As the New Zealand Parliament debates the diplomatic fiasco, the media there is on the hunt for more information about Muhammad Rizalman Ismail.

Stuff.co.nz today quoted the Malaysian diplomatic attache's former neighbour as describing the military officer as being "weird, a bit quiet, and very strange".

Sean Gordon, who lives behind Rizalman's house on Miles Cres in Wellington, said the Malaysian moved into the neighbourhood about a year ago, replacing another Malaysian family.

He admitted that his family did not have a good relationship with Rizalman, compared with the previous occupants.

However, he revealed that Rizalman's wife and children were friendly.

"We did the Kiwi neighbourly thing, it's the Kiwi way and all that. However, Rizalman was really quiet, like he always had something on his mind," said Gordon.

The neighbour described that everything was normal in the neighbourhood until in May, when Rizalman disappeared while his wife and children remained in the house.

Following that, Gordon said, Rizalman's wife stopped talking to the neighbours.

Gordon added he was bewildered when a week ago, several cars and a moving truck arrived and the family left.

"Everything had clicked after Rizalman was identified in the media," he said.

Gordon was also outraged that his former neighbour was allowed to leave the country after being accused of such a serious crime.

''This is a guy who I had a beer with, said 'gidday' to up on my deck, I even did all the weed killing for him," he is quoted as saying by the news portal.

Rizalman, who is currently in Malaysia, had been charged with burglary and sexually assaulting a woman in New Zealand.