DR Mahathir Mohamad did not formally apply to meet with jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, his daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar confirmed today.

The PKR vice-president however said it was petty for authorities to ban the former prime minister to visit her father, when other leaders like Prime Minister Najib Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz were without any paperwork.

“No written request (by Dr Mahathir), and I stand by the arbitrariness of allowances made by the authorities.

“The visiting ministers, including the prime minister and Rosmah, Nazri Aziz and Zahid were also approved without paperwork,” she told The Malaysian Insight when contacted today.

Dr Mahathir yesterday was not allowed to meet Anwar at the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital after staff told him that there were orders from above not to permit him.

Nurul Izzah who is also Lembah Pantai MP was accompanying the Pakatan Harapan chairman during his visit.

Dr Mahathir was on Sunday announced as the opposition’s prime minister candidate and this was to be his first visit to PKR’s de facto leader.

Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed, commenting on Dr Mahathir’s unsuccessful visit, said Anwar was a convict who was not free to meet anyone without due process.

Nur Jazlan denied that the Home Ministry had issued the order to bar Dr Mahathir.

Prisons Department director-general Zulkifli Omar today said it was the decision of the Sg Buloh prisons director, and that the visitor had not formally applied to meet Anwar. – January 11, 2018.