Clarification on Dr M’s awards

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Palace will issue a statement today after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad returned two awards he had received from the state.

The sudden move by the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman is believed to be related to his remarks over the origin of the Bugis that have received wide criticism.

According to reports, both awards were returned last Thursday. A senior officer of the Palace has taken custody of them at Istana Bukit Kayangan.

“We will issue the statement as soon as we ascertain the awards have been returned,” said the Ruler’s private secretary, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, on the sidelines of the investiture ceremony in conjunction with Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s 72nd birthday yesterday at Istana Alam Shah here.

It was reported that Dr Mahathir’s wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali also followed suit and returned two state awards to the palace.

Bernama reported that Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who also attended the ceremony, said the issue of returning the awards was between Dr Mahathir, Dr Siti Hasmah and the palace, and that the state had no connection with it.

Dr Mahathir, the fourth prime minister from 1981 to 2003, was the recipient of the two medals of honour – in 1978 and 2003 – from the then Selangor Sultan.

One was the Darjah Kebesaran Seri Paduka Mahkota Selangor (SPMS) (First Class).

Pribumi supreme council member Datuk Dr Rais Husin confirmed that Dr Mahathir had returned both his awards to the palace.

On why Dr Mahathir made the decision, Dr Rais replied: “It is very clear.”

In October, Dr Mahathir, 93, reportedly told a Pakatan Harapan rally that Malaysia was being led by a prime minister who was a descendant of “Bugis pirates”.

His remarks triggered outrage from the Johor Palace, the Bugis community and associations in Malaysia and some parts of Indonesia.

Sultan Sharafuddin also expressed outrage over Dr Mahathir’s remarks in an interview with The Star.

On Nov 2, the Selangor Royal Court released a statement saying that the Sultan was enraged and disappointed with Dr Mahathir’s remarks.

It urged the police to investigate him for allegedly inciting hatred towards the community.