DAULAT TUANKU, DAULAT TUANKU, DAULAT TUANKU

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KUALA TERENGGANU: For the first time, there will not be an investiture ceremony in Terengganu in conjunction with the 46th birthday of the Sultan of Terengganu, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin on Sunday.

State Secretary Datuk Mokthar Nong confirmed that there will be no conferring of awards as normally anticipated on the Sultan’s birthday.

“The palace official had informed about this matter about one month ago but I was not told the reason for not having the ceremony,” he said here on Saturday.

Mokthar said he was also unsure whether the ceremony would be held at a later date and had also not received the names of award recipients, so far.

However, Mokthar said the birthday celebration will be continued like normal but on a moderate scale.

“Sermons will be conducted in all mosques throughout the state while a ceremony will be held at Istana Maziah at 12.30pm,” he added.

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KUALA TERENGGANU: No award will be conferred in conjunction with the Sultan of Terengganu’s birthday this year.

It is believed that this is a first for any state in the country.

Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin celebrates his 46th birthday today.

“A palace official informed me a month ago but I was not told the reason,” state secretary Datuk Mokthar Nong said here yesterday.

Mokthar said he was also unsure whether the ceremony would be held at a later date.

He added that he had not received any names to be conferred awards so far.

A birthday celebration would be held on a moderate scale, Mokthar said.

“Sermons will be conducted in all mosques throughout the state while a ceremony will be held at Istana Maziah at 12.30pm,” he said.

Last year, 178 awards were given in conjunction with his birthday.

The awards from the state are the Darjah Dato’ Paduka Mahkota Terengganu, Darjah Setia Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Terengganu, Darjah Setia Mahkota Terengganu, Darjah Ahli Mahkota Terengganu, Pingat Jasa Cemerlang, Pingat Jasa Kebaktian, Pingat Bintang Lama Berjawatan, Pingat Lama Berjawatan.

The Darjah Dato’ Paduka Mahkota Terengganu carries the title Datuk.

Several Royal Houses have previously announced moderate celebrations although awards were still conferred, mostly in line with the cost-cutting measures announced by the Government.

Other states have also reduced the number of awards conferred.

The most recent was Penang where about half the number of Datukships were awarded in conjunction with the Yang di-Pertua Negri’s birthday.

Last year, the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah insisted that fewer than 40 people should be awarded Datukships in conjunction with his birthday.