Murdered deputy public prosecutor Anthony Kevin Morais will be conferred a datukship by the Perak sultan on the occasion of his majesty’s birthday today.

According to Bernama , the former deputy chief of the appellate and trial division will receive the darjah datuk paduka mahkota Perak (DPMP) which carries the title "datuk".

Controversy continues to surround Morais’ murder after his body was discovered in a cement-filled drum on Sept 16.

Although the perpetrators have been charged, Morais’ brother on Wednesday was reported claiming to be in possession of a pen drive sent to him by the deputy public prosecutor just before he was murdered that raises troubling questions surrounding his slaying.

Elsewhere, Bernama also reported Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi heading the list of 702 recipients of state awards and medals in conjunction with the sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah's birthday today, which will be celebrated for the first time since the Sultan's enthronement as Sultan Perak XXXV in May.

The investiture sessions at the Balairong Seri, Istana Iskandariah, Kuala Kangsar will be held tomorrow (Nov 27), Dec 12 and Dec 19.

State secretary Abdul Puhat Mat Nayan, at a press conference at his office here today, said Ahmad Zahid was the first recipient of the darjah seri paduka Sultan Nazrin Shah (SPSN), which carries the title "datuk seri diraja".

Abdul Puhat said the sultan would also confer awards posthumously on six people including Morais.

Onn Jaafar bestowed title

They are Umno's first president Onn Jaafar and Perikatan Melayu Perak founder and former menteri besar of the state Abdul Wahab Toh Muda Abdul Aziz. They will be conferred the darjah seri paduka cura si manja kini (SPCM) award.

The other posthumuous recipients are Kesatuan Melayu Muda leader Burhanuddin Al-Helmy and Ipoh Persatuan Pelajar Melayu Insaf founder Aminuddin Baki who will receive the darjah seri paduka mahkota Perak (SPMP) while former Perak police chief Koo Chong Kong will be conferred darjah seri panglima taming sari (SPTS).

Meanwhile, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainuddin, Universiti Malaya chairman Arsyad Ayub and Malaysian Securities Commission chairman Ranjit Singh will be conferred the SPMP, which carries the title "datuk seri".

Army chief general Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Nor will receive the SPTS, which carries the title "datuk seri panglima".

State human resources, youth and sports committee chairman Shahrul Zaman Yahya is among three recipients of the datuk paduka cura si manja Kini (DPCM) award, which carries the title "datuk".

The other two recipients are legal adviser to the Perak state government Rohana Abdul Malek and Orang Besar Jajahan Larut Matang & Selama Wan Mohd Isa Wan Mohd Razali.

Freelance preacher Mohd Kazim Elias, Berita Harian group editor datuk Mahfar Ali and Perak Fire and Rescue Department director Yahya Madis are among 21 recipients of the datuk paduka mahkota Perak (DPMP), which carries the title "datuk".

Federal police (Bukit Aman) crime prevention and community policing department director Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani and Perak criminal investigation department chief Goh Kok Liang are among five recipients of the datuk pahlawan taming sari (DPTS), which carries the title "datuk pahlawan".

Six athletes who brought the country glory will also be recognised, namely shuttler Lee Wan Wah (Ahli Mahkota Perak - AMP), bowler Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi (Pingat Pekerti Terpilih - PPT), wushu exponent Chin Kin Thong (PPT), Nordin Yahya - golf (PPT), Muhammad Rezaki Shoib - paralympic sailing (PPT) and Hairol Fozi Saaba - paralympic badminton (Pingat Jasa Kebaktian - PJK).

Four employees of various media agencies are also honoured. They are the Malaysian National News Agency's (Bernama) senior manager of Portal and Photo Marketing Maznah Khalil and The Star 's Perak bureau chief Ivan Loh Hao Wen, both of them will receive the AMP, while Nurul Fariha Onn (TV3) and Foong Ching Mean of Sin Chew Daily will receive the PPT.

Two people will receive the SPCM, SPMP (five), SPTS (two), DPCM (three), DPMP (21) and DPTS (five).

Fifteen people will receive the paduka cura si manja kini (PCM), paduka mahkota Perak (PMP) (41), ahli cura si manja kini (ACM) (14), AMP (170), PPT (214), PJK (205) and pingat lama perkhidmatan (PLP) (four).

Cops to question Morais’ brother on murder-charge sheet ‘link’