The Johor palace has revoked two awards conferred upon MCA-turned-PKR man Chua Jui Meng, both carrying the honorific 'Datuk'.

Chua - who now sits on the PKR supreme council - said Johor Royal Council secretary Abdul Rahim Ramli had called him twice asking for him to return all his medals today.

"(Abdul Rahim) told me that my two datuk-ships have been revoked," Chua, who was health minister from 1995 to 2004, told Malaysiakini .

When contacted this afternoon, Abdul Rahim declined to comment, saying that he needs to read Malaysiakini's report first.

NONE However, he added that a press conference on the matter will be held at the Istana Besar in Johor Baru tomorrow afternoon.

Chua ( left ) was conferred the  awards by the late sultan of Johor, Sultan Mahmud Iskandar.

They were the ‘Dato Paduka Makhota Johor’ and the ‘Seri Paduka Mahkota Johor". Chua said Abdul Rahim refused to tell him the reason for the revocation stating that the palace was not obliged to reveal its reasons.

Chua was formerly an MCA vice-president. He left the party after an unsuccessful second attempt for the president’s post in the 2008 party election. He joined PKR in 2009.

But still a 'Datuk'

He, however, will still retain his ‘Datuk’ honorific as he had also been conferred state awards in 2002 and 2003 - by both Pahang and Selangor respectively - which carry a similar title.

Today's move confirms prior wide speculation fuelled by PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali who Twitted the rumour several days ago.

Chua refused to comment further, saying that he will issue a statement when he finally receives an official letter from the Johor palace.

The former five-term MP for Bakri hit the Christian sermon circuit after his cabinet tenure came to an end. Chua now also sits on PKR’s powerful Political Bureau.

According to constitutional expert Prof Abdul Aziz Bari, the sultan has complete discretion in the awarding and withdrawal of royal honorifics and this is clear in both the federal and state constitutions.

Explanation needed

However, the Universiti Islam Antarabangsa academic said Chua had a right to know why the two titles were withdrawn as his 'reputation was at stake'.

“Even though the law is silent, it is highly inappropriate in this age to withdraw the titles without explanation as the public would get the impression that the holder has committed something wrong. The holder has every right to protect his or her good name."

Aziz Bari said the sultan, as the 'father figure' of the state, ought not to be seen as partisan given that Chua has crossed from BN to Pakatan Rakyat.

“It might be legal but it is certainly constitutionally improper. We are a constitutional monarchy where the monarch should not treat state matters as personal business.

“Powers and right have to be seen to be asserted in the proper contexts. There is no absolutism be it under the constitution or democracy in general."