Xenophon was never included in Aussie delegation, says minister’s office
Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider
Independent Australian Senator Nick Xenophon was not included in the bipartisan parliamentary delegation invited to meet with Malaysian officials this week, an official from de facto law minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz’s office confirmed today.
This comes despite Xenophon’s claim in the Australian media today that his visit was “not unofficial”.
The official said the delegation had only included Moore MP Dr Mal Washer, Senator John Williams and Hindmarsh MP Steve Georganas, according to the SMS invite forwarded to Nazri from Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s office some time back.
“Only three persons were listed. They never communicated about Xenophon (picture)… he was never on the list of individuals who were supposed to arrive here for the meeting,” the minister’s official said when contacted here.
A copy of the SMS invite from Abdul Malek Hussin, Anwar’s parliamentary affairs chief co-ordinator, was forwarded to The Malaysian Insider this morning.
“Chief.. ada tamu from australia nak jumpa Tuesday. Dah cal azlinda for appointment. 1) Dr. Mal Washer MP of Moore., 2) Senator John Williams (Nationals Whip in the Senate and Senator for New South Wales) 3) Mr. Steve Georganas MP (Second Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and MP for Hindmarsh),” the SMS said.
[Translation: Chief… there are guests from Australia who would like to meet on Tuesday. I’ve called Azlinda for an appointment. 1) Dr. Mal Washer MP of Moore., 2) Senator John Williams (Nationals Whip in the Senate and Senator for New South Wales) 3) Mr. Steve Georganas MP (Second Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and MP for Hindmarsh)].
Nazri, who is also the parliamentary affairs minister, is often referred to as “Chief”.
“This was the SMS on the meeting that was agreed on,” the source from the minister’s office said.
Earlier today, Xenophon was quoted in the Australian media as insisting that his trip to Malaysia to review the country’s electoral system was official.
Xenophon, who was deported from Malaysia last Saturday for posing a “security risk”, claimed that Nationals Senator Williams and Liberal MP Washer had received approval from Australia’s Special Minister of State Gary Gray to use their study leave for the trip.
“It’s not unofficial,” Xenophon was quoted today as saying by Australia’s ABC radio.
“It was a meeting that was going to result in a report being provided to the federal Parliament in relation to the trip,” he added.
The Australian delegation, including Labor MP Georganas, has since cancelled their trip.
