KOTA KINABALU: Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg leads the list of 1,373 recipients of state awards in conjunction with the 71st birthday of the Sabah Head of State, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, on Saturday.
In the list made available to the media on Friday (Oct 4), Abang Johari is among four recipients of the Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (SPDK), Sabah's highest honour, which carries the title "Datuk Seri Panglima." The other three SPDK recipients are Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew, Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, and shipping businessman Datuk Kumar Prabakaran.
A total of 87 individuals have been awarded the state's second-highest honour, the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK), which carries the title "Datuk." Among the notable politicians awarded were Assistant Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Peto Galim, Assistant Finance Minister Tan Lee Fatt, Tanjung Kapur assemblyman Ben Chong, Sabah PAS commissioner Aliakbar Gulasan, lawyer Peter Allion, businessman Lim Vun Chan of Parti Bersatu Sabah, local artist Evaristus Gungkit, and Rubbin Guribah from Sabah STAR.
Also conferred the PGDK are permanent secretaries to the Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Ministry Maria Chong, Tourism, Culture, and Environment Ministry Josie Lai Mei Sing, Sabah Public Works Department director Philemon Lajawai, Housing and Town Development Authority general manager Rosemary Ahping, Sabah Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Azmi Abdul Rahman, Sabah Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department head Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohd Azhar Hamin, and Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) Women’s Council chairperson Joanna Kitingan, among others.
The Star senior news writer Philip Golingai and The Borneo Post Sabah chief editor Chiu Nai Wen were also among the press members conferred the PGDK award. Other notable recipients include Chief Syarie Judge of Sabah Ahadin Arinen and Catholic priest Reverend Father Felix Chung Chi Lok.
Seven individuals have been named as recipients of the Justice of Peace, including Sabah Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick, Universiti Malaysia Sabah vice-chancellor Datuk Kassim Mansor, former Libaran MP Datuk Zakaria Mohd Edris, special officer to the chief minister Yee Tsai Yiew, Bakri @ Norzaidi Ali Omar, and Koh Siew Boon.
A total of 116 individuals will be conferred the Ahli Setia Darjah Kinabalu (ASDK), 274 will receive the Ahli Darjah Kinabalu (ADK), 320 will get the Bintang Setia Kinabalu (BSK), 421 will receive the Bintang Kinabalu, and 144 will receive the Certificate of Honour.
