KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 ― New Zealand’s relations with Malaysia will suffer if the latter fails to ensure that its diplomat accused of sexual assault in Wellington is not brought to justice, its Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully warned today.

The diplomat and his home country were not identified until late this morning due to a New Zealand court order suppressing the information, but Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman was reported today as confirming that the man is Malaysian and has since been recalled.

Authorities in New Zealand have been unable to prosecute the Malaysian in question due to diplomatic immunity, which Malaysia has refused to waive.

“It will have a bearing on how we deal with the country concerned,” McCully was quoted saying by New Zealand’s Dominion Post.

Today, he pointed out that his ministry has communicated New Zealand’s unequivocal desire to bring the accused diplomat to trial, and frustration in this case may affect how his country receives Malaysian envoys in the future.

According to New Zealand police, the diplomat said to be in his 30s was arrested after he allegedly followed a woman aged 21 to her house on May 9 and attacked her.

He was then charged with assault with intent to rape and burglary, but the case had to be dropped after he was recalled home a day after he was charged, news wire AFP reported.

Prime Minister John Key said it was New Zealand’s “strong preference” for the man to face trial there, but said this was not possible after his home country invoked diplomatic immunity

“Though I would make the point that it’s our expectation he will be held to account in his home country,” he was quoted saying by the Australian Associated Press yesterday.