IPOH, July 28 ― Ipoh Mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin @ Md Daud said his agency will maintain the Ipoh City Icon title given to food-based YouTuber S. Pavithra notwithstanding her renunciation of all awards after a recent domestic abuse controversy involving her husband.
Rumaizi said the city council has not decided on the matter after Pavithra and her husband, M. Sugu, who operate the “Sugu Pavithra” cooking channel on YouTube said on Friday that they did not want any of the awards they have won, including the Ipoh City Icon title.
“So far it's status quo. I don't have any decision and we haven't contacted them yet.
“Maybe we will announce the status of their title next year during the 33rd anniversary of the Ipoh City Day,” he told reporters briefly when met during the launching of the state-level “Bulan Kebangsaan and Kibar Jalur Gemilang” campaign at the State Secretariat Building here.
When asked if the city council was disappointed with the couple's decision to give up the title, the mayor declined to comment.
Sugu was charged last week with allegedly attacking Pavithra and the unlawful possession of a 26-inch sickle at the Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun’s parking compound on July 21.
He subsequently deleted all of the couple’s videos on YouTube but told national news agency Bernama that they would be making a comeback.
The couple also held a joint press conference last week and said that they want to lead a normal life without public attention.
Pavithra received the “Ipoh City Icon” on July 20, a day before the alleged attack.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had also acknowledged her contributions and gifted the couple a camera tripod, microwave oven, rice cooker and cooking utensils on May 16.
The couple became YouTube sensations after they uploaded a series of cooking videos under the “Sugu Pavithra” channel during the movement control order (MCO).
Speaking fluent Malay, their videos have attracted a huge following with nearly 800,000 subscribers to date.
