National Unity Minister tops S’wak YDP’s awards list

KUCHING: National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Aaron Ago Dagang heads a list of recipients of awards and medals from Sarawak Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

Aaron was conferred the Panglima Negara Bintang Sarawak (PNBS), which carries the title Dato Sri.

He received the title from Wan Junaidi at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex here on Thursday (Feb 15).

Nine other recipients of the same award were Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department Datuk Seri John Sikie Tayai, state Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi, state Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) board of directors chairman Tan Sri Sulong Matjeraie, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, former state assistant ministers Datuk Seri Wahab Dollah and Datuk Seri Mohamad Naroden Majais, former Sarawak Public Services Commission chairman Datuk Sri Abdul Ghafur Shariff and Malaysia-Turkey Friendship Foundation CEO Datuk Seri Dr Qamarul Naim Mohamad Faizal.

Another 12 recipients received the Panglima Gemilang Bintang Kenyalang (PGBK), which comes with a Datukship.

They included former UAE ambassador to Malaysia Datuk Khalid Ghanim Mohammad Alghaith and state deputy ministers Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya, Datuk Aidel Lariwoo, Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat, Datuk Mohamad Razi Sitam, Datuk Martin Ben, Datuk Jefferson Jamit Unyat and Datuk Michael Tiang.

National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Aaron Ago Dagang (left) receiving the Panglima Negara Bintang Sarawak from Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex on Thursday (Feb 15).

The rest were former Sarawak police commissioner Datuk Mohamad Azman Ahmad Sapri, Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) CEO Datuk Sharbini Suhaili and former Rajang MP Datuk Jawan Empaling.

The Darjah Jasa Bakti Sarawak (DJBS), which carried the title Datuk, was conferred on 11 recipients comprising senior state civil servants.

A further 21 individuals were awarded the Panglima Setia Bintang Sarawak (PSBS), which also comes with a Datukship.

Other awards given out were the Johan Bintang Kenyalang to two recipients, Johan Perkhidmatan Cemerlang (two), Pingat Perkhidmatan Cemerlang (22), Pegawai Bintang Sarawak (17), Pegawai Bintang Kenyalang (11) and Pingat Perkhidmatan Bakti (15).

The awards and medals were bestowed last year in conjunction with the official birthday of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.