Fadjroel Rachman Becomes Ambassador, Should The Position Of Presidential Spokesperson Be Filled With New People?

Former spokesman for President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) Fadjroel Rachman (VOI)

JAKARTA - The seat of Presidential Spokesman Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is now vacant after being left by Fadjroel Rachman who was sworn in as the Indonesian Ambassador to Kazakhstan on Monday, October 25. Then who will replace him to be Jokowi's mouthpiece?

Deputy for Protocol, Press and Media at the Presidential Secretariat, Bey Machmudin, said that the position previously occupied by Fadjroel might not be filled by a new person. Moreover, until now there has been no official statement from President Jokowi.

"Until now there has been no directive from the President," Bey told reporters.

Moreover, it is said that the role of spokesperson can still be handled by the Minister of State Secretary (Menseskab) Pramono Anung, Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg) Pratikno, and the Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko.

A similar statement was conveyed by the Head of the Presidential Secretariat (Kasetpres) Heru Budi Hartono who also said that a replacement for Fadjroel had not been determined and had not even been proposed.

"There is no replacement, it has not been proposed," he said.

Should this position be filled by a new person?

Executive Director of Indonesia Political Review, Ujang Komaruddin, said that the position vacated by Fadjroel did not actually need to be filled by a new person or it would be better to just vacate it. The reason, this position is also not going well.

"So far, the spokesman's position has not worked well, its function has not worked, so it is KS who helps back-up," said Ujang to VOI.

He also mentioned that the Presidential Chief of Staff, Moeldoko, had also stated that the Presidential Spokesperson did not represent statements from the Presidential Palace. So, reflecting on this incident, he considered that the task that was carried out by Fadjroel actually did not need to be carried out by a new person.

"Then the Presidential Spokesman rarely appears on TV, instead he often appears Ngabalin (Ali Mochtar Ngabalin) from the KSP and the Staff of the State Secretary of State," he said.

However, this decision will certainly be in the hands of President Jokowi later. However, Ujang said that the former governor of DKI Jakarta must choose someone who is intelligent and can communicate well, especially with the people.

"We leave the question to Jokowi. Because he knows his needs, but the person needed must be smart and able to communicate the palace's message to the people," he said.

Previously reported, President Jokowi officially inaugurated 17 Indonesian Ambassadors at the State Palace. Those who were appointed were Fadjroel Rachman as Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Kazakhstan and the Republic of Tajikistan; Abdul Aziz for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia concurrently with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); Dewi Tobing for Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives; Bebeb AK Djundjunan For the Greek Republic; and Lena Maryana Mukti for Kuwait.

Next Personal Sutiono for the Slovak Republic; Muhammad Najib for the Kingdom of Spain concurrently with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); Ardi Hermawan for the Kingdom of Bahrain; Ade Padmo Sarwono for the Kingdom of Jordan Hashimiah concurrently Palestine; and Mohamad Oemar for France concurrently the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco, and the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Then Tatang Budi Utama Razak for the Republic of Colombia concurrently Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis; Derry MI Amman for the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN); Arrmanatha Nasir for the United Nations and other international organizations; Febrian A Ruddyard for the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and other international organizations in Geneva; Siswo Pramono for Australia concurrently Republic of Vanuatu; Okto Dorinus Manik for the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste; and Rosan the Mighty Roeslani for the United States.