Meet Malaysia's First Resident Ambassador To The Vatican City
His appointment is seen as a special gift to the Christian community in conjunction with the celebration of Easter on 27 March.
By Sadho Ram — 29 Mar 2016, 03:24 PM
Could you imagine what it would be like meeting Pope Francis?
For Bernard Dompok, who have met not one or two but three popes in his lifetime -- namely Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVII and Pope Francis, the current pope -- "the experience is different yet somehow the same."
An experience, Bernand says, he experiences each time he has met a pope. "It has a calming effect, one which we could feel deep inside us, for days," he said.
It would suffice to say that for Catholics, meeting the Pope even once in their entire lifetime is like a dream come true.
However, in the case of Bernard Dompok, who is a former Federal Minister and former Sabah Chief Minister, it's like he is living THE dream as the first Malaysian ambassador to the Vatican City!
Malaysian Ambassador to the Holy See, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok receiving his credentials from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Shah at Istana Negara.
Image via BernamaIt's a significant role too, as Bernard himself said, his appointment as the ambassador to the Vatican City signals the beginning of a better understanding and relationship with the Holy See
Moreover, as Putatan member of Parliament Marcus Mojigoh has emphasised earlier in January in The Borneo Post, Dompok's appointment is something the Sabahans as a whole can be proud of. As it can be "viewed as a recognition, not only to Dompok but also the people of Sabah, in general, for their capability in leading the rest of Malaysia in dealing with an influential entity such as the Vatican."
And his appointment has been welcomed by the Malacca Portuguese community. In a letter to The Star earlier in March, Joseph Sta Maria, representative of Malacca's minority communities in the state government's Pembela agency, had written:
"His appointment is most fitting as he has vast experience to be qualified as a diplomat. His services to the country, community and religion have been enormous. This momentous occasion is a blessing for the Christian community and more so during this week of great significance as we herald Easter celebrations on Sunday."
“We hope that he will visit the Portuguese Settlement and the community, the custodians of the Catholic faith in Malaysia,” Sta Maria said. “I strongly believe with him there at the Vatican, and the role of the Kadazan and the Portuguese communities here, many religious problems in our country can be resolved amicably,” he added.
As Malaysia's first ever Ambassador to the Vatican City, Bernard's job, he told The Sunday Star, would entail pursuing the country's push for moderation on issues related to race and religion
"As a Muslim-majority nation, we have seen the challenges of forging unity in the context of realities in a country like ours. We can speak from the position of experience in these things and we have much to contribute in this area, and tackling the various challenges in a country like ours."
Dompok, who has been credited with being instrumental in laying the groundwork for the establishment of diplomatic ties with the Vatican, said he had never expected to be appointed the ambassador.