IPOH: The Keeper of the Rulers' Seal, Tan Sri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad leads the list of 213 recipients of awards, honours and medals in conjunction with the 68th birthday celebration of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah today.
Syed Danial was conferred the Dato' Seri Paduka Mahkota Perak (SPMP) award, which carries the title "Datuk Seri".
The same recognition was bestowed upon Auditor General Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi and Yee Lee Corporation executive chairman Datuk Lim Kok Cheong.
Orang Kaya Bendahara Seri Maharaja, General (Rtd) Tan Sri Dr Mohd Zahidi Zainuddin said Sultan Nazrin was also pleased to confer the Dato' Paduka Cura Si Manja Kini (DPCM) award on the Economy Ministry's secretary-general Datuk Nor Azmie Diron which carries the title "Datuk".
Zahidi said Sultan Nazrin has bestowed the Darjah Dato' Paduka Mahkota Perak (DPMP), which carries the title "Datuk", on eight individuals, including Petronas Group Corporate Communications former general manager and contributor to the New Straits Times Abdul Rahim Mydin.
He said among other recipients of the DPMP were Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff and Perak Islamic Religious Department director Harith Fadzilah Abdul Halim and Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital head of Otolaryngology Dr D. Philip Rajan.
Also conferred DPMP were National Library of Malaysia director-general Salasiah Abdul Wahab, Prime Minister's Department Advisory Board chairman Yong Zarida Sazali, Malaysian Ambassador to the Netherlands Roseli Abdul and Menteri Besar Incorporated (MB Inc) chief executive officer Anuar Zainal Abidin.
Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri leads the list of six recipients of the Datuk Pahlawan Taming Sari (DPTS) award, which carries the title "Datuk Pahlawan".
The other five recipients are Special Branch director Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail, Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Ng Kong Soon, Armed Forces Engineering Services Division director Major General CS M. Thevendran, Armed Forces Obstetrics and Gynaecology specialist Brigadier General Dr Sharifah Sofiah Syed Zainol and Royal Malaysian Navy Commander of Maritime Region 1, Rear Admiral Farizal Myeor.
A total of 13 people will receive Darjah Paduka Cura Si Manja (PCM) and 28 people will receive Darjah Paduka Mahkota Perak (PMP), including the NST group editor, Farrah Naz Karim.
A total of 14 people will receive Darjah Ahli Cura Si Manja Kini (ACM), 39 people for Darjah Ahli Mahkota Perak (AMP), 61 individuals will receive Pingat Pekerti Terpilih (PPT), 30 people for Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (PJK) and 10 people will receive the Pingat Lama Perkhidmatan (PLP).
Among the notable PJK recipients are national lawn bowlers Aleena Ahmad Nawawi and Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple; Muay Thai athlete Nur Amisha Azril Rizal; and Perak hockey coach Mohd Nizam Mohd Hashim.
Zahidi said the investiture ceremony would be held over two sessions on Nov 9 and 16 at Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar.
He added that the celebration would begin with the Yasin recitation and doa selamat at Masjid Ubudiah in Kuala Kangsar during Friday prayers today.
"A special lunch spread will also be prepared for prisoners and detainees in four institutions in the state.
"The lunch will be served today at Tapah and Taiping Prisons, Kamunting Correctional Centre and Batu Gajah Rehabilitation Centre," Zahidi said.
"We would also like to invite all Perakians to fly the Perak flag at their office, business and premises in conjunction with Sultan Nazrin's birthday celebration," he said at a press conference at Laman Seri Ridzuan here.