MB: Anwar invited only as a guest speaker

(The Star) – Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was only invited as a guest speaker to the Selangor state Merdeka eve celebration and not as a guest of honour, said Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

He said that in previous years, he himself was the guest of honour at the event.

“Records from 2003 showed that the mentri besar was always the guest of honour,” said Khalid, adding that the only exception was in 2007 when the Sultan of Selangor graced the Merdeka parade in conjunction with the nation’s golden jubilee celebrations.

There were no celebrations in 2009 and 2010 as Merdeka coincided with the Ramadan month, he added.

“The Sultan of Selangor, through Dato’ Lela Bakti (private secretary Datuk Munir Bani), will be invited every year for the yasin and tahlil prayers in conjunction with the Merdeka month celebration,” Khalid said after chairing the state exco meeting.

He was responding to criticisms that the Sultan had not been invited to the celebration while Anwar, who is the state’s economic adviser, was the chief guest and gave a speech.

It was reported that the Sultan, through quotes by Munir, found it strange that he, as Ruler of the state, was not given the honour accorded to Anwar when the Opposition Leader was not even among the ranks of the state leadership.

At the meeting, the task force that organised the Merdeka celebration also provided an explanation to the state exco. It was led by state secretary Datuk Khusrin Munawi.

“We found no fault at all,” Khalid said.