Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has acknowledged the return of state awards that had been presented to Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali.  

Selangor Council of the Royal Court secretary Hanafisah Jais said the ruler accepted the return of the awards "without objection".

"It is informed that both Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah had returned the awards to the ruler on Dec 7.

"As such, it is informed that the ruler has approved the return of these awards by Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah with no objection," Hanafisah said in a press statement.

She added that the revocation of the awards would be done in accordance with the existing procedure and due process.

It was reported yesterday that the Pakatan Harapan chairperson returned the two awards, including the state's highest order, conferred by the Selangor sultan in 1978 and 2003.

Following that, Siti Hasmah also returned two of her own awards from the Selangor palace, received in 1983 and 1994.

Mahathir had in October angered Sultan Sharafuddin after he told Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to "balik Bugis" (go back to Sulawesi).

The Selangor monarch, who is of Bugis descent, deemed the remarks a slur on the community, although Mahathir insisted his remarks were aimed only at Najib.