KUALA LUMPUR – Journalists covering the slate of political party leaders’ royal audience at Istana Negara are being treated to lunch by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
About 11.10am, the palace’s corporate communications chief Muzli Mohd Zin came out of the palace compound in a black Toyota SUV to hand out about 100 meal packets from famous mamak restaurant chain Ali Maju.
“This is from Tuanku,” said Muzli.
Muzli handed over the meal packets in orange plastic bags to media representatives just outside Pintu 2 of Istana Negara.
This is not the first time the king has treated the press covering events outside his palace.
During last year’s collapse of the Pakatan Harapan administration and resulting political chaos, leading to the Agong’s intervention to resolve the political impasse, journalists on stake out at the national palace were treated to meals from the Istana.
Sultan Abdullah himself had even made an appearance to hand out McDonald’s meals to members of the press.
Today, the Ali Maju owner Datuk Jawahar Ali himself also helped prepare the meal area.
Members of the press were served rice and a chicken dish, cold beverages and mineral water.
Yesterday, the media was also treated to a meal by Ali Maju, which has consistently sponsored food for journalists during palace stakeouts or at ground zero of disaster zones, such during the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide in 2009. – The Vibes, June 10, 2021
