KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 — A total of 795 individuals will be conferred federal awards, honours and medals in conjunction with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah’s official birthday this year.
Of the total, 42 individuals will receive their respective federal awards, honours and medals at the investiture ceremony (first day) to be held at Istana Negara today.
Three outstanding individuals head the list of recipients and they will be bestowed the Panglima Mangku Negara (PMN) which carries the ‘Tan Sri’ title.
They are Chief Justice Datuk Seri Utama Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Ismail Bakar and Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) chief Gen Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin.
Meanwhile, 15 others will be conferred the Darjah Kebesaran Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM), which also carries the ‘Tan Sri’ title, while 30 individuals will receive the Darjah Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN) and nine other persons will be conferred the Darjah Panglima Setia Diraja (PSD), which both carry the ‘Datuk’ title.
The 15 individuals to be conferred the PSM are Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Seri David Wong Dak Wah @ David Wong, Attorney General Tommy Thomas, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador, Public Service Department director-general Datuk Seri Borhan Dolah, Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim, Treasury secretary-general Datuk Ahmad Badri Mohd Zahir, Principal secretary to the Prime Minister, Datuk Badariah Arshad, Army chief Gen Datuk Seri Ahmad Hasbullah Mohd Nawawi, Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief Admiral Datuk Mohd Reza Mohd Sany, and former Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Balia Yusof Wahi.
Also to be conferred the PSM are MFDM Holdings group executive chairman Datuk Seri Mahamad Fathil Mahmood, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) president Datuk Soh Thian Lai, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) president and chief executive officer Datuk Prof Chuah Hean Teik and Qatari Attorney General Ali Mehsin AR Fetais.
Meanwhile, among individuals who will be bestowed the PJN which carries the ‘Datuk’ title are Election Commission (EC) chairman Azhar Azizan @ Harun, Prisons director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar, Federal Territories Mufti Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamad, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) director-general Datuk Abd Latif Mohmod, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) vice-chancellor Prof Emeritus Mohd Azraai Kassim, Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin and Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association president Prof Taufiq Yap Yun Hin.
Among the recipients of the PSD, which carries the ‘Datuk’ title, are Grand Chamberlain (Datuk Paduka Maharaja Lela) of Istana Negara Azuan Effendy Zairakithnaini Azuan Effendy Zairakithnaini, Prime Minister Office’s chief protocol officer of the government Rozainor Ramli, National Security Council director-general Engku Hamzah Tuan Mat, Malaysian ambassador to the Republic of Korea Datuk Mohd Ashri Muda and former Grand Chamberlain of Istana Negara Major General (Rtd) Datuk Mamat Ariffin Abdullah.
The conferment of federal awards, honours and medals will also involve 23 recipients who will be bestowed with the Darjah Johan Mangku Negara (JMN), and among them are Public Service Department’s Research and Policy Division director Kamarudin Min, Education Ministry deputy secretary-general (management) Mohd Azhan Md Amir, Primary Industries Ministry deputy secretary-general (commodities) M. Ravi and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) vice-chancellor Prof Mohd Hamdi Abd Shukor.
A total of 35 individuals will be bestowed the Darjah Johan Setia Mahkota (JSM), including Institut Latihan Islam Malaysia (ILIM) senior director Zawanah Muhammad, Melaka Customs director Tuang Aleong, Finance Ministry’s Government Investment Companies Division deputy secretary Abdullah Suhaimin Md Yunus, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry’s Enforcement Division deputy director Suhaimi Mat Sari and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry’s Irrigation and Drainage Division director Ahmad Darus.
Meanwhile, Army Royal Ceremonial division commander Colonel Romainor Mohamed is the sole recipient of the Darjah Johan Setia Diraja (JSD).
A total of 46 individuals will be conferred the Bintang Kesatria Mangku Negara (KMN), including Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Finance and Accounts Department senior manager Sharifah Zaini Syed Zain and bodybuilder Mohd Syahrul Azman Mahen Abdullah.
This year will also witness five individuals being awarded the Bintang Kesatria Setia Diraja (KSD), while 189 will receive the Bintang Ahli Mangku Negara (AMN), 291 the Pingat Pangkuan Negara (PPN) (291) and 48 the Pingat Bentara Setia Diraja (BSD).
The conferment of the awards, honours and medals will mark His Majesty Al-Sultan Abdullah’s first investiture ceremony after he was installed as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on July 30. — Bernama
