His appointment was announced this evening in a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office. It is understood the appointment takes immediate effect.

The statement made no mention of the current envoy to China, DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai, who was appointed in August 2018 by the Pakatan Harapan government as the prime minister’s special envoy to China as well as chairman of the Malaysia-China Business Council.

It is not known if Tan would remain chairman of the council.

Tiong’s appointment comes a month after he had turned down an offer to be made a deputy minister when the new cabinet was being formed by the prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin.

Tiong was absent from the swearing-in of the cabinet members on March 10, and the Sarawak-based Progressive Democratic Party, of which Tiong is president, said that the offer was a “let-down” and that he should have been made a minister.

PDP secretary-general Nelson Balang Rining told FMT this evening that the party thanked the prime minister for the recognition given to Tiong and to the party.

Earlier this month, Tan had said he would not resign from his position as special envoy, in the wake of the change of government and the resignations of other PH appointees such as the Attorney-General and the head of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission.

FMT is seeking a response from Tan.

Tiong has been MP for Bintulu for five terms. The PMO statement said he had previously served as the prime minister’s special envoy to the Far East, covering Japan, Korea and Taiwan from 2014 to 2018.

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