GEORGE TOWN: Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Abdul Malek Ahmad heads the list of people who will receive awards in conjunction with the 68th birthday of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas. The 62-year-old judge will be conferred the Darjah Panglima Pangkuan Negeri (DPPN) which carries the title Datuk Seri.

He is among 1,265 people who will receive awards at an investiture ceremony at Dewan Sri Pinang tomorrow.

Deputy Information Minister Chia Kwang Chye will receive the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN) which carries the title Datuk Seri.

Seven others receiving the DGPN are Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Abdul Rashid Abdullah, International and Strategic Research Institute chief executive officer and New Straits Times (NST) chairman, Datuk Mohamed Jawhar Hassan, former State Islamic Council president Datuk Samsury @ Shamsuri Muhamad Salleh, social and welfare activist Datuk Khoo Keat Siew, businessman Datuk Teh Aik Lum and Datuk Dr T. Devaraj.

Sixty-nine people will get the Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negeri (DMPN) and Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN) which carry the title Datuk.

They include State Forensic Pathologist Dr Bhupinder Singh, Penang Bar Committee chairman V. Sithambaram, State Police Chief Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee, State Assembly Deputy Speaker Lye Siew Weng, State Secretary Jamaluddin Hassan, Penang Development Corporation acting general manager Rosli Jaafar, chairman and chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD), Dr Hector De J. Ruiz, Dell president Kevin B. Rollins and Sea Orient Line managing director Khoo Kay Huat,

A number of pressmen here will also receiving awards.

They include S. Arulldas of the NST who gets the Pingat Kelakuan Terpuji (PKT); Saufi Hamzah of Berita Harian, Sinarsuria Zaini of RTM and Masry Che Ani of The Sun who receive the Pingat Jasa Masyarakat (PJM); and Nor Aziah Jaafar of Utusan and Azeman Ariffin of Bernama, the Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (PJK).