Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim greets Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur May 16, 2018. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim chastised veteran newsman Datuk A. Kadir Jasin tonight, labelling the latter’s blog post on Yang di-Pertuan Agong as “disparaging”.

Malaysiakini reported the PKR de facto leader as saying Kadir should have shown more respect and decorum to the Malay Rulers, as they were not given an opportunity to respond.

“To give disparaging remarks without giving the Rulers the opportunity to clarify, that’s not healthy, especially when you use your position and be seen to be close to people in the government.

“I’ve also seen some of the assertions, and there are some major factual errors there, I think we should be mindful of that,” Anwar reportedly told the press.

Kadir is a Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) supreme council member and the spokesman for the Council of Eminent Persons.

The former New Straits Times group chief editor wrote that the federal government allocated RM256.9 million from January 2017 to this April for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s facilities and amenities.

He did not state the source of his information regarding federal spending on the royals. According to the Treasury, the government allocates RM13.5 million annually for the Agong.

Anwar added that he will continue to meet with the Rulers to dispel the so-called anti-monarchy perception of Pakatan Harapan.

“We have worked very hard to get Malay Rulers to appreciate this new administration,” he reportedly said.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had earlier refused to comment on the matter.

The Agong and federal government were reportedly in disagreement over the nomination of a non-Malay candidate to be the Attorney General.

However, Sultan Muhammad V yesterday gave his royal assent for Tommy Thomas to replace Tan Sri Apandi Ali in the role after Anwar went to see the Agong the night before.