Mahathir: Palace decided on Najib's seat, not me

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad tonight said it was Istana Negara that decided on former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's seating arrangement, and he was not involved in the matter.

This is after Najib claimed his seat was changed at the last minute, resulting in him not turning up at the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong's installation ceremony on Tuesday.

"That was his seat. It was arranged by the palace, not me," the prime minister told journalists in Putrajaya today.

Yesterday, Najib said the last-minute rearrangement of his seat from one reserved for a former prime minister to a seat based on his capacity as "Orang Besar Pahang" meant he could not get the appropriate attire in time.

"I was supposed to be on the 10th seat as a former prime minister according to the ceremonial protocol, but (my seat) was changed at the last minute to the seats for 'Orang Besar Pahang'.

"The ceremonial robes for 'Orang Besar Pahang' and former prime minister are different...I did not have time to collect my clothes from Pekan," he had said.

However, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa had refuted Najib's claim, stating that the former prime minister's seating was already decided on earlier and he the former prime minister was informed of this. - Mkini