Jakarta, NU Online
Another stage has been set for Fauzi Bowo, the advisory council (mustasyar) of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), following his failure to redeem his seat as Jakarta governor for the second time last year; President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has proposed his name as Indonesia’s ambassador to Germany.<>

Democratic Party deputy secretary-general Ramadhan Pohan acknowledged that he wasn’t surprised with the president’s decision because, “He (Fauzi Bowo) has strong knowledge on Germany and its culture. He also speaks fluent German.” Kompas.com reported on Tuesday (3/9).

Another Democratic Party politician, Max Sopacua highlighted that Fauzi Bowo’s networking in Germany would also contribute to his future post as ambassador.

Fauzi Bowo finished his undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree in Germany universities while at the same time building career as a civil servant at the Jakarta governor’s office.

Beside Fauzi, the president had also proposed 22 other names as ambassadors. They were former National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. (ret) Ito Sumardi as ambassador to Myanmar, Suprapto Martosetomo as ambassador to South Africa; Yuli Mumpuni to Spain, Yusron Ihza Mahendra to Japan, Linggawaty Hakim to Switzerland, Lt. Gen. (ret) Johny Lumintang to Philippines, Yuwono A Putranto to Norway, Raudin Anwar to Libya, Abdurrahman M Fachir to Saudi Arabia, Jose Antonio Morato Tavares to New Zealand, Irmawan Emir Wisnandar to Laos, Sugeng Rahardjo to China, Burhanuddin to Sudan, Nurul Qomar to Brunei Darussalam, Gary Rachman Makmun Jusuf to Fiji, Rahmat Pramono to the ASEAN, Diar Nurbiantoro to Romania, Mulya Wirana to Portugal, Pitono Purnomo to Combodia, Moenir Ari Soenanda to Peru and Budi Bowoleksono to the United States.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq