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SEREMBAN - Tan Sri Dr Mohd Rais Yatim, chairman of Parti Wawasan Negara (Wawasan) and former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar, said he accepted with an open heart the revocation of two state honours that had been conferred on him more than 40 years ago.
He said he received the notice from the palace on Thursday informing him that his Datuk Seri Utama and Datuk titles had been revoked.
"I received the news of the revocation of the Datuk Seri Utama and Datuk Seri honours from the palace on July 30 with an open heart.
"With the philosophy of life I have always embraced, seasons change and honours are bestowed. There are times when they are conferred and there are times when they are taken back," he said in a video on Thursday.
Rais said he received both honours in 1982 after he was no longer serving as Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan.
He said the honours were conferred by the late Tuanku Ja'afar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman in recognition of his service as Menteri Besar.
"They were conferred by the late Tuanku Ja'afar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman in recognition of my service as Menteri Besar at the time," he said.
At the same time, Rais urged all parties to remain mature and not turn the matter into a political issue during the election campaign.
He said the issue should not be used to attack any party, although he questioned why the notice was issued during the election period.
"Whether it was wise for this notice to be issued today, on July 30, is for the people of Negeri Sembilan, particularly voters in Klawang and Jelebu, to judge.
"But I regard it as something ordinary because I am not the only one to have experienced this," he said.
He added that former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the late former Johor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Othman Saat and Malaysia's 10th Prime Minister had also gone through similar experiences.
"It is not a major issue. Honours are bestowed and honours are withdrawn. People may simply ask what the reasons were.
"That is not for me to answer. Those involved in this matter should provide the explanation," he said.
