KOTA KINABALU: Chief Justice of Malaysia Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Salleh, Inspector General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail and corporate icon Datuk Abdul Farish Abd Rashid are among the notable recipients of state awards in conjunction with the 75th birthday of Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Musa Aman on Monday (March 30).
They will receive the Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (SPDK) award, Sabah's highest honour, which carries the title "Datuk Seri Panglima".
There are 1,026 names comprising politicians, armed and security forces personnel, academicians, business and corporate figures as well as reporters in a list made available to the media on Sunday (March 29) night.
A total of 79 people – including Musa's son and Sungai Manila assemblyman Hazem Mubarak Musa as well as the late Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin's son and Kinabatangan MP Kurniawan Naim Moktar – were awarded the state's second-highest award, the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK), which carries the title "Datuk".
Others to get receive the title "Datuk" include Malaysia police secretary Deputy Comm Abdul Rahman Kassim, Kota Kinabalu Journalists Association chairman Jimmy Goh, Universiti Malaysia Sabah senior lecturer and political analyst Prof Lee Kuok Tiung, veteran footballer Henry Saimpon, Sabah Health Director Dr William Gotulis, Sabah Chief Conservator of Forests Zulkifli Suara and Karate exponent Michelle Koh.
Among the 117 recipients of the Ahli Setia Darjah Kinabalu include Armed Forces Brigade 5 Chief of Staff Leftenan Kolonel Azmeer Rezza Azali, Sabah journalist and Info X managing director Willie Jude Junaidi, Sabah Journalist Association president Mariah Doksil, Keningau OCPD Supt Yampil Garai and RTM Sabah's Azlinah Nineng.
For Ahli Darjah Kinabalu, the 192 recipients include Parti Bersatu Sabah youth leader Steve Johnny Mositun, Sabah RTM's Emran Azmi Rosle as well as artiste and filmmaker Ebi Kornelis.
Meanwhile, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun was among 13 named for the Justice of Peace.
The others include former senator Datuk John Ambrose, lawyers Datuk Ram Singh and Shahlan Jufri, as well as Sabah deputy secretary (development) Datuk Dr Ahemad Sade.
