COMMENT | This year’s federal honours ceremony at Istana Negara did not meet expectations. It corrected them.

There was no spectacle, no inflated list of names. Just one clear message from His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar: Honours are not given to those who seek them. They are given to those who serve.

In a country where the value of a title has often been questioned, this year’s list stood apart. It was smaller, quieter, and most importantly, earned.

His Majesty’s words were brief but deliberate: “This award must be appreciated.”