Perkasa has said it expected former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to skip the right-wing movement's annual general assembly yesterday.

Its secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali told Malaysiakini that Perkasa had invited Mahathir, who is the movement's adviser.

However, Syed Hassan said, Mahathir probably had other matters to attend to.

He also said it was not something to dwell on as the movement had expected that he would not attend the assembly

"We invited everyone, but it is expected that since he (Mahathir) would not be speaking, he would not attend.

"It wouldn’t be nice for him if he just sits there and not give a speech," he added.

Syed Hassan said Perkasa had even invited all Malay leaders, including Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin for the event.

"But of course we can’t expect the big people to come," he said.

Former chief justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad officiated the event yesterday.

Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman was among the invited guests who attended.