{
  "id": 5060202,
  "title": "Tiong: Don't make assumptions over Tun M's National Day appearance",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/tiong-dont-make-assumptions-over-tun-ms-national-day-appearance",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-02T09:54:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/09/1524364/tiong-dont-make-assumptions-over-tun-ms-national-day-appearance"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has cautioned against jumping to conclusions regarding Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's attendance at the National Day celebration on August 31. Tiong clarified that Mahathir had obtained Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's approval for his trip to Thailand between August 28 and 31. However, Tiong admitted that he was unaware of any changes to Mahathir's travel plans. He emphasized that it would have been appropriate for the relevant parties to inform the government if Mahathir's itinerary had altered, thus enabling cancellation of the approved travel arrangements or informing organizers of Mahathir's intention to attend the National Day celebration. Tiong urged the public not to base their judgments solely on a single image or incident, dismissing claims that Mahathir had been excluded or that Malaysia lacks respect for its elderly or statesmen. He stressed that respect for a former national leader and protocol matters are distinct and should not be conflated. Tiong highlighted Malaysia's tradition of valuing elder statesmen and their contributions, asserting that this cultural aspect should not be questioned based on a single protocol issue. He cautioned against turning an administrative or procedural matter into a racial or cultural controversy, warning that politicizing such matters could harm Malaysia's image both domestically and internationally.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has urged the public not to make assumptions over Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's presence at the National Day celebration on Aug 31, saying the controversy should be viewed based on facts and established protocol.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "#SHOWBIZ: Aliff Syukri says National Day parade appearance wasn't about money",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/showbiz-aliff-syukri-says-national-day-parade-appearance-wasnt-about",
        "published": "2026-09-02T10:00:18.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}