GEORGE TOWN, Sept 22 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will be conferred with a Special Chancellor Sustainability Award by Universiti Sains Malaysia at the university’s Commemorative Convocation ceremony scheduled for Monday.

USM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Asma Ismail said the Commemorative Convocation ceremony is a special event being held in conjunction with USM’s 50th anniversary celebration.

"Chancellor Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis, has agreed to grace the ceremony on September 23.

"Dr Mahathir’s deeds and contribution to the country and the global community is the reason for the university to confer him with the Special Chancellor Sustainability Award,” she told a press conference here today.

However, according to Asma, Dr Mahathir would not be able to attend the ceremony and would receive the award in a special ceremony at Istana Arau later.

Meanwhile, Asma said Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin would present honorary degrees to three prominent recipients at the Commemorative Convocation ceremony.

They are Malaysia’s squash queen Datuk Nicol Ann David who will be conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sports Science, 2014 Nobel Prize winner Professor Shuji Nakamura who will receive Honourary Degree of Doctor of Science, and USM’s first female registrar Datuk Siti Mazenah Saad who will receive the Honorary Doctorate Degree of Public Administration.

Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin has also agreed to chair the first to fourth sessions of the university’s 57th convocation on September 24 and 25, Asma said.

A total of 6,338 graduands will receive their scrolls at the convocation this year, including 508 recipients of the doctoral degree, Master’s degree (1,564), Bachelor’s degree (4,266) and Diploma in Nursing (45).

The convocation ceremony is scheduled to be held from September 23 to 29. — Bernama