The rumour machines cranked into top gear after news broke out that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had lunch with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.

anwar and pak lah hulu langat meeting 100309 04 Speculation was rife that the duo could be stitching a political plot to shut the door on incoming premier, Najib Abdul Razak, who is slated to take over the leadership reins later this month.

At a press conference in Parliament this afternoon, Anwar prodded reporters into asking him about this controversial lunch date.

"So what is the latest news today?" he casually asked reporters towards the end of the press conference when no questions were popped on the matter.

"Isn't anybody going to ask me about my meeting yesterday?" he quipped. "Since nobody is asking, it is a closed matter then."

However, when quizzed, Anwar brushed aside speculations that it was a 'secret meeting' between the two heavyweights.

"It was a mere coincidence (that we met)," he said, adding that the two veteran politicians had only discussed "family and health" issues.

'How can you trust Najib?'

Yesterday, a source close to Anwar told Malaysiakini that the duo had exchanged more than just pleasantries during their meeting at a religious school in Hulu Langat, Selangor, in conjunction with the Maulid Rasul (Prophet Muhammad's birthday) celebrations.

The two leaders had a four-eye meeting which lasted about 20 minutes.

anwar and pak lah hulu langat meeting 100309 03 "Anwar asked Abdullah how he could have entrusted the country to Najib, to which the PM said it was too late to do anything now.

"The two leaders talked about the need to salvage the country and agreed to keep communication lines open between them," he said.

The source also claimed that Abdullah had said his loyalists within Umno would help keep Najib in check.

Despite being pressed on this by reporters, Anwar refused to comment on this, beyond saying that he had already dealt with the issue in his blog.

In his blog, Anwar said there were many assumptions made about the meeting and urged the public not to read too much into it.

"I was scheduled to attend the celebrations and Islamic scholars from Indonesia, Gambia, India, Patani (south Thailand) and others were there," he stated.

PM: No political agenda

abdullah ahmad badawi maha agriculture exposition 120808 02 Meanwhile, Abdullah, who is currently in Sabah, said there was no political agenda in his 'unexpected meeting' with Anwar.

"There was no discussion between me and Anwar, there is nothing more to it," he was quoted as saying by the Star .

He said he was invited by well-known Ustaz Sheikh Mahmud Al-Mazjub to celebrate Malulidur Rasul.

"I was having my lunch with the Sheikh when Anwar came (later). We were listening to Sheikh Mahmud during lunch," he said.

Asked if a date has been set for the transition of power between him and Najib, he replied; "Of course, we have a date. I have discussed with Najib. I will make official (in time)."

In a related development, Najib refused to comment on the meeting when quizzed by reporters at a function in Kuala Lumpur this evening.

He also declined to comment on the date for the official transition of power between him and the premier.

Asked if he can give an assurance that he will come into power within the next few weeks, he replied: "Can you wait for the official announcement?"