Clarification on Official Protocol
The National Day Celebration 2026 Secretariat has issued a formal clarification regarding the attendance of former prime ministers at state events. The statement, released on August 31, 2026, follows public inquiries into the absence of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad from the National Day celebrations held earlier that morning at Dataran Putrajaya.
Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah, chairman of the 2026 National Day and Malaysia Day Celebration Working Committee and secretary-general of the Communications Ministry, stated that automatic invitations for former heads of government were discontinued in 2018. Under the current framework, attendance at major Federal Government events is managed by the Prime Minister’s Department’s Protocol and International Conference Secretariat Division (BIUPA).
Application Procedures and Current Status
The Secretariat emphasized that while automatic invitations are no longer the standard, the attendance of former leaders is not prohibited. Former prime ministers may attend official functions, provided they follow the established application process. This procedural shift is designed to streamline the management of high-level official invitations and ensure consistent adherence to government protocol.
Regarding the specific case of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the Secretariat confirmed that the Prime Minister’s Office had previously received and approved an application for his overseas travel. The former prime minister was scheduled to be abroad from August 28 to August 31, 2026, for an Overseas Rest Facility visit. This approval was granted in accordance with the provisions of the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980 (Act 237), which governs the remuneration and entitlements of former prime ministers.
Institutional Context
The clarification serves to address potential misunderstandings regarding the nature of official event participation. By citing the 2018 policy change, the Secretariat reaffirmed that the current administration maintains a structured approach to ceremony management. The process ensures that all invitees, regardless of their past political roles, are managed through the centralized BIUPA system, which coordinates the logistics, security, and protocol requirements for Malaysia’s most significant national commemorations.