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KUALA LUMPUR – Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman may have seen his appointment as ambassador to Indonesia postponed, but political observers believe it is just a matter of formality before he officially assumes the post.
Analysts see the postponement as a minor setback, after Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah was hospitalised for leg pain, and predict that Tajuddin’s appointment will take place once His Majesty recovers.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Azmi Hassan said he is confident of this, seeing that Putrajaya and Jakarta have agreed to the matter.
“For me, the Agong’s injury can be considered a temporary hindrance, as it not only involves Tajuddin, but the appointment of other ambassadors as well,” he told The Vibes’ Bahasa Malaysia sister portal Getaran.
Last Sunday, Tajuddin, who is the government’s backbencher chief, was reported to have confirmed receiving an invitation to Istana Negara for his official appointment to Indonesia in a ceremony scheduled for 2pm Monday.
However, in a statement on Monday, Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin had said that His Majesty is receiving treatment in hospital and has postponed all his programmes in the near future.
Unlike the other four ambassadors who will be appointed alongside Tajuddin, the selection of the outspoken Umno lawmaker has been a point of contention, after his much-criticised handling of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) collision in May last year.
Asked to comment on this, Azmi said Malaysia and Indonesia share a unique relationship.
“Whether Tajuddin has these unique characteristics to resolve the various issues is still to be seen, but the fact is that the ambassador to Indonesia requires strong political influence that may not be possessed by career diplomats.”
Meanwhile, Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun said political appointments such as Tajuddin are not unheard of.
He added that former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam was appointed as Malaysia’s special envoy to the United Nations while former cabinet member Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarjis had served as ambassador to the United States.
“However, it must be noted that these two are generally considered to have performed well and were overqualified for their jobs, and did good in improving Malaysia’s relationship with partners abroad.
“With Tajuddin and his public relations issues concerning the LRT, it is hoped that the longstanding Malaysia-Indonesia relationship can be maintained under his watch.” – The Vibes, June 22, 2022
