Saifuddin stays mum over Tajuddin’s position as ambassador

 

Saifuddin Abdullah, asked about Tajuddin Abdul Rahman’s purported appointment, said the foreign ministry does not name new ambassadors until they receive their letters of appointment.

PETALING JAYA: Foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah has remained reticent over Tajuddin Abdul Rahman’s purported appointment as ambassador to Indonesia, days after Tajuddin’s name was omitted from a list of new heads of missions.

Saifuddin said it was not Wisma Putra’s practice to reveal the identity of envoys until they have received their appointment letters from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“The names will only be revealed on the day that, meaning if His Majesty hands over appointment letters to five (envoys), then it is five, if 10, then 10,” Saifuddin said, according to Malaysiakini.

Saifuddin said the ministry does not issue statements on “who will soon be an ambassador”.

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On Tuesday, the King presented letters of appointment to four new Malaysian ambassadors: Lim Jay Jin (South Korea), Shahril Effendi Abd Ghany (Japan), Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah (Saudi Arabia) and Khairi Omar (Iran).

Tajuddin’s purported appointment had come under heavy criticism from former diplomats, civil society and others.

Tajuddin’s absence from the ceremony came in the wake of an FMT report that Putrajaya had dropped him as an envoy to the republic. A high-level government source told FMT that Putrajaya had a “change of heart”.

However, the Malaysian Insight reported that the appointment was “still on track” and that the appointment letter had merely been delayed.

The following day Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that Tajuddin would clarify his status.

Last month, Tajuddin, who is MP for Pasir Salak, was dropped by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from his appointed position as a member of the party’s Supreme Council. - FMT