KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — Datuk Khairuddin Abu Hassan explained today that a photograph of him and his wife together with Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah was taken around four years back and is not recent.
The Parti Amanah Negara Jasin Parliamentary co-ordinator said that the photo currently being circulated was taken during the month of Syawal around 2016, after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.
“This is not a new photograph,” he said in a statement.
“I would like to state that this is not a recent photograph as touted by certain irresponsible quarters who only have malicious intentions on social media.
The photo shows Khairuddin next to his actress wife Umie Aida as she stands next to Dr Mahathir, with his wife Dr Siti Hasmah and the politician called Ku Li completing the frame.
Khairuddin also deflected claims of the picture being recent, as it showed Dr Mahathir with a lowered medical face mask, consistent with the practices during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The answer is that the habit of using a face mask is not something new for Tun Dr Mahathir because several years ago he was suffering from a lung infection.
“This just happens to be normal practice for the former prime minister,” Khairuddin wrote.
He also questioned the timing of the photo that had resurfaced and was circulated, alleging it was the work of those “‘fishing in troubled waters”.
“There are irresponsible people who are actively trying to create all types of speculations, at the point our country is going through a volatile period politically,” he wrote.
The photo which has resurfaced and is being circulated while claiming to be recent has been aiding recent speculation over the political agendas of Umno's Tengku Razaleigh and Dr Mahathir.
On Tuesday, the Umno leader, in his capacity as the longest serving Member of Parliament, was granted an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Discussions between the Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Umno’s Advisory Council chairman, according to Tengku Razaleigh’s political secretary, was a four-eyed meeting for the Ruler to hear the latter’s views on the current political situation.
Tengku Razaleigh’s audience with the King was right after Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had left the Royal Palace, after the PKR president was granted the same to inform the Agong of his supposed majority support in Parliament.
Yesterday, it was reported how Tengku Razaleigh had on September 25 written to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun urging a no-confidence motion to be tabled against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, after Dr Mahathir’s motion to do so was blocked twice by the former.
Muhyiddin is facing a challenge from Anwar, following the PKR president’s meeting with Agong this week, and after Umno said it is considering withdrawing its support for the PN pact to instead focus on their truce with Islamist party PAS in Muafakat Nasional.
