Selangor Palace confirms Dr M and wife have returned their awards

PETALING JAYA: The Selangor Palace has confirmed that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali have returned the awards conferred to them by the Sultan.

The Selangor Council of the Royal Court said in a statement Tuesday (Dec 12) that Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah returned the awards on Dec 7.

“It is hereby informed that His Royal Highness Sultan of Selangor has accepted the return of the awards from Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah without objections.

“The process to gazette the cancellation of the awards will be carried out in accordance with existing laws and regulations,” said Council secretary Hanafisah Jais.

It was reported that Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah handed over the awards to a senior officer of the Selangor Sultan at Istana Bukit Kayangan in Shah Alam.

Dr Mahathir, who is chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Pribumi), was the recipient of two medals of honour – one from the then Selangor Sultan in 1978, and the other from the current Ruler, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, in 2003.

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

Dr Mahathir, 93, reportedly told a Pakatan Harapan rally in October that Malaysia was being led by a prime minister who came from "Bugis pirates".

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

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

On Nov 2, the Council released a statement saying that the sultan was enraged and disappointed with Dr Mahathir's speech and urged the police to investigate the Pakatan Harapan chairman for allegedly inciting hatred towards the community.