Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu has consented to restore the Terengganu state award to Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman.

The award carries the title Datuk Seri.

Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin had stripped the title from the MB on April 22 this year.

This was announced in a statement issued by the Comptroller of the Royal Household, Office of His Royal Highness the Sultan of Terengganu to Bernama today.

The statement said that after consulting with the Terengganu State Regency Council, it was informed that the Sultan of Terengganu had consented to confer the State Award Darjah Seri Setia Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Terengganu to Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman effective today.

"Syukur Alhamdulillah (Thanks to God)", that was the reaction from Ahmad Razif after the sultan restored the Terengganu State award to him.

When contacted by Bernama, Ahmad Razif however declined to comment further to avoid from being misunderstood.

Ahmad Razif received the Darjah Seri Setia Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Terengganu about 8.30pm tonight and this was confirmed through a statement issued by the Comptroller of the Terengganu Royal Household to Bernama, in Kuala Terengganu.

On April 22 this year, all the awards conferred on him had been withdrawn after receiving the same award in April 2015 and the Honorary Dato' Paduka Mahkota Terengganu Kehormat (DPMT) award which carried the title Datuk in 2012.

Ahmad Razif, who is also the Seberang Takir State assemblyperson, took the oath as Terengganu Menteri Besar succeeding Ahmad Said on May 12, 2014.

- Bernama