KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa urged the minister in charge of religious affairs “not to run” from Parliament this morning, after warning that he intended to field tough question for the latter.

The phrase gained a humorous interpretation after Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V used it in jest ahead of his royal address on Tuesday, in an apparent joke about the mass opposition bench walkout the day before.

“God willing at 10.30am I intend to submit oral questions to the minister and confront him in Parliament on Jakim and the importance of Islam… JANGAN LARI (don’t run),” Annuar wrote on Twitter today.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic affairs is Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

When entering Parliament on Tuesday, the Agong invited the federal lawmakers to “take [their] seats and don’t run,” triggering laughter from both sides of the aisle.

It was generally understood to be a reference to the Opposition lawmakers’ decision to abandon the Dewan Rakyat on Monday after their objections over the notice given on the nomination of the Speaker went unheeded.