Artiste Rohana Beddage has been appointed the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Maldives.

Beddage is a musician and an actor who has contributed to the cultural sphere of Sri Lanka for several decades.

He was among the artistes who supported the Sri Lanka Podujana Party during the last Presidential election.

However, the government's decision to give a diplomatic posting to Beddage has raised many an eyebrow.

Sri Lanka has maintained close diplomatic ties with the Maldives given the close proximity and strong diplomatic ties between the two countries.