The origin of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began before Malaysia's independence in 1957. The groundwork for the establishment of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), as it was initially called, was initiated a year prior to Independence particularly with through the training of a batch of eleven diplomats to man the country's diplomatic missions overseas. This pioneering group was trained in the United Kingdom and Australia.[2]
The Ministry of External Affairs was modeled after the British Foreign Office.[2]
Initially, Malaysia had diplomatic missions in London, New York City with a concurrent office in Washington D.C., Canberra, New Delhi, Jakarta and Bangkok. In 1963, there were fourteen Malaysian missions and twenty-five countries were represented in Malaysia (four by way of concurrent accreditation).[2]
In 1965, the diplomatic machinery of Malaysia faced its first major reorganisation. In 1966, there was an accelerated growth pattern of the Foreign Ministry particularly with regard to the personnel and the financial allocation for its activities. That year also witnessed a change in the designation of MEA to the preferred terminology of "Ministry of Foreign Affairs" and also saw the physical relocation and consolidation of the Ministry. From its original premises at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, the Ministry moved to Wisma Putra. The Wisma Putra Complex is based on a combination of both traditional and modern architecture.[2]
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs bears the mandate and responsibility to conduct Malaysia's foreign relations with other countries. This includes matters related to political relations, economic affairs, security matters, and social and cultural promotion. The Ministry is geared towards fulfilling its role and functions:
upholding, protecting and promoting Malaysia's sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests;
monitoring and analysing regional and global developments;
developing and advising the Government on foreign policy options;
coordinating a coherent position on international issues with other Ministries and Agencies;
providing consular services and assistance within the limits permitted by international law;
articulating the Government's foreign policy positions; and
facilitating other Ministries and Agencies in their international engagement.