Indonesian civil servants stumble over unusual exam

Aspiring civil servants in Indonesia faced an unusual question on their selection exam this week, when they were asked to name a song from the latest album by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

About 3,000 candidates who were applying for vacancies at the trade ministry were surprised to find the question about the president-cum-crooner's most recent collection of pop songs under the general knowledge section.

"I got a headache choosing the answer," one applicant, Anita, told the Okezone news website, describing the question as the hardest on the whole exam.

While she knew Yudhoyono had released several albums, it was not part of her exam preparation, she added.

Trade ministry spokesman Robert James Bintaryo denied that there was any hidden po-litical agenda in the question.

"What is wrong if there's a general knowledge question is about SBY's song?" he said, using the president's nickname.

"It's part of the general knowledge questions. There were 30 to 40 questions in that section, and the song title was only one question," he was quoted by the Jakarta Globe newspaper as saying.

Yudhoyono released his third romantic pop album, I'm Certain I'll Get There, earlier this year, following up on his 2007 debut, My Longing for You, and 2009's Evolution.

Like the 61-year-old former general's previous two albums, I'm Certain I'll Get There deals with themes such as love, loyalty and patriotism.

The liberal ex-general won a second five-year term in July 2009 on a platform of bringing economic growth, political reform and good governance.

AFP