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 June 8.
In a statement, the Prime Minister's Department (JPM) said 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 provide for the revocation of honours upon conviction.
JPM said the move was also in accordance with His Majesty's decree on the withdrawal of honours, as expressed at the Federal Awards, Medals and Honours ceremony on September 7, 2024.
Mohd Isa was sentenced to six years' imprisonment on February 10 after the Federal Court reinstated his conviction on corruption charges involving RM3.09 million.
A three-judge Federal Court bench chaired by Datuk Nordin Hassan restored the High Court's February 3, 2021 decision, which imposed a six-year jail term and a RM15.45 million fine, with a further two years' imprisonment in default of payment.
The former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar was found guilty of receiving RM3.09 million in bribes from then Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd board member Ikhwan Zaidel through his former special officer, Muhammad Zahid Md Arip.
In 2024, the Court of Appeal had acquitted and discharged Mohd Isa of the charges.
However, in delivering the Federal Court's judgment, Nordin said the High Court had correctly found that Mohd Isa had received the bribe, triggering the presumption under Section 50(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
He said Mohd Isa had failed to rebut the statutory presumption, resulting in the offence of accepting bribes being proven beyond reasonable doubt on all nine charges.
