Khalid: Explanation will be offered to Selangor Sultan if necessary
SHAH ALAM, Sept 4 — Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim today said an explanation would be given to the Selangor Sultan over the absence of an official invitation for His Royal Highness to attend state-level 55th Merdeka Day celebrations, if necessary.
“If it is necessary, we will give the explanation. We will give the explanation, but before that we must give an opportunity to those who organized the event to give their views,” he said when asked to comment on his readiness to seek an audience to explain the matter which erupted into a controversy.
The invitation to any official state event was made at least one month prior to the date of the event, he said when approached by reporters at an Aidilfitri function organised by the Selangor State Development Corporation, here.
“No event is held on an ad hoc basis. It is planned properly, and the protocol officers remind us how the programme must be implemented,” he said.
Khalid (picture) said the invitation to the Sultan rested with the task force chaired by State Secretary Datuk Muhammad Khusrin Munawi.
“We will discuss the matter at the State Executive Council meeting tomorrow, and I believe the task force led by the state secretary has answers and views on the matter.
“I have to give them an opportunity to explain what happened and what should be done,” he said.
Asked whether he was prepared to apologise to the Sultan on the matter, he said: “That is a matter we will do if necessary, otherwise we will not.”
Khalid said the state government would scrutinise the record of invitations for Merdeka Day celebrations because the matter only cropped up four years after Pakatan Rakyat took over the state administration.
It would look at invitations from 2004 to 2012, he said. — Bernama
