SHAH ALAM - DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang who has been bestowed the title of "Tan Sri", says he would prefer to be still called 'Kit'.
"Thank you everyone for the congratulatory wishes. I would still prefer if everyone just called me Kit," said the former member of parliament in a Facebook entry earlier.
Kit Siang was awarded the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM) award at Istana Negara today in conjunction with the official birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The honorary title is the second highest after a Tunship.
Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi also congratulated former DAP chairman Kit Siang on being conferred the Tan Sri title.
He said the award is a recognition of Kit Siang's career at the national level.
Despite having differences of opinion between them, their disagreements were dealt with professionally.
Meanwhile, DAP secretary general Anthony Loke also congratulated Kit Siang.
He said the title was an indirect and meaningful recognition for DAP as a whole and also for Kit Siang's contribution to the country's democratic system for 57 years.
"Lim Kit Siang was elected as a Member of Parliament for 11 terms, representing various parliamentary constituencies in five states from 1969 until 2022! "Although he has never been a cabinet member in the Federal government, his contribution and role as the opposition leader in the Malaysian Parliament for 29 years are very important in nourishing our democratic system," he said in a post on Facebook.
Besides Kit Siang, the former Menteri Besar of Kelantan, the late Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat was also awarded the title of Tan Sri.