Consider Sarawakians with English proficiency for foreign service, PSD told
KUCHING, Friday 22 October 2010 (Bernama) -- The Public Services Department should take into account that most Sarawakians were proficient in English in the recruitment of candidates wanting to enter the foreign service, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Richard Riot said today.
He said English proficiency was a must for Wisma Putra's diplomatic corps as they would be posted anytime to serve in countries.
"As a Sarawakian, I am sad to see that the number of Sarawakians joining the foreign service is far beyond what is expected, and there are very few applications from the state, of late," he added.
Riot was speaking to reporters after officiating the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Outreach, Information and Public Diplomacy Programme here.
Currently, there are only two career diplomats from Sarawak at the 105 diplomatic missions overseas, namely the Malaysian high commissioner to South Africa and another based at the Chinese consul-general in Shanghai.
Riot expressed confidence the Outreach programme, held for the second consecutive year, would raise interest among the young in the state to join the foreign service.
Meanwhile, he said, the ministry's branch offices in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu had begun operations since this month, dealing mostly with consular services.