KUCHING, Aug 13 — Malaysian Muay Thai sensation Muhammad Johan Ghazali was among 154 recipients of Sarawak state honours conferred by Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar at the Astana Negeri Sarawak here today.

Johan, better known as Jojo, received the Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Sarawak, Ahli Bintang Sarawak (ABS), alongside Anderson Kalang Lah, Baling Ellison Duren and Bangsawan Jahri.

According to the Information Department (JaPen) Sarawak, the investiture ceremony at the Astana’s Dewan Besar saw various state honours and medals conferred on recipients from different fields.

The ceremony began with the conferment of the Darjah Utama Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Kenyalang Sarawak, Pegawai Bintang Kenyalang (PBK) on 12 recipients.

They included Senior State Counsel at the Sarawak State Attorney-General’s Chambers Mohd Adzrul Adzlan, Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak deputy director (Livestock Industry) Dr William Rovina Nating and Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development (MUDeNR) head of Urban Development Division Forkanizam Dolhadi.

The other PBK recipients were Dr Nik Azim Nik Abdullah, Dr Aini Fahriza Ibrahim, Dr Rokayah Julaihi, Alison Buda, Knot Atok, Samai Bajan, Zaidi Sarkawi, Gerard George Entigar and Thadeus Ling Bartholomew Allu.

Meanwhile, 19 recipients received the Pingat Pentadbiran Awam, Pingat Perkhidmatan Bakti (PPB), including Major Jeffery Ling Jalak, Associate Professor Dr Ahmad Nizar Ya’akub, Abang Masli Abang Willie, Abang Mat Noor Abang Abdul Samat, Andrew Modol, Hardi Sapiei, Mahathir Mohammad, McWillyn Jiok, Sam Budi, Christhe Mansom and Emelia Tambi.

Another 21 recipients were conferred the Darjah Utama Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Kenyalang Sarawak, Ahli Bintang Kenyalang (ABK), including Ahmad Nur Irfan Amirruddin, Jungan Buda, Sebastian Kaban Apong and Mellissa Ogang.

The ceremony also saw 42 recipients receive the Pingat Pentadbiran Awam, Pingat Perkhidmatan Terpuji (PPT), while another 45 were conferred the Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Sarawak, Bentara Bintang Sarawak (BBS).

Also present were Wan Junaidi’s wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh, Federal Secretary for Sarawak Dato Ahmad Nadzri Mohd Hassan and other invited guests. — The Borneo Post