GEORGE TOWN: Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz heads the list of 1,530 recipients of this year’s state awards and honours in conjunction with the 84th birthday celebration of Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Ramli Ngah Talib.
State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Law Choo Kiang said the 52-year-old will receive the Darjah Panglima Pangkuan Negeri (DPPN), which carries the Datuk Seri title.
“This year, 150 individuals will be awarded state honours, while another 1,380 will receive the Stars and Medals of Honour during the awards ceremony,” he said in a statement yesterday.
The investiture ceremony will be held over four days, beginning today.
Law said the recipients included members of the state and federal civil services, politicians, corporate figures, NGOs, local entrepreneurs and volunteer organisations.
Other than Tengku Zafrul, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar will also be awarded the DPPN.
Other DPPN recipients are Persatuan Melayu Pulau Pinang (Pemenang) president Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff and MMAG Holdings Bhd executive chairman Datuk Farhash Wafa Salvador.
Seventeen individuals will be conferred the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN), which also carries the Datuk Seri title.
Among them are Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Jana Santhiran Muniayan, who serves as chairman of Penang’s Mutiara Line under MRT Corporation, overseeing the development of the state’s first light rail transit project and the re-implementation of transit-oriented developments along the route.
Other DGPN recipients include Penang state secretary Datuk Zulkifli Long, Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, UWC Group founder Datuk Ng Chai Eng, badminton legend Datuk Lee Chong Wei and MAIWP International University College chief executive officer and vice-chancellor prof Datuk Dr Noor Inayah Ya’akub.
Former Penang police chief Comm Datuk Hamzah Ahmad will receive the Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negeri (DMPN), which carries the Datuk title.
Comm Hamzah now leads Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standards Compliance Department as its director.
IGP secretariat’s anti-money laundering division head Comm Datuk Muhammad Hasbullah Ali, Legal Aid Department director-general Datuk Norazmi Mohd Narawi and trustee of the Penang Hokkien Kongsi Datuk Lawrence Lim Hua Kwang will also be conferred the DMPN.
A total of 118 recipients will receive the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN) award in this year’s investiture ceremony.
Among them are state legal adviser Wan Nor Sakina Saad, state Land and Mines Office director Dr Faizal Kamarudin, state Chief Syarie judge Za’im Md Yudin, High Court judge Kenneth Yoong Ken Chinson St James, Loh Guan Lye Specialists Centre consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Goh Eng Tat and social justice artist K. Gunabalan.
A total of 85 individuals will be conferred the Darjah Johan Negeri (DJN), while 43 will receive the Bintang Cemerlang Negeri (BCN).
The awards ceremony will also see the Pingat Kelakuan Terpuji (PKT) presented to 222 recipients, the Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (PJK) to 371 recipients and other honorary medals to another 641 individuals.
