NZ foreign ministry chief offers to quit for ‘mistakes’ in Malaysian diplomat case

The Malaysian High Commission in Wellington. After initially refusing to waive one of its diplomats' immunity, Malaysia has agreed that Muhammad Rizalman Ismail be extradited to New Zealand over criminal charges. – Ministry of Foreign Affairs pic, July 3, 2014.

The head of New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offered to resign for mishandling the criminal case involving a Malaysian diplomat in Wellington, New Zealand Herald reported today.

John Allen, the ministry's head, made the offer following the debacle, which saw Muhammad Rizalman Ismail, a staff assistant (defence) at the High Commission, leave the country on diplomatic immunity despite being accused of sexual assault and burglary.

However, Foreign Minister Murray McCully declined the offer, the daily reported, adding that he was angry about the mistakes his officials had made over the incident, which had left him and Prime Minister John Key embarrassed.

McCully (pic, left), the Herald said, expressed confidence in his chief executive and had apologised to Key as well as the 21-year-old victim.

It was revealed yesterday that Allen had not known about the charges against Rizalman, a Second Warrant Officer in the armed forces, until Friday, seven weeks after the suspect was arrested by New Zealand police.

Reports have said that Malaysian officials were given mixed messages by the ministry, leading them to believe that Wellington had agreed to Rizalman's repatriation to Malaysia.

The ministry, the daily said, had clearly told Malaysian officials during talks between both countries that it wanted Malaysia to waive Rizalman's immunity in order to bring sexual assault and burglary charges against him.

However, it became "ambiguous" to Malaysian officials after the ministry's mid-level officials had also engaged in several unofficial discussions, which included emails and phone calls.

This made Malaysia to conclude that New Zealand had agreed for the diplomat to return home instead of facing charges.

"What is clear is that our Malaysian colleagues believed not agreeing to the waiver were a process the New Zealand Government agreed with," Allen was quoted as saying.

"That was clearly not the case. The ministry dropped the ball."

It was reported two days ago that Malaysia had in May requested that charges against Rizalman be dropped, and in return, Putrajaya would ensure he does not return to New Zealand in future.

It was also revealed that the Malaysian High Commission had refused to waive Rizalman’s diplomatic immunity and wanted to bring him home.

Putrajaya, however, announced yesterday that it had decided to extradite Rizalman, a decision conveyed by Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman (pic, right) to his counterpart McCully.

McCully in a statement today welcomed the decision, and assured that Rizalman would get a fair trial.

“I want to convey my thanks to the Malaysian Government for this very welcome development which underlines the good faith and integrity with which they have approached this issue," he said.

“There was never any intention by either Government to let this matter rest, and regardless of whether the process took place in Malaysia or New Zealand there was a strong commitment to seeing justice done.

"It must be noted that the accused has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and deserves the right to a fair trial. The young woman involved has been through a great deal and the way this matter has been handled has only added to her suffering," the statement said.

Rizalman was arrested on May 9 for attempted burglary and sexual assault on a woman, after he alleged followed the woman to her Brooklyn home.

He was initially detained by New Zealand authorities, but returned to Malaysia after invoking diplomatic immunity.

- TMI