Mahathir, Hadi get invites to meet Agong

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang have received letters of invitation to an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“The official letter from the palace was received last week,” Ulya Aqamah Husamudin, the information chief of Mahathir’s Pejuan bloc, told Bernama, adding that the audience has been fixed on Thursday.

“However, the time for the audience has yet to be ascertained.”

Meanwhile, PAS said a letter was sent on June 4 inviting its president to Istana Negara this week.

Other party leaders said they have yet to receive any invitation from the palace.

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said he was not sure if his party had received an invitation.

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

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail meanwhile told Bernama to refer to Khairuddin Abu Hassan who is a member of the 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 to 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 to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the ongoing emergency and when it should end.

The National Security Council and the Prime Minister’s Department are secretariats for the committee.