KUALA LUMPUR:
Chief Justice Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Mohamad led 37 recipients of federal awards, decorations and medals at the investiture in conjunction with the birthday of the Yang di Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, at Balairong Seri of Istana Negara yesterday. He was bestowed the “Seri Setia Mahkota Malaysia” (SSM) which carries the title “Tun”. Gerakan Adviser and former Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik and former Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid also received the same award. Seventeen people received the “Panglima Setia Mahkota” (PSM), which carries the “Tan Sri” title, 15 were awarded the “Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN) and two people the “Panglima Setia Diraja” (PSD). The PJN and PSD carry the title “Datuk”. Leading the PSM recipients were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Amirsham A. Aziz, MCA Deputy President and former Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, Treasury Secretary-General Datuk Seri Dr Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah, Director-General of the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Sulaiman Mahbob. Deputy Secretary-General (Cabinet) in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mazidah Abdul Majid, Universiti Sains Malaysia Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Dzulkffli Abdul Razak, International Trade and Industry Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Abdul Rahman Mamat, Deputy Inspector- General of Police Datuk Ismail Omar. Historian and Suhakam Commissioner Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim, Malaysian Qualifications Agency Chairman Datuk Dr Muhammad Rais Abdul Karim, former Syariah Judiciary Department Director-General and Syariah Court Judge Datuk Sheikh Ghazali Abdul Rahman. Former Air Force Chief Air Vice Marshall (Rtd) Datuk Sulaiman Sujak, Kelantan Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Seri Annuar Musa, Malaysia Airlines Chairman Datuk Dr Munir Majid, Gadang Holdings Bhd Chief Executive and Managing Director Datuk Kok Onn, Tomei Consolidated Group Bhd Executive Chairman Datuk Ng Teck Fong and RAM Holdings Bhd Deputy Executive Chairman Datuk C. Rajandram. Among the PJN recipients were Public Service Department (development) Deputy Director Datuk Abdul Khalil Abdul Hamid, Deputy Senior Secretary-General in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mohtar Abas, Human Resources Ministry Secretary- General Datuk Thomas George, Royal Malaysian Air Force Deputy Chief Lt-Jen Datuk Bashir Abu Bakar, Permatang Pauh MIC Division Head P. Subbaiyah and WSA Capital Corporation Group Sdn Bhd Managing Director Dr Wan Mohamed Wan Embong. The two people who received the PSD were Armed Forces Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff Mej-Jen Datuk Abdul Aziz Ibrahim and Datuk Awang Kechik Abdul Rahman. A total of 1,862 people have been honoured with federal awards, decorations and medals on the occasion of the King’s birthday this year. Present at the investiture were Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and their wives, Cabinet Ministers, dignitaries and foreign diplomats. Meanwhile, Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps Aifredo Raoul Morelli, who is also Argentine Ambassador to Malaysia, in his speech, hoped that Malaysia would continue to scale greater heights under the patronage of Tuanku Mizan. -Bernama
