PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pix) said he was not involved in the seating arrangement of his predecessor Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak during the Installation of the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Tuesday.
He said matters concerning seating arrangements were handled by the Istana Negara.
“I do not know and I did not see anything either, that was his seat I suppose. That is the Istana’s job, not mine,” he told the media after officiating the opening of the Ex-Kota Baru Teacher’s College reunion here last night.
Mahathir was asked on Najib’s claims that he could not attend the installation ceremony after receiving a call at 6.30am that his seat, which should have been number 10 as the former prime minister, had been changed at the last minute to the seat for ‘Orang Besar Pahang’.
According to Najib, the ceremonial attire for ‘Orang Besar Pahang’ and the attire for the former prime minister was not the same and he did not have enough time to take the ceremonial attire for ‘Orang Besar Pahang’ from Pekan, Pahang.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, who was Chairman of the Special Committee on the Installation Ceremony of the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, was reported to have said that the seat for the former prime minister had been determined and not moved at the last minute as claimed.
In another matter, Mahathir was also asked about Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s statement that GPS members had been invited by him (Dr Mahathir) for a ‘secret meeting’.
The prime minister confirmed meeting Sarawak leaders but declined to specify as to who initiated the July 30 meeting.
“I had met them (Sarawak leaders), no secret there,” he said. — Bernama
