KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Kong superstar Jackie Chan surprised many when he turned up to receive his Datukship from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah in conjunction with Federal Territory Day.
When the name Chan Song Kang was announced, many among the audience and recipients were startled to see the star, who was seated in front, beside popular preacher Ustaz Kazim Elias, walk up to the dais to meet the King.
The 60-year-old actor-director’s birth name is actually Chan Kong-sang while his stage name is Seng Lung (Cantonese) or Chen Long (Mandarin).
Some of the surprised guests were heard murmuring: “Is that Jackie Chan?”
Chan did not turn up for the rehearsal of the investiture ceremony on Saturday.
After receiving his award, Chan, who was smartly attired in a songkok and black suit and wearing black-rimmed glasses, walked back to his seat before he was whisked away by a palace official after a while.
A smiling Chan later posed for pictures on the palace stairs with his award.
He also took pictures with several people, including Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin who uploaded the shot on his Twitter account.
Chan, who is known for movies such as Rush Hour, Police Story and Drunken Master in a remarkable career spanning five decades, was among the 68 recipients who were conferred the Panglima Mahkota Wilayah, which carries the title Datuk.
In his Twitter account, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said Chan was an actor with many fans in the country and “can promote Malaysia especially Kuala Lumpur and is deserving (of the award)”.
“We should be proud that he received the Datuk award,” he wrote, posting pictures of Chan filming Police Story in Kuala Lumpur.
Adnan also thanked Chan for receiving the award, writing “don’t forget Kuala Lumpur”.
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