March 25, 2025
Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto appointed 31 new envoys on Monday, including professional diplomats and political appointees, while still leaving multiple key positions, prompting analysts to question the former military general's long-term plans.
The newly cast ambassadors will be stationed in various countries from Asia and Europe to the Middle East, some of which are top attractions for international humanitarian institutions under the United Nations.
Foreign Minister Secretary Cecep Herawan was appointed as a country stationed in South Korea in the ranks of diplomatic forces, which is stationed in Seoul. Another professional diplomat and senior adviser to Foreign Minister Muhsin Syihab will represent Indonesia in Canada and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Both men have received a symbolic appointment from the president.
Meanwhile, several other appointed men had political ties to Prabowo and his former predecessor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Former Senator Susi M.
Meanwhile, keen observers keep labels.
“These ambassador attractions do seem to have the shadow of the Prabowo Alliance,” said Andrea Abdul Rahman Azzqy, an international relations lecturer at Budi Luhur University. Jakarta Post on Monday.
He firmly believes that Susie's appointment is a “little gift” to the president's political tools.
Andrea also considers appointing Junimart Girsang, a former former MP for Indonesian Struggle Democratic Party (PDI-P), a small gesture to the party, which has become the de facto lonely opposition to the large coalition of Prabowo.
Junimart was appointed ambassador to Italy, Malta, San Marino, Cyprus and several UN organizations.
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Apparent absence
Monday's ceremony was the climax of months of waiting, after the list of two ambassador appointments for transitioning from the Jokowi government to Prabowo was leaked last year.
However, since Prabowo took office in October, at least a dozen diplomatic positions, including major countries, have not been filled.
Missing envoy appointments include the United States, a long-term strategic partner, as well as Brazil, Russia and China – the countries that make up the BRICS, which Indonesia joined as a full member earlier this year.
Even in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, which are responsible for the ASEAN president this year, Indonesia continues to award the highest representative to D'Affaires.
“Prabowo's decision to postpone these locations is a shift in focus and even shows a lack of priorities,” said Andrea of Budi Luhur University.
Hikmahanto Juwana, another international law expert at the University of Indonesia, believes that the results of the Prabowo review process.
“Prabowo [is probably] Take this time to choose who he can post on these strategic outposts. ”
Also read: Prabowo's U.S. Envoy
Military choice?
The ambassador vacancies have also prompted analysts to doubt whether Prabowo can appoint members of the Indonesian Army (TNI) to support his defense and foreign policy strategy, as the military has expanded its role in the global expansion in the recent TNI Law revision.
Analyst Andrea said the president was “definitely tempted” to place active military personnel on the frontline of Indonesia's global diplomatic drivers, highlighting the fact that retired air chief Yuyu Sutisna was also appointed as a special envoy to Morocco on Monday.
However, Pieter Pandie, an international relations researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), has doubts about whether Prabowo will pick officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the private sector.
“It's still hard to say, let alone globally, the world is already considering protests against our military laws,” Peter said in a discussion in Jakarta on Monday.
“[If ambassador posts] Filled by the army, active or not, it adds a long list of examples of the country’s democratic return. ”
After the rapid passage of controversial amendments to the 2004 TNI law, widespread protests have erupted in students and civil groups in recent days. The protesters opposed the expanded role of the army, reminiscent of the new autocratic order system.
Peter later told postal The government owes the public an explanation of the new provisions in the TNI law, especially the military's expanded non-war role, namely protecting foreign national interests.
“It needs to clarify how the military has the right to play this role. What part of the military's responsibilities? What part of the foreign ministry?” he said.
