TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

RI ambassador to Lebanon inaugurated

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated former United Development Party (PPP) lawmaker Ahmad Chozin Chumaidy as the new Indonesian ambassador to Lebanon on Thursday at the State Palace

Ina Parlina (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Thu, December 18, 2014

Share This Article

Change Size

RI ambassador to Lebanon inaugurated

P

resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated former United Development Party (PPP) lawmaker Ahmad Chozin Chumaidy as the new Indonesian ambassador to Lebanon on Thursday at the State Palace.

It was the first time for Jokowi to sworn in an ambassador since he took office in October.

Ahmad was one of 23 ambassador candidates former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had picked early this year. He passed a selection test confirmation held in a hearing at the House of Representatives. Unlike the other 22 names, Ahmad was not inaugurated by Yudhoyono in October, or less than a week before he left presidential office, due to Lebanon's internal political situation.

To date, Lebanon has yet to choose its president. According to Ahmad, he was granted Lebanon's ambassadorship approval by its ministers.

Speaking after his inauguration ceremony, Ahmad said he would focus on efforts to boost cultural and religious cooperation between Indonesia and the country he deemed as one of the countries having strategic roles in shaping Middle East politics.

"Lebanon is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural country, which is similar with Indonesia. We can increase cooperation in that context, a cooperation which will be able to bring a positive energy to create peace in the Middle East," said Ahmad who was also a former lecturer at an Islamic university in Bandung, West Java.

Selecting candidates for an ambassadorial position is a prerogative of the President, but the candidates have to go through confirmation hearings at the House of Representatives.

Last year, Yudhoyono'€™s choices for ambassadorships raised some eyebrows after Fauzi Bowo '€” who was known for his lackluster performance as Jakarta governor '€” was appointed Indonesia'€™s ambassador to Germany. Many deemed his appointment a consolation prize after losing the Jakarta gubernatorial election in September 2012. However, one of the reasons behind Fauzi's appointment was that he had extensive knowledge about Germany, having completed his undergraduate, master'€™s and doctoral degree there.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has recently confirmed that it is currently working on evidence provided by the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), which found that Fauzi had a suspicious amount of transactions, in the billions of rupiah in his bank accounts, which probably linked to his reelection bid during the 2012 Jakarta gubernatorial race in which he lost to now President Jokowi.(+++)

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.