Fenny Nuli
Dato Fenny anak Nuli (born 1971 or 1972) is a Malaysian diplomat who is currently the ambassador-designate to Austria, Slovakia, and UN bodies, having received her letters of credence from King Ibrahim on 18 May 2026. Previously, Fenny was the ambassador to Peru, with concurrent accreditation to Bolivia, Colombia, and Panama from 2019 to 2023 and as director of the foreign ministry's Sarawak office from 2024 to 2026. She is noted for being the first Iban woman to become an ambassador.
Early life and education
[edit]Nuli was born sometime between 1971 and 1972[a] in Rumah Sebangki Panjai, Lubok Antu, Sri Aman, Sarawak, as the son of Nuli Anchair. She was the youngest of four siblings, having one brother and two older sisters. Her late uncle, Datuk Dublin Unting, served as an encouraging figure who motivated her to pursue a career she was passionate about. She described herself as having been a shy person during her youth, noting that she would usually hide whenever visitors came to her family house.[1]
Nuli began her primary education at Sekolah Rendah Bantuan (SRB) Chung Hua Simanggang, which later became Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (SJK) Chung Hua. She completed her secondary education at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Simanggang up until Form 6. Following her secondary schooling, she pursued higher education at the Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, graduating in 1996 amidst an economic recession. She briefly worked as a teacher in Simanggang to provide for her family before joining Malaysia's foreign ministry as an administrative and diplomatic officer. She received a diploma in administration and completed training in the foreign ministry's Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations. During this initial orientation and specialized training, future Malaysian diplomats and officers from the Prime Minister's Department were required to learn a foreign language, and Nuli chose to study German.[1]
Diplomatic career
[edit]Nuli started her career as an administrative and diplomatic officer with the foreign ministry in 1997. Her diplomatic service began as assistant director for ASEAN, serving until 2001. Afterwards, she took up her first overseas posting at the permanent mission in Geneva, where she was accorded the diplomatic rank of second secretary.[2] While stationed in Geneva, she found that most people spoke French, which was more commonly used there than the Swiss German spoken in Switzerland.[1]
After one year in Geneva, she was cross-posted to the embassy in Warsaw with the same diplomatic rank from 2002 until 2005. The embassy was also accredited to Ukraine. Early in her posting, she was sent alone as an advance team to Kyiv in heavy winter snow to prepare for a visit by the foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar. When a flight from Kyiv to Simferopol in Crimea was cancelled due to heavy snow, she took a 15-hour bus ride without a heater or knowledge of the Ukrainian language to meet Malaysian students, who later informed her that the journey carried a high risk of kidnapping.[1][dubious – discuss]
Following her return to Wisma Putra, Nuli worked as the assistant secretary for finance from 2005 to 2006, and was subsequently designated as director for ASEAN from 2006 until 2008. She returned to an overseas assignment in 2009, serving at the embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, with the diplomatic rank of minister counsellor until 2012.[2] Her appointment happened against a background of political unrests initiated by the Red Shirt protest group, with Nuli having to send daily reports to the foreign ministry headquarters amidst a shooting that occurred almost every night for a few weeks.[3]
Returning to Malaysia, she was appointed of principal assistant secretary for multilateral economic and environment from 2013 until 2015, and undersecretary for International Cooperation and Development from 2015 until 2016. In 2016, she was sent to Belgium, where she served as deputy chief of mission in Brussels until 2019.[2]
Ambassador to Peru
[edit]On 2 October 2019, Nuli received her credentials from the King of Malaysia Abdullah as the ambassador to Peru, with concurrent accreditations to Bolivia, Colombia, and Panama. This appointment made her the first Iban woman to serve as an ambassador, a milestone she initially did not realize until it was pointed out by a public relations officer in the foreign ministry. She departed upon making courtesy calls on federal ministers and Sarawak dignitaries.[1] She arrived in Peru on 15 November[4] and presented her credentials to the president of Peru Martín Vizcarra on 3 December 2019,[5] president of Colombia Iván Duque on 30 June 2020,[6] president of Panama Laurentino Cortizo on 29 March 2022,[7] and president of Bolivia Luis Arce on 26 September 2022.[8]
Her tenure in Peru was marked by political demonstrations outside her residence and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the peak of the pandemic, she and her embassy team organized a humanitarian flight that successfully repatriated stranded Malaysian citizens from both Peru and Bolivia, while also ferrying passengers from other countries. Additionally, a month before completing her posting and returning to Malaysia, Nuli coordinated the successful rescue of 43 Malaysian victims of a job scam, 16 of whom were from Sarawak.[1]
Director in Sarawak
[edit]Following her return to Malaysia, she accepted the role as the director of the foreign ministry's office in Sarawak, assuming the role since 2 January 2024.[9] She chose the role immediately because the developing status of Sarawak and regional shifts in neighboring countries required a senior officer. In this position, she collaborated with the Sarawak Premier, interacts with foreign ambassadors and important dignitaries, and delivers lectures on diplomacy to university students. She also utilized her office to work with relevant agencies to counter the rise of job scams affecting Sarawakians, drawing directly from her rescue experiences in Peru.[1]
Ambassador to Austria
[edit]On 18 May 2026, Nuli received her credentials from King Ibrahim as ambassador to Austria, with concurrent accreditation to Slovakia and international bodies based in Vienna.[10][11]
Personal life
[edit]Nuli is single and has no children.[1] Her personal philosophy is based on the traditional Iban warrior motto, Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban (as long as I live, I shall fight).[3]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Was mentioned as 48 years old at the time of her appointment as ambassador in Peru on 2 October 2019.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h Lorna, Nura V (30 December 2024). "Resilience, diplomacy, and dedication define her". Sarawak Tribune. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ^ a b c Kenneth, Robert (3 October 2019). "Sarawakian Fenny is Malaysian Ambassador-Designate to Peru". Sarawak Tribune. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ^ a b Khalik, Rudi Affendi (21 October 2019). "'Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban' jadi pegangan ketika bertugas - Fenny Anak Nuli" ['As Long as I Live, I Shall Fight' becomes the guiding principle while on duty - Fenny Anak Nuli]. Astro Awani. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ^ "Entrevista: Embajadora del Reino de Malasia en la República del Perú Fenny Nuli". VIP Diplomática (36 ed.). 2023. p. 6.
- ^ "Presidente Vizcarra recibió cartas credenciales de cuatro nuevos embajadores" [President Vizcarra received credentials from four new ambassadors]. Radio Nacional. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ^ "Federación de Malasia" [Federation of Malaysia]. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Colombia. 23 May 2026. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ^ "'Nito' recibe las cartas credenciales de 17 embajadores" ['Nito' receives the credentials of 17 ambassadors]. Crítica. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ^ rubensandilora (26 September 2022). "Arce recibe cartas credenciales de 10 embajadores acreditados en Bolivia" [Arce receives credentials from 10 accredited ambassadors in Bolivia]. Nómada News. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ^ "Director". Regional Office, Sarawak - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. 23 May 2026. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ^ Bernama (18 May 2026). "King presents instruments of appointment to 15 Malaysian envoys". New Straits Times. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
- ^ BERNAMA (18 May 2026). "Agong kurnia watikah pelantikan 15 ketua perwakilan Malaysia ke luar negara" [Agong presents instruments of appointment to 15 Malaysian heads of missions abroad]. Berita Harian. Retrieved 23 May 2026.