PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has denied instructing the Prisons Department to stop Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad from visiting PKR de-factor leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in hospital.
Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said he was not involved in the department's operation and denied any involvement in the decision to block the Pakatan Harapan chairman from visiting Anwar.
Anwar, who is serving out jail time at the Sungai Buloh Prison for a sodomy conviction, is currently at the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital following surgery two weeks ago.
Zahid said the Prisons Department has the authority over its own operations.
"I leave it to the Prisons Department to implement its own operation.
"The department has the authority (to make its decision). I place my full trust in all leaders of the ministry's agencies and department (to lead their operations)," he told a press conference after attending the ministry's monthly assembly, today.
Prison Department director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar said Sungai Buloh Prison had never received any application from Dr Mahathir to visit Anwar.
He said the prohibition was not a ministerial order, instead it was subject to the discretion of the Prisons authorities.
Zulkifli said a special meeting between the prisoner and certain parties is subject to Prison Act 1995, Prison Regulations 2000 and a permanent order of the Commissioner-General of Prisons.
"We will consider every application to visit the prisoner, among them include if it is urgent and important. The matter will be be considered by the officer in charge of the prison.
"We will also take into account whether such visit can trigger a controversy, expose to security threat or cause negative perceptions,"
"We must also get the consent from the prisoners themselves, if he or she agrees to accept the visit," he said.
Zulkifli added that Anwar's family members were given priority to visit him at the hospital.
Dr Mahathir, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman, had claimed yesterday that the Prisons Department had received orders from the home minister to stop him from meeting Anwar.
Dr Mahathir said he had wanted to meet Anwar to thank him for consenting to his nomination as Pakatan Harapan's prime minister designate.