MOFA TO UNDERGO RATIONALISATION IN 2023, MALAWAKIL TO BE REORGANISED: SAIFUDDIN

By Rosmalis Anuar

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- The Foreign Ministry (MOFA) will undergo a rationalisation process next year which will involve reorganising the existing Malaysian diplomatic representative offices (Malawakil) abroad, said Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.

To be undertaken together with the Public Service Department (PSD) and relevant ministries, it  will ascertain which Malawakil should remain open, identify potential new representative offices, appointment of roving ambassadors or having more honorary consuls, the grades of the representatives, total number of officials and asset equipment.

According to Saifuddin, the rationalisation process was in line with the current challenges and futurist approach such as analyses of emerging economies as well as Malaysia’s new focus like having a Language and Culture Attaché.

"We currently have 107 offices… do we want to stay at 107 or become 105 or become 109? We have undertaken a comprehensive study hence we recognise which offices should remain open, which are to be closed and which should be reinforced.”

“MOFA is prepared to have discussions with the other ministries on the selected criteria which is based on the political and security aspects, economic and trade aspects as well as socio-cultural interests of the country,” he said when presenting the Foreign Ministry's Annual Report Card, here, today.

Without naming the countries which will be focused, Saifuddin explained that rationalisation process is undertaken by most countries in order to maintain bilateral relations. 

 On whether the current 26 vacant posts for Malaysia’s heads of missions will be taken into account in the rasionalisation process, he said it was not related.

“The positions are in the process of being finalised, we need to get the approval of the respective countries.”

Apart from the rationalisation process, MOFA has outlined four other key areas of interest, namely the establishment of the Language and Culture Diplomacy Department, specialisation areas, women's empowerment agenda and strengthening existing consular services.

Towards this end, the Public Communication and Diplomacy Division (BKDA) will be upgraded to the Language and Culture Diplomacy Department, aimed to facilitate the work of developing Malaysia's cultural narrative (impression, practices and cultural arts).

People-to-people relations will be fostered further while the local creative industry will be introduced to the international stage, including efforts to position Malaysia as the home of contemporary nasyid apart from bringing the country's art industry to the international stage via the Road to Oscars and Road to Grammy projects.

"We’ve studied the models of other more forward-thinking countries such as Indonesia and South Korea. The objective is to highlight Malaysia's national values ​​and identity, promote the Malay language and Malaysian culture, and exchanges of culture and sports," he said.

MOFA is also expanding its human resource development with new initiatives such as sponsorships/ scholarships for its officers, immersion programmes inside and outside the country, and establishing expert groups in specific fields.

Under the women's empowerment agenda, MOFA will implement the Women, Peace and Security agenda, gender responsive budgeting and gender balance in the appointment of heads of representatives, heads of departments and divisions, delegations, committees and forum panels.

To strengthen consular services further, the ministry is developing the e-Consular 3.0 system to improve the online payment module, appointment module, push notification module and support modules such as the management of death certificates for Malaysians abroad.

“There are 2,500 Malaysians in prisons in many countries, so it is necessary for our consular services to be strengthened further. This is very important for Malaysians abroad because if there is a problem, we need to have enough facilities to help them," said Saifuddin.

-- BERNAMA