Dr Mahathir Mohamad has come to the defence of his son, Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir, for not greeting members of the Johor royal family last week.
"It was nothing. I mean, sometimes you miss out some people, it does not mean you are boycotting that person.
"You should note that both the Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and the Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim shook my hand, and I shook their hands.
“That one you don’t want to show. Show lah,” he quipped during a press conference at the Bersatu headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.
Mahathir had initially passed the microphone to his son Mukhriz, seated beside him, to answer the question, but the latter smiled and declined the offer.
A video clip showing Mukhriz walking past the Johor ruler and the prince without shaking their hands as they were paying their last respects to the late Sultan Ahmad Shah Sultan Abu Bakar of Pahang went viral last week.
This led to Mukhriz being branded “insolent” by Johor Umno Youth. He later apologised twice for his “carelessness”.
'No problems'
At today's press conference, Mahathir said that he saw "no problems' between Putrajaya and the Johor palace.
He even shared a short exchange he had with Sultan Ibrahim when they exchanged handshakes at the wake.
"Let me tell you what he asked me. He said 'You look young'.
"What did I say? 'I don’t have janggut (a beard) like you’,” he said, eliciting laughs from those present.
In recent months, Mahathir and the Johor palace have locked horns over issues ranging from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the appointment of the Johor menteri besar and the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS).
The prime minister has also traded barbs with Tunku Ismail, once even branding the latter “stupid” for commenting on matters beyond his knowledge. - Mkini
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