Dr M first in line in leaders’ audience with King?

 

Dr Mahathir Mohamad is due to have an audience with the King on Thursday, his new party Pejuang has confirmed. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is set to be the first in line as all political party leaders are called separately for an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah concerning the country’s current situation, it is being speculated.

Pejuang information chief Ulya Aqamah Husamuddin has confirmed that Dr Mahathir will be called for an audience with the King on Thursday.

“The official letter from the palace was received last week. However, the time for the audience has yet to be ascertained,” he said today.

Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan and MCA secretary-general Chong Sin Woon, when asked the same question, however, said they had no information on the matter.

Gerakan president Dr Dominic Lau and MIC president S A Vigneswaran have also already clarified that they had not received any invitation from Istana Negara regarding an audience with the King.

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, on the other hand, said he was not sure if Umno had received such an invitation.

“I heard so. But I have not been to the office … I’m not so sure whether Umno has received such a letter or not,” he said.

On a different note, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the matter has to be referred to Khairuddin Abu Hassan, who is a member of a committee for ending the Emergency declaration.

“Refer to Khairuddin … he might have more information than us,” he said.

On Feb 9, the Prime Minister’s Office announced the appointment of 19 members of the committee, chaired by former chief justice Arifin Zakaria.

Other members include former chief secretary to the government Samsudin Osman, former inspector-general of police Norian Mai, former chief of defence forces Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, former health director-general Dr Mohamad Taha Arif and former Sabah state secretary Sukarti Wakiman.

The committee was set up under Section 2 of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 and will advise the King on the ongoing Emergency and when it should end.

The National Security Council and the Prime Minister’s Department will be secretariats for this committee. - FMT