PUTRAJAYA, June 11– His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, has consented to the revocation of the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM) award and its accompanying Tan Sri title from former Felda chairman Datuk Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, effective Monday (June 8).
The Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) said in a statement that the withdrawal followed Mohd Isa’s conviction, with the former Felda chairman currently serving a prison sentence at Sungai Buloh Prison in Selangor.
It said the decision was in line with Paragraphs XXV and XXVIA of the Statutes of the Most Esteemed Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia, which allow for the revocation of honours upon conviction.
JPM said the decision aligned with His Majesty’s decree regarding the withdrawal of honours, as expressed at the Federal Awards, Medals, and Honours on Sept 7, 2024.
Mohd Isa was sentenced to six years in prison on Feb 10 after the Federal Court restored his conviction on corruption charges linked to RM3.09 million.
A three-judge panel of the Federal Court, chaired by Datuk Nordin Hassan, reinstated the High Court’s Feb 3, 2021 ruling, which imposed a six-year prison sentence and a RM15.45 million fine, with a further two years’ jail in default of payment.
The former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar was accused of receiving RM3.09 million in bribes from then Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd (GAPSB) board member Ikhwan Zaidel, via his former special officer Muhammad Zahid Md Arip.
In 2024, the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court ruling, acquitting and discharging Mohd Isa of the charges.
Nordin said in his judgment that the High Court had rightly found Mohd Isa to have received a bribe, giving rise to a presumption under Section 50(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
In delivering the judgment, Nordin said Mohd Isa had failed to rebut the presumption under Section 50(1), meaning the offence of receiving bribes was proven beyond reasonable doubt in all nine charges.
