PUTRAJAYA: Gloria Corina Peter Tiwet, the High Commissioner-designate to Nigeria, will be the first Sarawakian woman from the Dayak ethnic group to be appointed as a Malaysian High Commissioner.
Together with four others, Gloria received her Letter of Credence from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V, in a ceremony held at Istana Negara today.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, YB Dato’ Sri Reezal Merican Naina Merican was also present at the ceremony.
Wisma Putra said Gloria was the director of Sarawak Regional Office of the Ministry since 2016 prior to her appointment as High Commissioner of Malaysia to Nigeria.
"She was also previously the director of Asean Main Logistics Secretariat of the Ministry from 2015 to 2016; Minister Counsellor of the Malaysian Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden from 2011 to 2015 and deputy director at the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, Kuala Lumpur from 2009 to 2011," it said in a statement.
The other four new Heads of Mission that received their Letters of Credence from the King are:
- Ambassador Mohamad Nizan Mohamad High Commissioner-designate of Malaysia to the Republic of South Africa;
- Ambassador Chitra Devi V. Ramiah, Ambassador-designate to Poland;
- Ambassador Mohd Haniff Abd Rahman, Ambassador-designate to Egypt; and,
- Zahairi Baharim, Ambassador-designate to Myanmar
For Nizan, he began his service at the Foreign Ministry in 1994. He was the Undersecretary of Africa Division prior to his appointment as High Commissioner of Malaysia to South Africa.
He was previously the Ambassador of Malaysia to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from 2015 to 2017, Minister at the Embassy of Malaysia in Bangkok, Thailand from 2013 to 2015 and Minister at the Embassy of Malaysia in Harare, Zimbabwe from 2010 to 2013.
"Nizan had also served as Counsellor at the Embassy of Malaysia in Ottawa, Canada from 2003 to 2007 and as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Malaysia in Vientiane, Laos from 1996 to 2000," said Wisma Putra.
Wisma Putra said Chitra had joined the Malaysian Public Service in 1994.
"She was the Ambassador of Malaysia to Timor-Leste since 2016 prior to her appointment as Ambassador of Malaysia to Poland," it added.
She was previously the Consul General of Malaysia to Chennai from 2012 to 2016; Undersecretary of Development Division of the Ministry from 2008 to 2012 and Counsellor at the Embassy of Malaysia in Budapest, Hungary from 2005 to 2008.
Chitra had also served as Principal Assistant Secretary of ASEAN Department of the Ministry from 2003 to 2005 and as Assistant Secretary of Organization of the Islamic Conference Division from 2002 to 2003.
Prior to his appointment as the Malaysian Ambassador to Egypt, Haniff was the Ambassador of Malaysia to Myanmar since 2014.
"He was previously the Consul General of Malaysia to Vancouver, Canada from 2011 to 2014, Undersecretary of the Middle East and North Africa Division of the Ministry from 2009 to 2011 and Liaison Officer at the Liaison Office of Malaysia to Pristina, Kosovo from 2000 to 2002," said Wisma Putra.
It added Haniff had also served as First Secretary at the Embassy of Malaysia in Tokyo, Japan from 1997 to 2000 and as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Malaysia in Suva, Fiji from 1993 to 1997.
For Zahairi, he was the Undersecretary of Multilateral Economic and Environment Division of the Ministry since 2016 prior to his appointment as Malaysian Ambassador to Myanmar.
"He was previously the Minister Counsellor at the High Commission of Malaysia in Pretoria, South Africa from 2012 to 2016, Principal Assistant Secretary of Multilateral Economic and Environment Division of the Ministry from 2011 to 2012 and First Secretary at the Embassy of Malaysia in Doha, Qatar from 2005 to 2008.
"Zahairi had also served as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Malaysia in Kuwait from 2004 to 2005 and as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Malaysia in Vientiane, Laos from 2
000 to 2004."