The government will put an end to the previous administration’s practice of hiring political appointees as ambassadors and high commissioners.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the existing heads of mission who were political appointees would be brought home and have their services terminated.

“The Foreign Affairs Ministry has requested that there be no political appointments as ambassadors.

“Only civil servants will be appointed as heads of mission,” he said.

Mahathir added that the government would also no longer practise rewarding retirees with ambassador posts.

The prime minister said this after chairing a meeting of the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-corruption in Putrajaya.

Also present were the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC) head Abu Kassim Mohamed (photo) and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Mahathir also said the meeting today also agreed to implement several suggestions upon government agencies to get rid of corruption and bring to a new height the country's image in term of governance, integrity and human rights.

One of the suggestions was to coordinate the functions of the agencies under GIACC to ensure that elements pertaining to governance and anti-corruption could be implemented efficiently.

Other suggestions to be implemented include strengthening the function of the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) by converting it into an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) and removing the practice of appointing political appointees as heads of the country's foreign missions.

Mahathir said Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali and the Minister Prime Minister's Department in charge of Law VK Liew would represent the government in holding a discussion with the Opposition to get their support on matters that would need amendments to the Federal Constitution.

This, Mahathir said, is to ensure that the government gets a two-thirds support in Parliament to move ahead with the amendments to the constitution.