DEPUTY Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi heads the list of 760 recipients of state awards and medals in conjunction with the 77th birthday celebrations of Malacca Yang di-pertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob this year.
State secretary Datuk Naim Abu Bakar said Zahid is the sole recipient of the Darjah Utama Negeri Melaka (DUNM) which carries the title "Datuk Seri Utama".
He said the award would be conferred to Zahid on a date to be decided later.
"The Association of Wives of State Leaders (Bistari) chairman Datin Seri Fadilah Abdullah would be awarded the Darjah Cemerlang Seri Melaka (DCSM) which carries the title "Datuk Wira, also at a date to be announced later," he told a press conference here yesterday.
Naim said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed leads the 35 recipients who would receive their awards and medals at the first session of the investiture ceremony today.
Mustapa and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Wee Ka Siong would be awarded the Darjah Gemilang Seri Melaka (DGSM), which carries the title “Datuk Seri“.
Naim said among the other recipients of the DCSM, which carries the title "Datuk Wira", were Media Prima group chairman Datuk Fateh Iskandar Mohamed Mansor, Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chief General Tan Sri Roslan Saad, Home Ministry's secretary-general Datuk Alwi Ibrahim, Federal Court judge Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop, Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy chief commissioner (Prevention) Datuk Mustafar Ali and Malacca police chief Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye.
State Works and Public Infrastructure committee deputy chairman Zaidi Atan; State Education, Higher Education, Science and Technology, Green Technology, and Innovations committee deputy chairman Md Rawi Mahmud; State Information, Economy, Investment and Industrial committee deputy chairman Sulaiman Md Ali and State Health, Sports and Anti-drug committee chairman Datuk Ng Choon Koon, were among the recipients of the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) award which carries the title “Datuk“.
Among the recipients of the Darjah Pangkuan Seri Melaka (DPSM), which also carries the title "Datuk" were Kumpulan BH deputy editor Badrul Hisham Othman, State Umno Youth chief Zali Mat Yasin and Submarine Force Commander Rear Admiral Abdul Rahman Ayob.
There will be 60 recipients of the Darjah Seri Melaka (DSM), 88 the Bintang Cemerlang Melaka (BCM), 111 the Bintang Khidmat Terpuji (BKT), 227 the Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (PJK), 137 the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (PBM) and 27 the Pingat Khidmat Lama (PKL).
Naim said the second session involving 373 recipients would be held tomorrow, while the third on Nov 14 involves 350 recipients.