Former inspector-general of police (IGP) Ismail Omar has been named as Malaysia’s new ambassador to France.

Ismail will be among the country’s six new envoys who will receive their credentials from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah at Istana Negara today.

However, the appointment has raised question marks on whether it is based on merit or is merely a retirement reward for the former top cop.

In an immediate response, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said Ismail’s ability as a crime buster was undeniable but queried his credentials as an ambassador and competence in the French language.

“As his experience is that of our country top crime buster, is he being sent to pick up the cold trail of the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu who in a twist of irony was an interpreter, the services of one which Ismail himself may require?” he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, Wisma Putra in a statement yesterday said Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia Salman Ahmad had been named as the new ambassador to Germany, according to Bernama .

Rohana Ramli will be the new ambassador to the Republic of Korea,  Awang Sahak Awang Salleh the High Commissioner to Brunei, Raszlan Abdul Rashid the ambassador to Cambodia and Jilid Kuminding @ Zainuddin the High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea.

Ismail, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in law from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia, joined the Royal Malaysian Police in 1971 and was appointed as IGP in September 2010. He retired from the force on May 17, this year.

Salman joined the Foreign Ministry in 1979 and had served at Malaysia’s General Consulate in Davao City, Philippines (1995-1998), Malaysian High Commission in Brunei (2001-2003) and was ambassador to the Czech Republic (2005-2009). He had also served in India, Japan and Thailand.

Rohana, who has served the government since 1984, was the Foreign Ministy’s deputy secretary-general (Management Services).

She was ambassador to Argentina (2005-2008) and had also served with Malaysia’s diplomatic missions in various other countries including at the office of Malaysia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

Awang Sahak, who has a degree in Applied Science from Wageningen University, the Netherlands was a special officer to Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and had served as Sabah Veterinary Services and Livestock Industry director from 2003 until 2010.

Raszlan, who was previously Deputy High Commissioner to India, had joined the the Foreign Ministry in 1987.

He had served in Pristina, Kosovo (2002-2005), Songkhla, Thailand (2005-2008), as well as in Indonesia and Venezuela.

Jilid, Malaysia’s consul general in Hong Kong, had served the ministry since 1989. He had also held other important posts including senior private secretary to then minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Maximus Ongkili (2004-2008), senior private secretary to then deputy foreign minister Abdul Rahim Bakri (2008-2010) and as secretary of the Africa and Sub Sahara Desk at Wisma Putra.

He had also served with Malaysia’s diplomatic missions in Sweden and Namibia.