KUALA LUMPUR: Penang has followed in the footsteps of Selangor by revoking a title previously bestowed on former prime minister Najib Razak on Thursday (Sep 15), after he started serving a prison sentence for corruption last month.
According to acting Penang state secretary Mohd Zakuan Zakaria, Penang Governor Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak agreed for the state government to revoke a title Najib received in 2009 in light of his conviction in the SRC International case.
“Based on his conviction and sentence, his membership as a recipient of the Darjah Utama Pangkuan Negeri (D.U.P.N.) that carries the title of Dato’ Seri Utama is revoked effective on Sep 15, 2022,” Mr Mohd Zakuan said in a statement.
The revocation was in accordance with the governor’s powers under the state’s constitution and regulations in the state’s awards statute, he added.
On Sep 12, Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah stripped titles bestowed to Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor.
Selangor state secretary Haris Kasim said that the removal of the titles was in line with the Selangor ruler’s prerogative to do so under the state constitution and awards statute.
Najib was conferred the award which carries the Dato’ title in 1992, and later another award that carries the Dato’ Seri title in 2004.
The award Rosmah received in 2005 carries the Datin Paduka Seri title.