New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully (left) apologises for the confusion surrounding the sexual assault case involving a Malaysian envoy. — AFP pic

KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully today apologised over the confusion surrounding the sexual assault case involving a Malaysian envoy, expressing contrition over his officials dealings with Malaysian authorities.

McCully acknowledged that his ministry’s decision to opt for backchannels instead of official communications led to the Malaysian attaché being allowed to leave the country and triggered an embarrassing public exchange between the two countries.

“The victim and her family are entitled to a better standard of performance. I think that the communication that was undertaken formally was perfectly appropriate, but it wasn't supported by unambiguous communication of the standard that I would've expected,” McCully was quoted as saying in a Radio New Zealand News report.

The minister conceded that both he and Prime Minister John Key were not fully apprised of the facts in the case when both spoke critically of Malaysia’s handling in the matter, and said his ministry was now investigating its officials over the matter.

McCully also issued an apology on Key’s behalf.

Separately, the chief of New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs John Allen also granted that the decision to use informal communications with Malaysia had led the latter country to believe the accused envoy was allowed to leave, but said he was not aware of this until Monday.

“An impression unintended was left with our Malaysian colleagues that they had an option of not accepting the waiver proposition returning the diplomat to Malaysia and allowing the military tribunal to run its course.”

But Allen declined to say if he will step down over the matter.

Yesterday, McCully came out to say that Malaysia acted “entirely in good faith” following a series of public exchanges by leaders of both countries in the case of a Malaysian diplomat accused of burglary and attempted sexual assault in Wellington.

New Zealand had earlier alluded that Malaysian authorities had attempted bury the case and were allowing the junior envoy to escape punishment by refusing to New Zealand’s official request for his diplomatic immunity to be rescinded.

McCully yesterday conceded that an official request was not lodged with Malaysia.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has this evening provided me with the correspondence between New Zealand and Malaysian officials on this matter. While the formal request is absolutely unambiguous in seeking the lifting of immunity, it is now clear to me that officials engaged in informal communications over what is a complex case, in a manner that would have been ambiguous to the Malaysian Government,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The junior envoy, Muhammad Rizalman, 38, was arrested by Kiwi police on May 9 on allegations of attempted burglary and sexual assault on a 21-year-old woman.

He was charged in a New Zealand court a day later for burglary and assault with intent to commit rape, with the court granting a suppression order to protect his identity.

Diplomatic immunity was later invoked and prevented the prosecution in New Zealand; Muhammad Rizalman was then recalled to Malaysia.

The suppression order was lifted yesterday, amid growing outrage in New Zealand with Prime Minister John Key saying that he would prefer the Malaysian tried in New Zealand.

McCully said he had been been assured by his Malaysian counterpart that the junior envoy will face proper judicial process.

Malaysia, in turn, said it would be willing to extradite the attaché to New Zealand but only if “absolutely necessary”.