KUALA LUMPUR: The decision to revoke an invitation to ex-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the inauguration of the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s on Dec 13, was not made by the government, but by Istana Negara.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government did not issue such instructions (to revoke the invitation), as claimed by certain quarters.
“I have checked with the Prime Minister's Department, and it did not take part in withdrawing the invitation.
“The instruction came from the Istana Negara itself,” he clarified today.
Days before the event, a copy of the letter addressed to Dr Mahathir, reportedly from Istana Negara, had made its rounds on social media.
Dr Mahathir’s daughter Marina had shared an image of the letter via her social media account.
The letter was reportedly hand-delivered to Dr Mahathir’s office in Putrajaya. The letter bore the signature of the Keeper of the Ruler's Seal, Datuk Syed Danial Syed Ahmad.
Dr Mahathir had in his blog wrote that the event appeared to be a political one, and had claimed that the Istana Negara belonged to “Najib and Barisan Nasional”.