Only Najib serious on Vatican ties: Dompok
Published on: Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Datuk Seri Najib Razak is the only Malaysian Prime Minister to take tangible steps to formalise ties with Vatican City, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said.The soon-to-be Malaysian ambassador to the Holy See said that while Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi both discussed a formal diplomatic relationship with Vatican City, neither moved."It was only when Najib became Prime Minister and Datuk Seri Anifah Aman the Foreign Minister that the matter was taken up seriously and agreed upon by the Federal Cabinet," said Dompok in a statement.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Sabahan leader today said he was privileged to have been part of the discussions between the Malaysian government and the Apostolic Delegate of the Vatican to Malaysia, among others."I feel therefore humbled to be given the honour to be the first resident ambassador of Malaysia to the Holy See and also as ambassador to Malta and Albania."Anifah, in announcing Dompok's appointment as Malaysian ambassador to the Vatican as well as the Malta and Albania beginning January, said the latter was well suited for the post given his previous visits to the Vatican and having met previous Popes.Dompok was Sabah Chief Minister from 1998 to 1999, minister in the Prime Minister's Department in 2004, and Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities in 2009.
ADVERTISEMENT
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
