PUTRAJAYA, Aug 17 — The investiture of federal awards, honors, and medals in conjunction with the official birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana Melawati here today was held in the new norm environment by strictly following the prescribed standard operating procedures (SOP).
It was also in line with the country’s Recovery Movement Control Oder (RMCO) which is being enforced until Aug 31 following the COVID-19 pandemic.
All guests were required to wear face masks and have their body temperatures checked twice – upon arrival at the palace’s guard posts, and before entering the Balairong Seri (Throne Room).
The seating in the Throne Room was arranged to comply with the physical distancing measure set by the Ministry of Health.
Today is the first ceremony of the investiture involving 31 individuals.
Of the total, two received the Darjah Seri Setia Mahkota (SSM) award which carries the title ‘Tun’; four Panglima Mangku Negara (PMN) and 12 others received the Darjah Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM), both of which carry the title ‘Tan Sri’; nine received the Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN) and four others, the Panglima Setia Diraja (PSD), both of which carry the title ‘Datuk’.
All awards were conferred by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah with the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah in attendance.
In previous ceremonies, the King would put on the sash pinned with the medal for the recipients of the SSM, PMN, PSM, PJN, and PSD awards.
However, in compliance with the current SOP on physical distancing, only the medal was pinned on the recipient’s attire.
Sources: BERNAMA