GEORGE TOWN, Dec 15 — The late Karpal Singh was posthumously conferred the Darjah Utama Pangkuan Negeri (DUPN) at this year’s investiture of the state awards, medals and honour in Penang.

Public service commission chairman Tan Sri Zainal Rahim Seman was also conferred the DUPN, which carries the Datuk Seri Utama title, ahead of the investiture ceremony that will be held in January next year.

The duo led the award recipients for the ceremony held in conjunction with the 82nd birthday of Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas.

The investiture ceremony had initially been scheduled for July 11 but was postponed to November 21 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ceremony was postponed again to January 16 next year due to the recent spike in Covid-19 cases.

State Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang said the date was also tentative and subject to changes due to the Covid-19 situation in Penang.

"The investiture ceremony may still be postponed to another date, as approved by the Governor, if there are instructions to do so from the National Security Council and Health Ministry to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” he said.

He said the list of recipients for the state awards, medals and honour was already gazetted on December 3.

"The investiture ceremony will be held for two days on January 16 and 17 at Dewan Sri Pinang only for the titled awards and is limited only to 51 recipients on the first day and 63 recipients on the second day,” he said.

The remaining recipients of the state awards for 2020 will be able to collect their medals and awards from January 18 to 21 at Dewan Sri Pinang.

A total 829 individuals will receive state awards this year with two receiving the DUPN, five Darjah Panglima Pangkuan Negeri (DPPN), 16 Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN), seven Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negeri (DMPN), 84 Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN), 74 Darjah Johan Negeri (DJN), 38 Bintang Cemerlang Negeri (BCN), 126 Pingat Kelakuan Terpuji (PKT), 218 Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (PJK), 233 Pingat Jasa Masyarakat (PJM) and 26 Pingat Bakti Setia (PBS).

Among the other recipients of the state awards include Chief of Army General Tan Sri Zamrose Mohd Zain, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, Chief of Navy Tan Sri Mohd Reza Mohd Sany, Chief of Airforce General Tan Sri Ackbal Abdul Samad and consul general Datuk Seri Suppiah Manikam.