Top officials head honours list

Titles and awards: (From left) Khairul Adib, Dr Noor Hisham, Chew, Chong and Dr Tamil Selvan are among those honoured in conjunction with Tuanku Muhriz’s 73rd birthday.

SEREMBAN: Two of the country’s senior civil servants head the list of 272 recipients of titles and awards in conjunction with the 73rd birthday of Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir today.

Public Service director-general Tan Sri Mohd Khairul Adib Abd Rahman and Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah will be conferred the Darjah Seri Setia Negri Sembilan Yang Amat Cemerlang (SSNS), which carries the title Datuk Seri.

State secretary Datuk Dr Razali Ab Malik said two first-term state executive councillors – Ismail Ahmad and Bakri Sawir – will be awarded the Darjah Datuk Paduka Negri Sembilan (DPNS), which comes with the title Datuk.

There are four recipients of the Darjah Setia Tuanku Muhriz Yang Amat Gemilang (DSTM), which also carries the title Datuk.

They are cardiothoracic and congenital cardiac consultant Datuk Dr Hamdan Leman, YTL Corporation Bhd legal adviser Datin Kathleen Chew Wai Lin, MRA Consultants Sdn Bhd director Tengku Mu’adzam Sadruddin Tengku Noone Aziz and cardiologist Datuk Dr Tamil Selvan Muthusamy.

A total of 20 people will be awarded a Datukship under the Darjah Setia Bakti Negri Sembilan (DBNS).

They include Brig-Jen (Rtd) Abdul Aziz Ahmad, Brig-Jen (Rtd) Mohd Rashid Abdul Razak, state deputy police chief Senior Asst Comm Che Zakaria Othman, former Lukut assemblyman Ean Yong Tin Sin, IJM Land Bhd managing director Edward Chong Sin Kiat, former National Archives deputy director-general Faridah Ishak, lawyer Gobi Velusamy, Kibing Group Malaysia president Lim Swee Ee, former state Public Works Department director Masri Baharuddin, deputy state secretary (management) Masri Razali, social activist MK Ibrahim Abd Rahman, University Sains Islam Malaysia vice-chancellor Prof Mohamed Ridza Wahiddin and state Islamic Affairs Department director Mohd Zaidi Ramli.

Others are deputy state secretary (development) Muhamad Nahar Mohd Sidek, state Baitulmal chief operating officer Nor Azmi Musa, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia pro vice-chancellor Prof Norman Mohd Saleh, architect Datuk Norman Selamat, Tri Pacific Engineering Sdn Bhd managing director Ong Kian Joo, syarie lawyer Rowena Khalid and Chuah assemblyman Yek Diew Ching.

“The recipients can use their titles immediately, although the investiture ceremony due to be held today at Istana Besar Seri Menanti has been deferred.

“Since there will be no ceremony due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we will inform all recipients officially through letters that they have been bestowed the titles by the state Ruler, ” Razali told a press conference.

Thirteen individuals will receive the Darjah Setia Negri Sembilan (DNS), Darjah Tuanku Muhriz (one), Darjah Pekerti Terpilih (11), Ahli Setia Negri Sembilan (36), Setiawan Tuanku Muhriz (three), Pingat Khidmat Cemerlang Masyarakat (55), Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (107), Bentara Tuanku Muhriz (12) and Pingat Khidmat Lama (six).