Soegiharto being left out following unanimous rejection by the House of Representatives.

The House Commission I on information, defense and foreign affairs in January conducted a "fit-and-proper" test for the ambassadors, although the test results constitutionally serve only as a recommendation to the president.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had proposed Soegiharto as ambassador to the United Kingdom, but he was rejected by the commission, which includes members of his United Development Party (PPP).

"We thought (Soegiharto) wasn't suitable based on appraisal of his diplomatic behavior and skills. And he pales in comparison to the previous ambassador, Marty Natalegawa," Commission I member Yuddy Chrisnandi of the Golkar Party said Monday.

The government would instead install Yuri Octavian Thamrin, the present director for East Asian and Pacific affairs at the Foreign Ministry, who had been proposed for Russia.

"Yuri is the sophisticated choice," said Yuddy.

Yuri, who turns 47 in October this year, was recently the ministry's spokesman and head of the political section at the Office of the Indonesian Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York from 2002-2003.

Tuesday's installment also might leave out career diplomat Sebastian Sumarsono, who was proposed as ambassador to Myanmar.

"His results were excellent, but we noted to the President to leave the Myanmar post vacant in light of the poor human rights situation there," commission member Djoko Susilo of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said.

The House last month recommended the President postpone accepting Myanmar's new ambassador to Indonesia, I Nyan Lin, due to the human rights situation there.

Myanmar is scheduled to stage elections in 2010.

Former justice and human rights minister Hamid Awaluddin would be installed as ambassador to Russia. Hamid was sacked from the Cabinet last year after facing allegations he and other members of the General Elections Commission (KPU) were responsible for financial irregularities within the KPU. Hamid was a member of the KPU before joining the Cabinet.

Former National Police chief Da'i Bachtiar would former police chief Roesdihardjo as ambassador to Malaysia.

Roesdihardjo is currently facing graft charges at the Anti-Corruption Court for alleged collection of illegal fees at the embassy.

List of new ambassadors to be installed Tuesday

1. Abdul Rahman Saleh Denmark, Lithuania
2. Andi M. Ghalib India
3. Banua Radja Manik Cuba, the Bahamas, Jamaica
4. Budi Bowoleksono Kenya, Seychelles, Uganda, Mauritius, the United Nations Environment Program, the United Nations Center for Human Settlements
5. Da'i Bachtiar Malaysia
6. Djafar Husein Sri Lanka, the Maldives
7. Hamid Awaluddin Russia, Belarus
8. Harry Purwanto Finland, Estonia
9. M. Wahid Supriyadi United Arab Emirates
10. Muhammad Hatta Thailand, UNESCAP
11. Michael Menufandu Colombia
12. Nurul Aulia Yemen
13. Pitono Purnomo Vietnam
14. Yuri Octavian Thamrin The United Kingdom, Ireland, the International Maritime Organization

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