KOTA KINABALU, Feb. 26 -- Semporna MP Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has denied a news report purporting that he sent a representative instead of personally meeting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong along with other federal lawmakers.

Aside from claiming that Shafie did not go to the Istana Negara today, the news portal also reported that his representative was barred from meeting Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustaffa Billah Shah.

"It is not true that he had sent a representative who was turned away," according to a statement issued at about 10pm by the Sabah chief minister's office, which also affirmed his attendance at the palace this evening.

The news portal quoted an unnamed "Istana Negara official" as claiming Shafie and Padang Rengas...