Selangor palace to issue statement over awards

KLANG: The Selangor palace is expected to issue a statement following reports that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has returned two awards he had received from the Sultan of Selangor, including the highest order awarded by the state.

“We will issue a statement as soon as we have ascertained the awards have been returned,” said the Selangor Sultan’s private secretary Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani when met by reporters after the investiture ceremony in conjunction with Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s 72nd birthday at Istana Alam Shah yesterday.

The chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Pribumi) was the recipient of two medals of honour from the then Selangor Sultan in 1978 and 2003. One of them was the Darjah Kebesaran Seri Paduka Mahkota Selangor (SPMS) (First Class).

It was reported that Dr Mahathir had returned the two awards last Thursday, a move believed to be related to the palace’s outrage over his remarks on the Bugis community.

Dr Mahathir’s wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah had also reportedly followed suit and returned her state awards to Selangor.

Commenting on the issue, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said the issue of returning the state awards was between Dr Mahathir, Dr Siti Hasmah and the palace, and the state had no connection with it.

On the statement made by DAP member Datuk Zaid Ibrahim against the Selangor Sultan which was deemed seditious by many quarters, Mohamed Azmin said the palace had reprimanded Zaid over his remarks.

“I think he must be responsible for what he had said,” he added.

Zaid reportedly through his tweet, had among others, disputed the sultan’s criticism of Dr Mahathir over the latter’s insulting remarks against the Bugis community. - Bernama