KUALA LUMPUR: Former CEO of the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) Dr Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri has been appointed as cultural secretary under the Minister's Office of the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra), effective Nov 1.
Actor and producer Datuk Seri Eizlan Yusof has also been appointed as creative adviser.
The announcements were made by Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah at Wisma Putra, Putrajaya, yesterday.
Saifuddin said that Ahmad Idham was selected due to his extensive experience of being in the creative industry for more than 25 years, as well as winning an international award at the Chunsa Korea Film Festival in 2018.
Eizlan who is no stranger to the creative industry has served in various capacities and won multiple local and international awards.
Saifuddin explained that an Arts and Culture Committee would also be created under the Minister's Office to bolster efforts in establishing Malaysia's arts as an effective method to promote the country's historical and cultural heritage.
"Wisma Putra is formulating several priorities in Foreign Policy and one of them is related to cultural diplomacy.
"In terms of foreign policy, cultural diplomacy, which is also termed 'soft power', and in the context of Asean 2025, one of the pillars in the Asean Community, touches on socio-cultural issues.
"Cultural diplomacy is not something new, but we must improve the quality of work in this regard. I am confident that both of them will carry out their responsibilities with dedication and success," he said.