Agong added to Kelantan’s official portraits directive, PM still out

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — The Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong have been included in a fresh directive from the Kelantan state secretary on official portraits allowed in government premises in the state, according to a report.

But Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad remains omitted from the updated list, local daily Sin Chew Daily reported.

In a photo of the new directive dated April 4, 2019 signed by Kelantan Deputy State Secretary Datuk Ahnan Hussin on behalf of the state secretary and published by Sin Chew daily, the order said the official portraits of a list of six individuals “must” be displayed in all government premises in Kelantan.

The six are the Agong, the Permaisuri, Kelantan ruler Sultan Muhammad V, the Kelantan Tengku Mahkota, Sultan Ismail Petra Ibni Al Marhum Sultan Yahya Petra and the Kelantan Mentri Besar.

“Only the portraits as mentioned above should be displayed in all state government and federal government premises in Kelantan,” the letter read.

It was addressed to state and federal department heads, and the management of state and federal statutory bodies, local councils, non-governmental organisations and private firms in the PAS-controlled state.

A photo of the previous directive dated April 1, 2019 had gone viral, in which it only listed four names, excluding the country’s King, Queen, and Dr Mahathir.

The portraits of the King and the prime minister are customarily displayed in all government offices together with the portraits of the Rulers, governor and mentri besar or chief minister of a state.

Sultan Muhammad V is the immediate past Agong but gave up the post prematurely in January via an unprecedented abdication.