Bernard Dompok set to be country's first ambassador to the Vatican

Former federal minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok was among seven Malaysian envoys-designate who received their credentials from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah at Istana Negara, here, Thursday.

Dompok, 67, also formerly Sabah chief minister, will be the country's first ambassador to the Vatican.

Former domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism minister Datuk Seri Hasan Malek, the ambassador-designate to Cambodia, also received his credentials from the King at the ceremony which was also graced by Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Hajah Haminah.

Also present were Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican and wife Datin Seri Ismalina Ismail, and the ministry's deputy secretary-general Datuk Ho May Yong.

The others who received their credentials included Shahril Effendi Abd Ghany (ambassador-designate to Oman), Datuk Ayauf Bachi (to Ukraine) and Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin (to Poland).

Datuk Ilango Karuppannan is the Malaysian high commissioner-designate to Singapore and Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah, to Sri Lanka.

At the same ceremony, Tuanku Abdul Halim received the credentials of seven foreign representatives to Malaysia.

The new ambassadors are Houmdaophone Soukhaseum (Laos), Kreso Glavac (Croatia), Dr Adrienne Diop (Senegal), Tugsbilguun Tumurkhuleg (Mongolia), Niankoro Yeah Samake (Mali), Sergey Michev (Bulgaria) and Cyprus' new high commissioner to Malaysia, Demetrios A. Theophylactou.

Houmdaophone, Glavac and Diop are based in Malaysia, while Michev is based in Jakarta, Yeah Samake and Theophylactou in New Delhi, and Tugsbilguun in Bangkok.