Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim will seek an audience with Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar over the two 'datuk' titles that were stripped from former health minister Chua Jui Meng.

According to Anwar's tweet this morning, he was surprised at the revocation of the titles, but said Chua had taken the news calmly and was resilient.

Yesterday, MCA-turned-PKR man Chua received a call from Johor Royal Council secretary Abdul Rahim Ramli asking that he returns all his medals.

Chua, who now sits on the PKR supreme council, was conferred the two awards by the late Sultan of Johor, Sultan Mahmud Iskandar.

They are the 'Dato Paduka Makhota Johor' and the 'Seri Paduka Mahkota Johor'.

NONE The reasons for the revocation were not communicated to Chua - all he was told was that the palace was not obliged to reveal its reasons.

When contacted today, Chua said he had yet to receive any official letter for the return of the medals and that they were still in his possession.

"I was not able to return the medals because I was not in Kuala Lumpur. Perhaps the letter will reach me today. I don't know," he said, adding he would check if the letter had arrived after arriving home from Langkawi later today.

No qualms in returning medals

Chua said he had no qualms returning the medals as it was the palace's prerogative.

"But I want to know why, and what I have done for the palace to revoke my titles and want the medals back so urgently," he added.

Chua, formerly an MCA vice-president, was health minister from 1995 to 2004.

He left the party after an unsuccessful second attempt for the president's post in the 2008 MCA elections. He joined PKR in 2009.

He has been the MP for Bakri for five terms since 1986.

Meanwhile, the Johor Royal Council has confirmed that it has stripped PKR supreme council member Chua Jui Meng of his two 'datuk' titles, but denied that it was due to political pressure .

Its secretary Abdul Rahim Ramli said that the Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar's jurisdiction to grant or revoke such titles "goes beyond politics".

"There was no political pressure to award or take back any titles. The Sultan of Johor has nothing to do with politics.

"Politicians do not have a say in this," he said at a press conference at the royal palace today.