PUTRAJAYA, July 15 — The Cabinet has yet to receive an official memorandum from the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) regarding the reported nomination of author Nick Adams as the next United States (US) Ambassador to Malaysia, said Madani Government spokesperson Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi, who is also the Communications Minister, said that in such matters, it is standard procedure for the Cabinet to receive a formal memorandum from the ministry on any new ambassadorial or diplomatic appointment to Malaysia.
“As of now, the matter has not been brought to the Cabinet’s attention. It may be presented once we receive further updates, but at this point, it has yet to reach the Cabinet,” he told the press after presenting appointment letters to the founding board members of the Malaysian Media Council today.
When asked whether Malaysia has the right to reject Adams’ appointment, Fahmi pointed to diplomatic norms.
“In diplomacy, there is a concept known as ‘agrément’, where the host country must first accept the nominee. The same applies in reverse — when Malaysia appoints its envoys abroad, approval from the host nation is also required,” he said.
The international media previously reported that US President Donald Trump had nominated Adams, an Australian-born conservative political commentator who is now a US citizen, to serve as the country's Ambassador to Malaysia.
The nomination has sparked debate, with former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin stating that Malaysia has every right to reject Adams’ appointment, citing Article Four of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which stipulates that a receiving state may refuse any diplomatic envoy without having to justify.
Under diplomatic protocol, no country may send an ambassador without the host nation’s prior consent, a key principle in international relations.
— Bernama
