Letter states 'Datuk Seri' title revoked, businessman calls it rumour
A letter circulating on social media stated that the Pahang state government has revoked the Datuk Seri title for businessman G Gnanaraja.
In the letter, dated March 13, state secretary Sallehuddin Ishak said the Sri Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang award conferred on the businessman in 2014 is cancelled with immediate effect...
A letter circulating on social media stated that the Pahang state government has revoked the "Datuk Seri" title for businessman G Gnanaraja.
In the letter, dated March 13, state secretary Sallehuddin Ishak said the Sri Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang award conferred on the businessman in 2014 is cancelled with immediate effect.
Salehuddin added that Gnanaraja must return the award to the protocol and official events management division of the state secretary's office.
Sallehuddin later confirmed with Bernama that such letter was issued, but according to The Star, the 38-year-old businessman has yet to return the medal
When met in Shah Alam this morning, Gnanaraja claimed that he was still a Datuk Seri.
"(I'm) still a Datuk Seri. That (letter) is just a rumour," he told Malaysiakini.
Later Gnanaraja was charged in the Shah Alam Sessions Court with deceiving the managing director of the main contractor for the Penang undersea tunnel project.
He claimed trial to the charge of duping Consortium Zenith Construction Sd Bhd's Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli on three occasions of a sum totalling RM19 million.
The businessman had allegedly convinced Zarul that he could use his political connections to close MACC's investigations against the managing director.
Described on his website as a Malaysian actor, film producer, social entrepreneur and public speaker, Gnanaraja also has a number of business interests.
His wife Geethanjali is a prominent social media personality among the Tamil-speaking community.
Last March, when MACC was probing Gnanaraja, political rivals had trained their guns on then Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng over a photo showing him with the businessman.
The Penang Chief Minister's Office had called the attempts to link Lim to the businessman as a disgusting attempt carried out to smear the latter's name.
It added that the chief minister had posed for photographs with numerous individuals.
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