KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — Former Bayan Baru member of parliament Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim today received his credentials as the new ambassador to Indonesia.

Also receiving his credentials from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Muad’zam Shah at Istana Negara, here, was Datuk Naimun Ashakli Mohammad, as the High Commissioner to India.

Zahrain is the chairman of Hongkew Holdings Sdn Bhd and is a patron to several non-governmental organisations including Pertubuhan Pembangunan Kaum India Pulau Pinang, Pertubuhan Pembangunan dan Kebajikan Rakyat Malaysia and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Sahabat Islam.

Naimun Ashakli is a senior officer at the Foreign Ministry, having served the ministry since 1981 and was the chief of protocol before his new appointment.

A Wisma Putra statement said he had held several important positions including as Malaysia’s ambassador to Bahrain from 2003 to 2007 and then to Spain from 2007 to 2011, and had also served in New Zealand, Zimbabwe and South Africa. — Bernama