KOTA KINABALU: Action will be taken against two senior Sabah DAP leaders who received the state’s Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK) award that carries the title Datuk, says Anthony Loke.
The DAP secretary-general said it was against party policy to accept such awards while active in politics.
He said the party’s central executive committee (CEC) would decide on the appropriate action to be taken against Datuk Chan Foong Hin, who is Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister and Sabah DAP secretary Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, who is state Industrial and Entrepreneur Development Minister.
Loke told a news portal that he had advised the two leaders to adhere to the party’s policy that only allows retired party members to accept honours from the heads of state and federal governments.
Loke said Chan, who is Kota Kinabalu MP, was informed about the offer of the state awards during the CEC meeting a few days prior to the award ceremony held in conjunction with Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin’s birthday celebrations on Saturday.
Loke said Chan had said that his name and Phoong’s had been gazetted by the state government without their names being submitted in any application.
“They have violated the party’s policy by accepting the awards. Therefore, the matter will be referred to and deliberated at the next CEC meeting,” he said.
On Saturday, Chan said he had accepted the award as a mark of respect and honour from the state governor.
He said he was prepared to accept whatever decision made by the party over the issue.
“I received a phone call from the Istana on Thursday, whose officials asked me to attend the rehearsal at the Istana on Friday.
“So I felt that it was not easy or right to refuse it since I am a Sabahan. This offer is from the governor and state government, so I received it with good faith,” he said.
