Alor Setar: Chief of the Defence Force General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaafar led the list of honourees during the 83rd birthday celebrations of the Sultan of Kedah, Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah Aman. Mohd Nizam was awarded the prestigious Darjah Datuk Seri Setia Pahlawan Yang Amat Dihormati (SSPK), receiving the title ‘Datuk Seri Pahlawan’ at the ceremony held at Istana Anak Bukit.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the investiture ceremony was graced by the presence of the Sultanah of Kedah, Sultanah Maliha Tengku Ariff; the Raja Muda of Kedah, Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah; and the Tunku Mahkota of Kedah, Tunku Shazuddin Ariff. Distinguished guests included Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, state secretary Datuk Seri Norizan Khazali, and members of the State Executive Council.
In addition to Mohd Nizam, Sultan Sallehuddin conferred the SSPK honours, with the titles ‘Datuk Seri Indera Setia’ and ‘Datuk Seri Derma Wangsa’, on Tun Zaki Tun Azmi and Tan Sri Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim. The Darjah Dato’ Setia Pahlawan Negeri Kedah Yang Amat Dihormati (DSPK) was awarded to three individuals, including the Royal Malaysian Air Force Joint Force Commander Lieutenant General Datuk Zahani Zainal Abidin and Royal Malaysian Navy Deputy Chief Vice Admiral Datuk Ts Shamsuddin Ludin.
Kedah Public Works, Natural Resources, Water Supply and Environment Committee chairman Mohamad Yusoff Zakaria was honoured with the Darjah Dato’ Setia Sultan Sallehuddin Kedah (DSSS), earning the title ‘Datuk’. Six more individuals were recognised with the Darjah Dato’ Setia Diraja Kedah (DSDK), including Kubang Pasu District Officer Muhamad Mahazi Ibrahim and Malaysian Ambassador to Bahrain Shazryll Zahiran.
The Darjah Dato’ Setia Pahlawan (DDSP) was bestowed on Ministry of Defence’s Logistics Division Assistant Chief of Staff Brigadier General Abd Hafiz Ahmad and Malaysian Armed Forces Director of Infantry Brigadier General Saiful Bahari Zainol. The Darjah Setia Sultan Sallehuddin Kedah (SSS) was awarded to four individuals, including Kedah Agriculture, Plantation and Transport Committee chairman Dzowahir Abdul Ghani.
Eight individuals received the Setia Diraja Kedah (SDK), such as Sungai Petani Municipal Council president Tunku Iskandar Shah Tunku Muszaffar Shah and consultant cardiologist Dr N. Kantha Rao. Also included were Public Works Department Building Facility Maintenance Branch director Ir Ahmad Shahruzi Ahmad and Kedah Squash Association president Andrew Lim Hwa Eng.
A total of 34 individuals received the Ahli Mahkota Kedah (AMK); 11 received the Ahli Setia Pahlawan (ASP); 24 were awarded the Bintang Perkhidmatan Cemerlang Kedah (BCK); 46 received the Bintang Kebaktian Masyarakat (BKM); four were honoured with the Ahli Cemerlang Semangat Jerai Kedah (ASK); 27 received the Pingat Perkhidmatan Cemerlang Kedah (PCK); 41 were awarded the Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (PJK); and 22 received the Pingat Perkhidmatan Lama (PPL).