1,376 to receive Sabah state awards including Sarawak Premier

KOTA KINABALU (Oct 4): Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg will be heading the list of 1,376 recipients of Sabah state awards in conjunction with the 71st birthday of Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin tomorrow (October 5).

Abang Johari is one of the only four individuals conferred with the Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (SPDK) award, which carries the title Datuk Seri Panglima.

The other three are Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain and shipping businessman Datuk Kumar Prabakaran.

Meanwhile, 87 persons are awarded the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK) which carries the title Datuk, including The Borneo Post chief editor, Chiu Nai Wen.

Five assemblymen awarded with the PGDK are Peto Galim (Inanam), Tan Lee Fatt (Likas), Ben Chong Chen Bin (Tanjong Kapor) and Mohammad Mohamarin (Banggi) and Aliakbar Gusalan (appointed).

Commander of the Fifth Brigade of the 36th Malaysian Infantry, Brigadier General Mohd Zamri Abdullah, is also awarded the PGDK title.

Three permanent secretaries are also awarded the PGDK namely Leonard Stephen Poyong (Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries Ministry), Maria Chong (Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Ministry) and Josie Lai Mei Sing (Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry).

Other recipients of the PGDK are senior police officers namely, Chief Assistant Director (D3) Anti-Trafficking in Person and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants, Deputy Commissioner of Police Fadil Marsus; Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Senior Assistant Commissioner Azmi Abd Rahim; Chief Assistant Director of Policy/Resource Management of Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (CPCSD) Bukit Aman, Senior Assistant Commissioner Saiman Kasran and Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (CPCSD) Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohd Azhar Hamin.

Star Media Group senior news editor, Phillip Golingai and Vice Chancellor of University College Sabah Foundation, Dr Rafiq Idris, are also awarded with the title together with Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) Women’s Council chairperson Joanna Kitingan.

Meanwhile, a total of 116 persons receive Ahli Seria Darjah Kinabalu (ASDK), 274 Ahli Darjah Kinabalu (ADK) and 320 receive the Bintang Setia Kinabalu (BSK).
A total of 421 Bintang Kinabalu (BK) and 144 Sijil Kehormat (SK) are also awarded in conjunction with the official birthday celebration.

Ten persons receiving the Justice of the Peace award are Bakri @ Norzaidi Ali Omar, Datuk Ewon Benedick (Penampang MP/ Kadamaian assemblyman), Datuk Guan Ka Hock, Datuk Seri Panglima Joachim Gunsalam, Juddy Chu Yen Tien, Datuk Kasim Mansor, Koh Siew Boon, Datuk Liew Kin Choong, Yee Tsai Yiew and Zakaria Mohd Edris @ Tubau.