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KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 — PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng could not attend the delivery of a memorandum seeking an end to Emergency at the Istana Negara today because of prior engagements.
PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil told Malay Mail that both Anwar and Lim are in their respective constituencies, but will be present if the Yang di-Pertuan Agong assents to an audience with Opposition party leaders.
“A number of the party leaders and party secretary-generals are unable to be here. But I believe should we get a date to have an audience with the King, most definitely they will be there,” he told reporters in front of Istana Negara.
Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had joined members from the Committee for Ending the Emergency Declaration around 3.15pm today to seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
However the delegation which included the committee’s chairman Khalid Samad from Parti Amanah Negara, his party president Mohamad Sabu, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, DAP’s deputy secretary-general Teresa Kok, and PKR’s vice-president Tian Chua was only allowed to meet Senior Private Secretary to His Majesty, Col (Rtd) Datuk Nazim Mohd Alim.
Other leaders include Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi, DAP’s Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh and Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah, and Malaysia United Democratic Alliance’s (Muda) vice-presidents Dr Thanussha Francis Xavier and Mutalib Uthman.
The committee had said in its invite to the event that both Anwar and Lim were invited along with Dr Mahathir and Mohamad as part of the delegation.
This is the second time that the Tamat Darurat committee has requested for an audience with the King. The last attempt was on March 26, where they did not receive a reply from palace officials.
The committee chairman Khalid Samad said that they will send another memorandum and letter should the Palace keep mum for the second time.
“If there is no answer [from the Palace] within a month, we will write another letter and include more ‘proof’ that the Emergency is detrimental to the people, economy and country,” he said after the meeting with Nazim.