The Appointment Process for Indonesian Ambassadors

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - House Speaker Puan Maharani reaffirmed that the discussion process for the candidacy of Indonesian ambassadors to friendly countries and international organizations must be carefully conducted through the official mechanisms that have been established. This includes assigning the House of Commission I as a special body to discuss the proposed names of ambassador candidates put forth by the president.

The appointment of Commission I, as stated by Puan, is a follow-up to Presidential Letter Number R3 dated July 1, 2025, which includes the Parliament's request for consideration of ambassadorial candidates.

Puan explained that the confidentiality of the ambassador candidates' discussions has been regulated in Article 231 of the Parliament Regulation Number 1 of 2020 concerning the Code of Conduct. According to this provision, after the President submits the nomination letter of ambassador candidates to the leaders of the Parliament, the Parliament leaders must immediately notify the letter in the nearest plenary session without mentioning the candidates' names or the receiving countries.

"The plenary session assigns the relevant commission to discuss it in secrecy," said the PDIP politician.

Once the closed-door discussions by Commission I are completed, the results are reported to the leaders of the Parliament, who then forward the results to the president for the final decision. This procedure aims to safeguard the integrity and confidentiality of ambassador appointments, as well as ensure that the appointed candidates possess the competence and qualifications required for Indonesia's diplomacy needs.

Meanwhile, in accordance with the Presidential Decree of the Republic of Indonesia, Number 108 of 2003 regarding the Organization of the Representation of the Republic of Indonesia Abroad, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors are officials appointed directly by the President. They are tasked with representing and advocating the interests of the nation, state, and Government of the Republic of Indonesia, and also serve as the personal representatives of the President in one or more recipient countries or international organizations.

In carrying out their duties, Indonesian ambassadors through the Indonesian Embassies (KBRI) or Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia (PTRI) conduct diplomatic activities throughout the territory of the recipient country or an international organization that promotes a nation's interests, strengthens its state, and fosters bilateral or multilateral relations.

In addition to diplomacy, the main tasks of an ambassador also include protecting Indonesian citizens and legal entities in the recipient country, through official relations with the respective government of the recipient country or an international organization. Thus, the presence of ambassadors is deemed strategic in maintaining and enhancing political, economic, and cooperative relations in various fields.

As of now, based on Parliament's data, five ambassadorial positions have been vacant for a long time: those for the United States, North Korea, Libya, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. Among them, Libya has the longest-running vacant ambassadorial position since 2017, while the United States has experienced a vacancy since 2023. This vacancy has drawn attention as the United States is Indonesia's strategic partner.

Deputy Chairperson of the House of Commission I, Dave Akbarshah Fikarno Laksono, emphasized the importance of the Indonesian ambassador's presence in the U.S. According to Dave, the U.S. is one of Indonesia's main partners in various essential sectors, ranging from economic cooperation to defense.

"So, if there is an opinion that the United States is not important because of the vacant ambassadorial position, that opinion is wrong," said Dave in a brief message on Monday, April 7, 2025.

As is known, the Indonesian Ambassador to the U.S. position has been vacant since Rosan Roeslani ended his term on July 17, 2023. Rosan was recalled to Indonesia when he was asked to assume the role of Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises in President Joko Widodo's government.

Dave emphasized that Rosan's recall does not mean that the U.S. is unimportant. Rather, it was Rosan's capabilities that the country needed at that time. "Recalled because there was a more critical task to be carried out in Indonesia. However, once again, not because the United States is considered unimportant," said the Golkar Party politician.

Dian Rahma Fika, Hendrik Yaputra, and Andi Adam Faturahman contributed to the writing of this article

Editor's Choice: Minister Sugiono Acknowledges Difficulty in U.S., UN Ambassador Selection

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