Nazri could not be envoy to Switzerland as it does not accept sitting MPs as diplomats, Dewan Rakyat told

 

PETALING JAYA: Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz could not be made Malaysia’s ambassador to Switzerland as that country's policy was to not receive sitting MPs as diplomats, says the Foreign Ministry.

“The nomination of Padang Rengas was not rejected by the government of the receiving country," it said in a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (March 23).

“However, it was because his nomination was not in line with the policy of that country of not receiving sitting members of parliament (as ambassadors)."

Pang Hok Liong (PH-Labis) had asked the ministry to state the reasons why Switzerland and Indonesia had rejected the Padang Rengas and Pasir Salak MPs respectively as Malaysia's ambassadors.

On Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak), the ministry said his nomination as ambassador was still under consideration by the Indonesian government.

There was speculation last year that Tajuddin was tipped to be the country’s ambassador to Indonesia.

Nazri had previously said he refused to be ambassador to Switzerland as he needed to resign as an MP first. - Star