Taib (right) presents the JBK medal to Gerald (second right). Also seen are fellow JBK recipients Fatimah and Peter.
KUCHING: Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud presented several state awards to 144 recipients at Astana Negeri here yesterday.
Professor Dr Fatimah Abang from the Faculty of Science and Technology Resources, who is also former deputy vice-chancellor (academic and international), at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) headed the list with the Johan Bintang Kenyalang (JBK).
The JBK was also conferred on contract professor at the Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development Prof Dr Peter Songan, who is also former deputy vice-chancellor (research and innovation) at Unimas, and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth deputy chief Gerald Rentap Jabu.
Other awards conferred were Pegawai Bintang Sarawak (PBS) with eight recipients, Pegawai Bintang Kenyalang (PBK) — eight recipients, Pingat Perkhidmatan Bakti (PPB) — 15 recipients, Ahli Bintang Sarawak (ABS) — 34 recipients, Ahli Bintang Kenyalang (ABK) — two recipients, Pingat Perkhidmatan Terpuji (PPT) — 43 recipients and Bentara Bintang Sarawak (BBS) — 31 recipients.
Among those present during the ceremony were Toh Puan Ragad Kurdi Taib — the Head of State’s wife, State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar and his wife Datin Fatimah Mohd Amar Iskandar, cabinet ministers and Dato Sri Empiang Jabu — the wife of Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang.
End with pic kch-bp180315-cas-taib Taib (right) presents the JBK medal to Gerald (second right). Also seen are fellow JBK recipients Fatimah and Peter.