Jakarta. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has denied vice presidential candidate Mahfud MD’s recent claims that some diplomats only secured their spot simply because of their connections to political parties.

During last week’s debate, Mahfud MD alleged that some diplomats --particularly ambassadors-- did not deserve their spot as they only landed the job due to political party connections. Mahfud, who currently serves as the Chief Security Affairs Minister, did not mention the diplomats in question by name. 

In response to Mahfud’s comment, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said Wednesday that the diplomats had to go through a strict civil servant recruitment process. Candidates, however, also get tested on their language proficiency and psychological state. The interview process involves academics and third-party experts for better transparency. 

The ministry claimed that its recruitment process had secured the ISO:9001, an international standard that recognizes quality management systems. The ministry also listed the awards it had recently won to prove its statement. This includes a meritocracy award from the State Civil Apparatus Commission. As well as awards from the National Civil Service Agency (BKN) that recognize civil servant management, including a mutation system that is based on performance.

“This is our commitment to keep our transparency. So far, the Foreign Affairs Ministry is among the best [government agencies] in terms of its recruitment,” Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday.

“This shows that [our recruitment process] is incredibly transparent and merit-based,” Retno said.

Mahfud took the stage Friday to face his rivals Gibran Rakabuming and Muhaimin Iskandar. Mahfud brought up Indonesia’s recruitment process for diplomats when he responded to Muhaimin’s statement that Indonesia was still lacking in terms of “expansive economic diplomacy”. This calls for the need to turn Indonesian diplomats into “tough marketers”, according to Muhaimin.

“If you say our diplomacy has not been doing well, we must review the recruitment process. We used to have great diplomats.  But today, there are times when political parties ask to pick certain people. If their picks do not make the list, the House of Representatives would not approve [the ambassadors],” Mahfud said at the debate.

“But once they get the job, they don’t really know what to do. They lack the basic diplomacy knowledge. If elected, I will review the recruitment process for diplomats. We should give the job to people who meet the criteria,” Mahfud added.

Indonesian ambassadors today have to go through a fit-and-proper test at the House of Representatives.