The opposition's call on the Cabinet to reject United States President Donald Trump's invitation to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to visit the White House is weird and inapt, says UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim.

He said the opposition leaders, including DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, should understand that accepting the invitation was important for Malaysia as a diplomatic gesture that would strengthen the relations of the two countries.

"In fact, it is an official visit and is capable of taking the US-Malaysia bilateral relations to a more comprehensive and progressive level," he said in a statement here today in response to Kit Siang's open letter dated Aug 28 to Cabinet members, calling on them to cancel Najib's working visit to Washington on Sept 12.

Irmohizam, who is also Kuala Selangor Member of Parliament, said Kit Siang's move had indeed backfired as it only showed that the opposition had failed to understand the concept of good governance in public administration.

"If this is the way they think and act, Malaysia will never be looked up to and respected by other developed nations," he said.

-- BERNAMA