ISTANA NEGARA MURKA TERHADAP KHALID IBRAHIM - MEMPERMAINKAN KEBERANGKATAN MENCEMAR DULI RAJA PERMAISURI AGONG DI FESTIVAL MUZIK ISLAM!

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Palace fires back

Queen was invited for song festival, preparatory meeting held, says Palace administration!

Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah's attendance at the recent International Islamic song festival was by invitation and not on her personal capacity as claimed by the Selangor government.

This was clarified last night in a statement from Istana Negara to The Malay Mail, explaining that the visit by the Queen on July 4 was based on an official invitation from the organisers — and not for personal reasons or in her personal capacity.

It referred to a series of articles published in The Paper That Cares from this week, which had caught the attention of His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri Agong.

The statement, which came via email and fax, reiterated there was a preparatory meeting held for the hosting of Her Majesty.

The Royal Palace administration also rejected reports stating Her Highness Raja Permaisuri Agong left the event earlier than scheduled. (see below for official statement from the palace)

MB ignorant of monarchy's position, says State BN leaders

State Barisan Nasional leaders have lambasted the Selangor government for dismissing the need to apologise to Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah for the absence of top State exco members to welcome Her Majesty at the Tourism Selangor-organised International Islamic Song Festival on July 4.

State Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo told The Malay Mail that Menteri Besar (MB) Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim's stand of not apologising to the Raja Permaisuri Agong was plain arrogant and rude.

"Khalid has shown how arrogant he is. He did not appreciate the Raja Permaisuri Agong for gracing the event and his refusal to apologise is unbecoming of an MB."

At the poorly attended song festival, the highest ranking State official on hand to welcome Raja Permaisuri Agong was State executive councillor for Women Affairs, Science, Technology and Innovations Rodziah Ismail, who represented Khalid.

As frontpaged by The Paper That Cares yesterday, Khalid had said that the State government need not apologise to the Raja Permaisuri Agong, and "the matter was closed".

Said Khir: "It is as if the Pakatan Rakyat-led government is untouchable, even by royal institution."

The same sentiment was echoed by State Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar who said members of the royalty should be respected, regardless of political ties. "The MB has to remember he is not dealing with just any dignitary, but the ceremonial Ruler of the country. He acted as though he had forgotten the nation's protocol, especially in treating VIPs."

Even if Tuanku Nur Zahirah attended the event in her personal capacity, Noh said not having any State officials to greet her was downright ignorant.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat Kota Damansara assemblyman Datuk Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim said discussions must have taken place between the State government and the parties concerned.

"I believe the MB would not have made such a statement without checking first."

Nasir said the case was closed as the parties involved could have been given a satisfactory explanation. "If the matter is not closed, the parties affected will not be happy over the MB's statement. But, for now, we believe it has been resolved."

He said Khalid just wanted to move on without politicising the issue further.

As reported earlier, Khalid had instructed State executive councillor for Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Elizabeth Wong to seek an audience with Her Majesty and apologise. It was also confirmed by Tourism Selangor general manager Noorul Ashikin Mohd Din that the State government was awaiting a date to explain the fiasco to the Queen.

The statement from Istana Negara

IN reference to the The Malay Mail article "Being FRANK: Selangor’s Royal Snub" and "Date with the Queen" on Monday, and It was not a royal snub published on Tuesday, please be informed the matter has drawn the attention of His Majesty, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and Her Majesty, the Raja Permaisuri Agong.

In relation to this, the Royal Palace administration wishes to clarify the visit by Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah to the Islamic song festival on July 4 was based on an official invitation from the organisers and not for personal reasons or in a personal capacity.

The palace administration had also found the preparatory meeting for the arrival and reception of Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri Agong for this event was held and involved the Royal Palace, the event organiser together with departments and agencies under the State government, namely, the Selangor MB's office, State secretariat administrative services unit, State secretariat protocol unit and Tourism Selangor, and was chaired by the Tourism Selangor general manager.

The Royal Palace administration also rejects reports stating Her Highness Raja Permaisuri Agong left the event earlier than scheduled when, in actual fact, the organisers had been informed, in advance, Her Highness Raja Permaisuri Agong would not be joining for refreshments after the concert.

The visit by Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri Agong to the event was on an official basis and the Royal Palace administration would like to advise the parties involved in the matter not to repeat the issue and always be careful in issuing any statements which could be wrongly interpreted by the rakyat.

Istana Negara
Kuala Lumpur
August 5, 2010

The chronology on the 'royal snub' issue

JULY 4: Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah showed up at the Selangor Tourism's Islamic song festival, but Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, State executive councillors, other elected representatives and senior civil servants were apparently “out of town”.

JULY 4: State executive councillor for Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Elizabeth Wong, who was in Shanghai, China, on the same day for to an exhibition, issued showcause letters to Tourism Selangor and the event's promoter, Out of This World Sdn Bhd (O2TW), holding them responsible for the fiasco and to arrange to meet the Sultan of Selangor and the Queen to seek forgiveness.

AUG 2: Tourism Selangor general manager Noorul Ashikin Mohd Din said the State government was awaiting a date to explain the fiasco to the Queen.

AUG 3: The State government claimed the Queen attended the event in her personal capacity. Said State political secretary to the Selangor Menteri Besar, Faekah Husin: “Suddenly, the Queen felt like coming. We, at State-level, did what we could and arranged the necessary protocol for her." Selangor Tourism and O2TW confirmed getting showcause letters from Wong. Meanwhile, State executive councillor for Women Affairs, Science, Technology and Innovations Rodziah Ismail said Khalid had apologised to the Sultan of Selangor over the incident.

AUG 5: Khalid said there was no need to apologise as the Queen came to the event in her private capacity on the invitation of the organiser.

Komen : MB Khalid ini tahu ke protokol antara sebuah kerajaan negeri dengan pihak istana negara! Agak memalukan seorang MB mangatakan tidak perlu memohon maaf kepada pihak istana negara. Mengapa kenyataan MB Khalid bercanggah dengan statement yang telah dikeluarkan oleh pihak istana negara! Dilihat kerajaan negeri Selangor benar-benar telah memalukan Raja Permaisuri Agong dengan yang sudah berlaku!

Antara insiden memalukan itu termasuk kegagalan pegawai-pegawai tertinggi kerajaan negeri termasuk Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim untuk menjemput ketibaan Seri Paduka pada acara tersebut.

Selain itu, hanya kira-kira 200 pengunjung hadir pada festival yang diadakan di Stadium Tertutup Melawati yang mampu memuatkan 5,000 orang penonton itu.Lebih memburukkan keadaan apabila kerajaan negeri turut gagal memaklumkan kepada Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah mengenai kehadiran Raja Permaisuri Agong ke acara tersebut.

Pengurus Besar Pelancongan Selangor, Noorul Ashikin Mohd. Din berkata, kerajaan negeri sedang menunggu pihak istana bagi memaklumkan tarikh untuk pihaknya menghadap Seri Paduka bagi menjelaskan perkara itu. Beliau berkata, pihaknya yang diketuai Exco Pelancongan, Hal Ehwal Pengguna dan Alam Sekitar, Elizabeth Wong akan menghadap Tuanku Nur Zahirah nanti.

Noorul Ashikin berkata, pihaknya tidak dapat bertemu dengan baginda lebih awal memandangkan jadual ketat Raja Permaisuri Agong sebelum ini. Dalam pada itu, Exco Hal Ehwal Wanita, Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Rodziah Ismail berkata, Abdul Khalid sebelum ini telah mengemukakan permohonan maaf kepada Sultan Selangor ekoran insiden tersebut.

Tetapi benarkah MB Khalid telah membuat permohonan maaf kepada Raja Permaisuri Agong dan juga baginda Sultan Selangor padahal MB Khalid sendiri mengeluarkan kenyataan yang kerajaan negeri Selangor tidak perlu memohon maaf? Jadi siapa yang memutarbelit kenyataan sekarang antara MB Khalid dan Rodziah Ismail? Adakah mereka masing-masing mengeluarkan kenyataan untuk menyelamatkan diri mereka sendiri.

Atau adakah ini satu lagi jarum halus yang digunakan oleh DAP untuk memalukan institusi diraja sepertimana yang mereka telah lakukan dengan mempertikaikan pembinaan istana negara yang baru. Fikir-fikirkan lah..

Juragan Malawati..