KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — Two diplomats who were appointed to serve abroad by the Najib administration have rejected the Foreign Ministry’s order recalling them home mid service.

The Star cited an anonymous Wisma Putra source saying the two have insisted they were appointed by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the recommendations of then foreign minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and have refused to comply with the order because it was not signed by the new minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

“Therefore, they cannot accept the letter signed by a senior Wisma Putra officer,” the source was quoted saying.

According to the source, the two have also conveyed their wish to continue serving. One had asked to be posted to another country while another wanted an extension.

The Star listed the current batch of diplomats who were political appointees as including Malaysia’s first ambassador to the Vatican Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, ambassador to Indo­nesia Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim, ambassador to Finland Puan Sri Blanche O’Leary, Malaysian Friend­ship and Trade Centre in Taiwan president Datuk Adeline Leong and the High Commissioner to Brunei Datuk Ghulam Jelani Khanizaman.

The new Pakatan Harapan government has signalled that all political appointees in government service and government-linked companies should step down or face the sack.

The Wisma Putra source said there are currently 15 qualified staff who are waiting to fill in the overseas postings.