The title of “Tan Sri” has officially been revoked from former Felda chairman Mohd Isa Abdul Samad after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, consented to the withdrawal of his federal honour.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Department announced that the withdrawal of the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM) award, which carries the title “Tan Sri”, took effect on June 8.
The decision is linked to Isa Samad’s criminal conviction and his current imprisonment at Sungai Buloh Prison in Selangor.
According to the statement, the revocation was carried out in accordance with the statutes governing the Darjah Yang Mulia Setia Mahkota Malaysia, which allow honours to be withdrawn from recipients convicted of criminal offences.
The action also follows a royal decree issued by Sultan Ibrahim during the federal awards, decorations and medals investiture ceremony at Istana Negara on September 7, 2024.
Earlier this year, the Federal Court upheld Isa Samad’s six-year prison sentence and RM15.45 million fine after finding him guilty of nine corruption charges involving RM3 million.
The case was linked to the purchase of the Merdeka Palace Hotel Suites in Kuching, Sarawak, more than a decade ago during his tenure as chairman of Felda.
In February, a three-member Federal Court bench led by Justice Nordin Hassan unanimously allowed the prosecution’s appeal and reinstated Isa Samad’s conviction after overturning a previous Court of Appeal decision that had acquitted him.
The Court of Appeal had earlier set aside the conviction and sentence imposed by the High Court, which had originally found him guilty in February 2021.
The High Court had convicted the former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar on nine corruption charges involving RM3.09 million and sentenced him to six years in prison along with a RM15.45 million fine.
The court also ordered an additional 18 years’ imprisonment should he fail to pay the fine.
The withdrawal of the prestigious federal honour marks the latest consequence arising from Isa Samad’s conviction, reinforcing the principle that recipients of national awards must uphold the integrity and standards associated with such recognitions.
