Johor palace confirms withdrawing awards from Chua
(Bernama) – The Johor Royal Council has confirmed withdrawing two awards from PKR supreme council member Chua Jui Meng but denied it was due to political pressure.
Its secretary Abdul Rahim Ramli said the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ismail, has the power to confer awards or withdraw them as he is above politics.
“There is no such thing as political pressure either to confer or withdraw the awards. The Sultan of Johor is above politics. Politicians have no say in this matter,” he told a press conference at Istana Besar here today.
Chua was conferred Datuk Sri Paduka Mahkota Johor (SPMJ) and Datuk Paduka Mahkota Johor (DPMJ) which carry the title Datuk by the late Sultan of Johor, Sultan Iskandar.
Rahim said the Sultan of Johor has full power as stated under Article 12 of the Darjah Mahkota Johor Yang Amat Mulia Rules and Regulations and Article 7(f) Section 2 of the State Constitution 1895.
Asked why the awards conferred on Chua were withdrawn, he said the Sultan of Johor did not have to cite reasons as it was within his power.
He said those who had awards withdrawn should ask themselves whether they had done “something honourable” or not.
“Don’t do things that are against that done by good people,” he said, adding that the three main consideration for awards were loyalty, diligence and meritorious service.
Rahim said he informed Chua of the withdrawal via a letter dated June 4 sent to his house in Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, followed by telephone calls on June 8 and yesterday.
Chua, a former health minister and MCA vice-president, said he would return the awards after receiving the letter from the Johor Royal Council.
Rahim said the telephone calls to Chua should be considered official notification on withdrawal of the awards by the Sultan of Johor.
“Chua should return the Sultan of Johor awards as soon as possible,” he said, adding that only 712 individuals had been conferred awards by the Sultan of Johor since 1886.
Of the 712 recipients, only 120 are still alive.
Rahim said other than Chua, three others also had awards withdrawn.
They were Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir, Commander Shaftdean Lufty Rusland and Hassan Yunos.
