Protocol unit told to explain Datukship error

(The Star) – Negri Sembilan state secretary Datuk Mat Ali Hassan has asked the state protocol and official functions unit head Raja Norazli Raja Nordin “for an explanation” on how a businessman’s name went missing from the list of recipients of Datukships from the state.

He said Raja Norazli had briefed him on the matter on Thursday but he wished to know “what exactly went wrong”.

“He told me there was an oversight and that it was technical. I have asked him for a report and I want to know how it happened,” he said when met at his office.

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Datuk Joshua Peter Tan had expressed shock when told that the Negri Sembilan state protocol and official functions unit confirmed that he had never received any award from the state government which carries the title “Datuk”.

Tan then personally met state protocol officers on Thursday to verify this and was told that it was a technical mistake.

He received the Darjah Setia Negri Sembilan award, which carries the title Datuk, from former state ruler Tuanku Ja’afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman in 1991.

Following this, Tan asked the protocol unit to retract a letter dated July 15 which stated that he was never bestowed the Datukship.

Mat Ali said the protocol unit should apologise if it had made a mistake.

“If there was an oversight on its part, I don’t see why the unit should not apologise,” he added.

Asked if the state government would follow the example of Selangor, which had an online information system to enable anyone who wished to check the list of Datukship recipients, Mat Ali said this would be considered.