KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — A Selangor exco member today said it was “mischievous” to turn the state-level National Day celebrations into an issue, where leaders from the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition had questioned why the Sultan of Selangor was not invited.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president, had suggested that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR)-led state government given more respect to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim by inviting him for the celebrations.
“It is mischievous of certain people especially Umno leaders to involve the palace in this issue,” Dr Xavier Jayakumar said at a press conference at the PKR headquarters today.
He said that “by protocol, the palace is usually not invited” for such events.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president, had suggested that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR)-led state government given more respect to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim by inviting him for the celebrations.
“It is mischievous of certain people especially Umno leaders to involve the palace in this issue,” Dr Xavier Jayakumar said at a press conference at the PKR headquarters today.
He said that “by protocol, the palace is usually not invited” for such events.
Xavier pointed out that Anwar was an elected MP and also Selangor’s economic adviser.
“He (Anwar) was invited in his capacity as opposition leader in Parliament,” Xavier said, adding that “in other countries, it’s a minister position”.
“I don’t see why there is a query now,” he said, pointing out that it was the democratic right of the state government to extend invitations for the celebrations.
The Selangor state government had on Sunday denied intentionally shutting out Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah from the event, saying that it has been the practice for the Ruler not to be invited even when the state was under BN rule.
Source: TheMalaysianInsider
0 comments:
Post a Comment