FORMER Padang Rengas lawmaker Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has been appointed Malaysia’s ambassador to the United States, Wisma Putra said.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong presented Nazri and nine other new heads of diplomatic missions their letters of credence at a ceremony at Istana Negara today.

Wisma Putra said Nazri, a graduate of Lincoln’s Inn in the United Kingdom, has extensive experience in government.

Among the cabinet portfolios he has held are tourism and culture and industrial development. He was also a deputy finance minister and the minister in charge of legal affairs in the Prime Minister’s Department.

It was reported last year that Nazri had backed PKR president Anwar Ibrahim to be prime minister in 2020, saying it was the right thing to do. 

Then, Nazri had defended the Umno MPs, himself included, who had signed declarations of support for Anwar.

Nazri said he had done that out of “love” for Umno and to protect the party from being dissolved.

He was previously reported to be in line for the position of Malaysian envoy to Switzerland ambassador but the appointment was rejected by the Swiss government because it does not accept sitting MPs as diplomats. 

Wisma Putra today also announced the appointment of Syed Hasrin Tengku Hussin as the ambassador to Indonesia, while Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony and Hafizah Abdullah are the envoys to the Philippines and Sweden, respectively.

Hendy Assan is the ambassador to the Holy See, Gloria Corina Peter Tiwet the envoy to Brazil, and Ruzaimi Mohamad the high commissioner to Kenya.

Suzilah Sidek was appointed ambassador to the Czech Republic, while Amarjit Sarjit Singh was made ambassador to Timor-Leste. Alauddin Nor will serve as the envoy to Kuwait. – February 9, 2023.