PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA: The official move leading to the release of the 47 Malaysian detainees was made behind closed door as far back as last Dec 28.
This was made known yesterday by Sarawak Foreign Affairs director Deddy Faisal Ahmad who said the federal and the state governments were in immediate communication right after the Cambodian authorities informed Wisma Putra on Dec 28 of the detention of the Malaysians.
“Once we knew about it (detention), we immediately informed the affected family members about it,” he told New Sarawak Tribune, in a hotel at Phnom Penh, yesterday.
“And the families understood all along that we were doing our work behind the scene,” he pointed out.
Asked on the blame being put on the state government for not informing the public, Deddy said what the state government was doing was normal diplomatic practice that only the parents were being informed first.
“Because this is a very sensitive matter, we cannot tell the whole world or else people will panic.
“Maybe people did not see what we were doing, so they blamed us. The fact, however, is that the matter at hand is for diplomats to handle.
“As diplomats we do the negotiation between two countries behind closed door. What matters most to us is the outcome,” he stressed.
He attributed the success of their negotiation to the close bilateral relationship between Malaysia and Cambodia.
“I must also convey my gratitude to the Embassy of Cambodia in Malaysia Deputy Chief of Mission/Charge d’Affaires, Ruzaimi Mohamad, and Datuk Mustapha Ahmad Marican, who is leading the International Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that’s active in doing community work in Cambodia, for this success.”
