Controversy of Two Errant Malaysian Ambassadors Settled, One Returned From Vatican City and Another on the Way

Bernard Dompok  The Former Malaysian Ambassador To Vatican City

Errant ambassadors: One back home, another on the way, says Foreign Minister

Nik Sukry Ramli
New Straits Times8 July 2018


KUANTAN: Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah says the controversy involving two Malaysian ambassadors who reportedly refused to relinquish their posts, has been resolved. 

A full statement on the matter, he said, would be issued next week. He said the statement will be released by the ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Ramlan Ibrahim to further explain the matter. “The case is settled. 

Their tasks (as ambassadors) were supposed to have ended on June 30. He (Ramlan) will be issuing an official statement on the matter. “I do not wish to elaborate further as it has been managed by Wisma Putra officers,” he said. Saifuddin was speaking to the media after attending an Aidilfitri celebration organised by Pelindung PKR on Sunday. 

The media had previously reported that there were two out of six Malaysian ambassadors, who are also political appointees, had refused to obey an order to return to the country. Saifuddin said one of them has since returned while another will be doing so soon.

 “That was Wisma Putra’s decision and I do not wish to comment further.

 Only that one of the has returned from Vatican City and another...I do not want to comment. But everything is settled,” he said.

 It is understood that Tan Sri Bernard Dompok was appointed as Malaysia’s ambassador to the Holy See on March, 2016. 

Meanwhile, Saifuddin said the process of appointing new ambassadors have begun last week, and the replacements for the two ambassadors have already been identified