The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has allowed the use of the ‘Datuk’ title by former Selangor state executive councillor Saidin Thamby and former Tabung Haji senior general manager Mohamed Shafie following their acquittal and discharge by the Court of Appeals.

Selangor State Secretary Mohammed Khusrin Munawi said this followed the reinstatement of the Dato Paduka Mahkota Selangor (DPMS) on Saidin and the Dato Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (DSSA) on Mohamed.

Sultan Saharafuddin suspended the titles on Oct 30, 2004 after Saidin and Mohamed were sentenced for their offences, he said in a statement in Shah Alam today.

He also withdrew the Dato Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (DSSA) bestowed on former dean of the Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Md Saberi Md Salleh, who was sentenced to one year’s jail by the Court of Appeals on Jan 20 for corruption.

Mohammed Khusrin said Sultan Sharafuddin had given consent to the decision effective April 23, after consultation with the Selangor Royal Council which convened a meeting the same day.

Saidin,76, was acquitted and discharged of corruptly accepting a cheque for RM1 million in 1997 by the Court of Appeals on April 6.

Mohamed, 62, who was jailed 10 years’ for criminal breach of trust and cheating involving RM200 million belonging to Tabung Haji was acquitted and discharged by the Court of Appeals on Feb 16.

- Bernama