Eventful milestone: Tun Juhar (second from left) and Toh Puan Norlidah RM Jasni posing for a photograph with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and wife, Julia Salag.
KOTA KINABALU: Popular local singer Francis Landong was among the 1,209 people honoured in conjunction with the 70th birthday celebrations of Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.
The 63-year-old veteran Kadazandusun singer from Tambunan was awarded the state’s second highest honour – Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK) – which carries the title Datuk.
Landong was among the 88 people, ranging from politicians to civil servants, honoured with the PGDK yesterday.
Former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani and hotelier and developer Datuk Tang Yong Chew were the only two recipients of the state’s highest honour, Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (SPDK), which carries the title Datuk Seri Panglima.
Among those who received the Datuk title were State Industrial and Entrepreneur Development Minister Phoong Jin Zhe, Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Chan Foong Hin, Deputy Human Resources Minister Mustapha Sakmud, Deputy Science, Technolgy and Innovation Minister Arthur Kurup, as well as Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Raj Munni Sabu.
Other politicians included Parti Bersatu Sabah’s Tawau MP Lo Su Fui and Sabah Umno’s Sungai Manila assemblyman Mokran Ingkat, while former Parti Warisan assemblymen Hiew Vun Zin (Karamunting) and Norazlinah Arip (Kunak) were also made Datuk.
The others included PBS’ Telupid assemblyman Jonnybone Kurun and Tandek assemblyman Hendrus Anding.
Among the senior civil servants awarded with the PGDK were newly-appointed Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) chief Deputy Comm Victor Sanjos, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sabah commander First Admiral Che Engku Suhaimi Che Engku Daik, and Sabah General Operations Force (GOF) Brigade Commander Senior Asst Comm Abdul Rani Alias.
State health director Dr Asits Sanna, former Kota Kinabalu city police chief Senior Asst Comm Habibi Majinji, and Sabah Education Department director Raisin Saidin were among those who also received the Datukship.
The others were Sabah Law Society president Roger Chin, Utusan Borneo chief editor Lichong Angkui, hotelier Goh Kiok Yee, and Chief Minister’s political secretary Ceaser Mandela Malakun.
Nine people received the Justice of Peace, including Sabah Attorney General Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof, while 118 others were conferred the Ahli Setia Darjah Kinabalu (ASDK), 228 received the Ahli Darjah Kinabalu (ADK), 282 were honoured with the Bintang Setia Kinabalu (BSK), 310 with Bintang Kinabalu (BK), and 174 got the Certificate of Honour.
Earlier, a special parade led by the army’s Sri Kinabatangan-based Malaysia regiment marked the birthday celebration at Padang Merdeka here.
A total of 88 contingents from the civil service, non-governmental groups, and private sector participated in the parade, which also saw a 17-cannon salute by the army’s 6th Artillery Division.
Inmates of the Keningau Henry Gurney School put on a special performance with the theme “We shall rise again”, in which they emphasised their discipline in order to become good citizens and abstain from crime.
A ceremony was held at Istana Kinabalu, with some of the recipients receiving the awards.
