KJ cadang semua bekas PM diundang ke sambutan hari kebangsaan

Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has proposed that all former Malaysian prime ministers be automatically invited to Malaysia's Independence Day celebrations. His suggestion came after the government faced criticism for not inviting Dr Mahathir Mohamad to this year's event in Putrajaya.

Khairy made the proposal during a new episode of his podcast Keluar Sekejap, stating that it should apply regardless of the former prime minister's political affiliation or whether they were friends or enemies. He emphasized that this should be the standard practice for honorary guests at the royal family, high-ranking officials, and national heroes.

Khairy acknowledged that the proposal may not always align with the official order for the royal family, senior government officials, and national heroes. However, he argued that it should be the norm, particularly for former prime ministers. The Communications and Multimedia Minister, Abdul Halim Hamzah, clarified that the practice of not automatically inviting former prime ministers to Independence Day celebrations has been in place since 2018.

The secretary-general of the event informed the organizers that Dr Mahathir would be abroad from August 28 to 31. The reason for this provision was a request from the Emergency Leave Assistance, which was approved by the Prime Minister and aligned with the provisions under the Members of Parliament Allowances Act. A colleague of Keluar Sekejap, Shahril Hamdan, noted that the lack of a formal invitation for Mahathir to this year's event could create a negative perception.

He advised against any attempt to justify or rationalize the decision, stating that it simply looked bad.