Opinion | Is Malaysian PM Anwar’s snub from Saudi prince, failure to enter Kaaba a cause for concern?

For many Muslims in Malaysia, the image of their prime minister emerging from the Kaaba would convince them that he is a legitimate leader. The Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is one of the most sacred sites for Islam and Muslims.

However, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s failure to enter the Kaaba – much less meet the Saudi king and crown prince – during his visit to Saudi Arabia from March 22 to 24 may prompt concerns about the politicisation of Islam’s most sacred sites, including how the Saudi ruling family as the self-appointed custodian of Mecca and Medina may contribute to it.

While Anwar was invited by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and was scheduled to have an audience with him and King Salman, this meeting did not happen.

This led Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Wan Ahmad Fayhsal to ask Anwar to explain his failure to meet the Saudi crown prince, who is also the country’s finance minister. Fayhsal further alluded to the possibility that the “failure of (Anwar’s) visit” would give cause for concern about the state of ties between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

To counter this narrative, the Prime Minister’s Office explained that the Saudi leaders simply had a change of schedules due to Ramadan and had suggested that Anwar extend his visit so that they could eventually meet.

In contrast, when former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin visited the kingdom in March 2021, he not only met the crown prince but also signed several memorandums of understanding.

Muhyiddin was greeted by the crown prince upon his arrival in Riyadh and given the rare opportunity to enter the Kaaba when he performed the umrah (minor pilgrimage). He was the first Muslim leader to do so after the Covid-19 pandemic.