1 ENVOY BACK HOME, ANOTHER ON THE WAY

Issue involving two ambassadors has been resolved, says foreign minister

FOREIGN Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah says the controversy involving two ambassadors who reportedly refused to relinquish their posts has been resolved.

A statement, he said, would be issued next week by ministry secretary-general Datuk Ramlan Ibrahim.

“The case is settled. Their tasks (as ambassadors) were supposed to have ended on June 30. He (Ramlan) will issue an official statement on the matter.”

Saifuddin said this after attending an Aidilfitri celebration organised by Pelindung PKR yesterday.

The media had reported that two of several ambassadors, who were also political appointees, had refused to obey an order to return to the country.

Saifuddin said one of them had since returned while another would do so soon.

“That was Wisma Putra’s decision and I do not wish to comment further. Only that one has returned from Vatican City and another... I do not want to comment.”

He added that the process of appointing new ambassadors had begun last week and the replacements for the two ambassadors had been identified.

In Putrajaya, former foreign minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said Wisma Putra needed to inform only the host nations in recalling its envoys.

He said the government had the right to revoke any privileges given to the ambassadors, including diplomatic immunity.

“If ambassadors are recalled, they must return and cannot defy (the government’s order). They are the government’s representatives. As such, their tenure is determined by it.

“If they refuse to return, the government, through the Foreign Ministry, may inform host countries about the termination of the ambassadors’ services and will send new envoys. The government may also ask the countries to take action,” he said yesterday.

Syed Hamid, who is former Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) special envoy to Myanmar, said the recalled envoys might remain in the host countries as tourists and without diplomatic immunity.

“Their position as ambassadors will be removed and they no longer enjoy facilities and privileges at the embassy.”

According to news reports, several ambassadors were concerned about their positions following the government’s decision to terminate political appointees of the previous administration who were serving abroad and heading government-linked companies.

The names of the envoys in the list included ambassador to Indonesia, Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim; first resident ambassador to the Holy See, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok; ambassador to Finland, Puan Sri Blanche O’Leary, Malaysian Friendship and Trade Centre in Taiwan president, Datuk Adeline Leong; and, the High Commissioner to Brunei, Datuk Ghulam Jelani Khanizaman.