Foreign Minister Anifah Aman has been questioned by the DAP over allegedly trying to broker a back door deal to allow the repatriation of Muhammad Rizalman Ismail, the Malaysian diplomat accused of sexually assaulting a woman in New Zealand.
“DAP will unequivocally condemn any efforts to stifle the doing of justice, and any efforts by any party to hide the truth from the public, both locally and internationally,” said International Secretary, Sivakumar Varatharaju DAP and International Affairs executive secretary, Howard Lee Chuan in their joint statement today.
Correspondence letters released by New Zealand officials show that Malaysia had tried to use diplomatic immunity to prevent the accused from being tried in a New Zealand court.
Apart from questioning the Malaysian Foreign Ministry on its denying to waive the alleged offenders diplomatic immunity as requested by New Zealand, Howard Lee asked that the Foreign Minister answer the allegations of his ministry’s requests for the charges to be dropped.
The DAP asked that justice be done for the sake of the victim and the accused, adding that the accusations against the Malaysian diplomat was a serious one that risked the thus far good relationship with the New Zealand government.
Diplomatic fiasco
Rizalman, who was arrested on May 9 2014, was later charged with burglary and assault with intent to rape in a New Zealand court.
Yesterday the Malaysian Foreign Minister had announced that New Zealand had offered to let Muhammad Rizalman return to Malaysia instead of undergoing trial there.
However, the New Zealand released a letter by the High Commission of Malaysia that revealed that diplomatic immunity was used to ask for the return of Rizalman here.
“The High Commission of Malaysia has the honour to inform that the Government of Malaysia will not waive the personal immunity granted to Mr Muhammad Rizalman Bin Ismail and has decided that he should be repatriated to Malaysia as soon as possible,” read the letter that proposed also, 22 May as the date for his return.
It also asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider “sealing all documentations” and “withdrawing all charges” against the alleged.
As requested by Malaysia, the accused then returned to the country on 22 May.
The Prime Minister of New Zealand, in his push for a trial to be held there, was quoted saying that New Zealand judiciary has a reputation of being completely fair. He also asked that Malaysia respect the laws of the receiving state to hold their trial there.
Meanwhile, Rizalman, a warrant officer on the high commission’s defence staff is currently awaiting being investigated by Malaysian defence authorities, and will be put through a psychiatric assessment before undergoing the aforementioned investigations.
