Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has proposed that all surviving former prime ministers be automatically invited to National Day celebrations, regardless of their political affiliations or relationship with the government of the day.
His suggestion comes amid criticism over the government’s decision not to invite former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to this year’s National Day celebrations in Putrajaya.
Speaking on his “Keluar Sekejap” podcast, Khairy said the government should restore the practice followed before 2018, when former prime ministers were automatically invited and given front-row seats at the celebrations.
“To solve this problem, I suggest that the prime minister and Cabinet decide that we go back to the pre-2018 practice, where surviving former prime ministers are automatically invited to the National Day celebrations and given front row seats,” he said.
Khairy, who is also a former minister, said the invitation should not depend on whether a former prime minister is considered a political ally or opponent.
“It does not matter which party they are from or whether they are friends or foes. That is the proper thing to do,” he said, adding that former prime ministers could decide for themselves whether to attend.
He also pointed to the Federal Order of Precedence, which ranks former prime ministers 10th in the official ceremonial order, after the prime minister in sixth place and federal ministers in 16th.
The issue arose after Communications Ministry secretary-general Abdul Halim Hamzah, who chairs the secretariat overseeing this year’s celebrations, said former prime ministers had not been automatically invited since 2018.
Halim said the secretariat had also been informed by the Prime Minister’s Office that Mahathir would be abroad from August 28 to 31, based on an approved application for “Facilities for Rest Abroad” under provisions governing the remuneration of former prime ministers.
Khairy’s “Keluar Sekejap” co-host Shahril Hamdan said the absence of a formal invitation to Mahathir was likely to fuel negative perceptions.
“No matter how you twist it or explain it, it just looks bad,” he said.
Shahril acknowledged that some might view Mahathir’s reaction as an attempt to create drama, but said the decision nevertheless created unfavourable optics for the government.
