How Many Tun and Tan Sri in Malaysia?

Why is this topic relevant to me?

We’ll probably never be awarded a “Tun” or “Tan Sri” in our lifetimes, but those who hold these titles appear in our lives almost every day — political figures, business magnates, and leaders whose names feature on business cards and in the news.

We’ve grown up hearing these titles, yet few of us have ever been told: what exactly do they mean, and how many people actually hold them?

Today (1 June) is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Birthday. Every year around this time, a solemn investiture ceremony is held at the National Palace, where the King personally confers Federal Orders, Decorations and Medals (Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan), honouring those who have made outstanding contributions to the nation and society.

When the ceremony concludes, a new cohort of recipients walks away with fresh titles — some are henceforth known as “Tun”, others are elevated to “Tan Sri”, and many more gain the title of “Datuk”.

But what exactly distinguishes these titles from one another? And how many people have ever received them?

Newsgraphy analysed the list of recipients conferred by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, drawn from data held by the Prime Minister’s Department’s Ceremonial And International Conference Secretariat Division, spanning more than 60 years of records.

The Federal Honours System

To make sense of this system, we must first understand its structure.

The Federal Honours System was established in 1958, a year after Malaya gained independence from Britain on 31 August 1957.

The list of recipients is generally announced each year to coincide with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Birthday in June.

The system currently comprises eight tiers, encompassing 30 orders, decorations, and medals.

One might assume that receiving any of these 30 awards comes with a title. In fact, of the 30, only six confer the titles of “Tun”, “Tan Sri”, or “Datuk”.

The 30 awards include Orders reserved for royalty, state governors, and foreign heads of state — the Darjah-Darjah Kebesaran Persekutuan (DKM and DMN). Below these are the Darjah-Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara series (SMN, PMN, AMN, and others) and the Darjah-Darjah Yang Mulia Setia Mahkota Malaysia series (SSM, PSM, JSM, and others). Further down are orders for merit, gallantry, and royal loyalty; at the base sit various service medals awarded to civil servants and public servants at all levels.

More Than 84,000 Federal Recipients — Only 3% Hold a Title

As of 2025, a total of 84,058 Malaysians have received a Federal Order, Decoration, or Medal.

That figure may sound substantial, but of these, only 2,794 — roughly 3% — hold the titles of “Tun”, “Tan Sri”, or “Datuk”.

The remaining 97% received stars or medals that equally represent national recognition, simply without an accompanying title.

Annual Recipient Numbers Exceeded 2,000 in 11 Years

Over more than six decades, the number of recipients surpassed 2,000 in eleven separate years, concentrated largely in two periods: 1978 to 1984, and 1995 to 2007.

The peak was reached in 1984, when 2,360 people were honoured in a single year.

From 2008 onwards, however, the annual figure never again crossed the 2,000 mark, signalling the end of the era of large-scale conferments.

There were two years in which no investiture ceremony was held: 1960 and 2018.

In 2018, the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V commanded that all official celebrations and banquets associated with his birthday — including the investiture — be cancelled. The funds saved were donated in their entirety to the Pakatan Harapan government’s Tabung Harapan Malaysia.

As for the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim of Johor, who ascended to the throne in 2024, only 236 honours have been conferred in his first two years — fewer than in most previous years — reflecting His Majesty’s exceptionally rigorous approach to the standards of conferment.

The Most Common and the Most Rare

Among the 30 Federal honours, the two most frequently conferred are the Ahli Mangku Negara (AMN) and the Pingat Pangkuan Negara (PPN).

Together, they account for more than 70% of all Federal recipients across the years — with relatively accessible eligibility criteria aimed at frontline civil servants, hundreds of whom receive these honours each year.

The rarest, however, is the Darjah Bakti (D.B.). This honour is reserved for those with outstanding achievements in the arts, sciences, and humanities.

Recipients receive no title akin to “Tun” or “Tan Sri”, and up to 2025, only two people in the entire country have been awarded it: squash legend Nicol David and badminton icon Lee Chong Wei.

Another comparatively rare honour is the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (S.P.), which also carries no title.

It is awarded exclusively to military personnel, police officers, and civilians who have displayed extraordinary courage and self-sacrifice under extreme and perilous circumstances.

Only 29 people have ever received it, among them police officer Paul Kiong — who infiltrated the Malayan Communist Party and persuaded armed fighters to surrender — and police officer Abdul Razak Mohd Yusoff, who resolved the Al-Ma’unah cult crisis.

Tun: The Nation’s Highest Honour for a Civilian

“Tun” is the highest civilian title that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may confer, and it comes in two forms: the Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara (SMN) and the Seri Setia Mahkota Malaysia (SSM).

Both carry strict quotas — the SMN is limited to 25 living recipients, and the SSM to 35. This means that at any given moment, no more than 60 people in the entire country hold the title of “Tun”.

Among those who have received the SMN are figures who have left an indelible mark on the nation’s history: independence figure Tun Tan Cheng Lock, second Prime Minister Tun Razak, third Prime Minister Tun Hussein Onn, Malaysia’s longest-serving fourth Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad, and fifth Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

SSM recipients include former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Ismail, independence founding father Tun Sambanthan, former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, former Penang Chief Minister Tun Lim Chong Eu, and former Works Minister Tun S. Samy Vellu.

To be awarded the title of “Tun”, one need not necessarily have been a Prime Minister — but one must have left an unmistakable imprint on a pivotal moment in the nation’s history.

Tan Sri: A Symbol of Influence in Politics and Business

Second only to “Tun” is “Tan Sri”, which also comes in two forms: the Panglima Mangku Negara (PMN) and the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM).

The PMN is limited to 75 living recipients and is predominantly conferred upon senior government figures. The PSM has a quota of 1,000, with a broader scope encompassing senior civil servants, judges, community leaders, former ministers, and business figures.

Holders of the “Tan Sri” title include former International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, former Transport Minister Tan Sri Lee San Choon, Genting Group founder Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, Maybank founder Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat, former Finance Minister and Petronas founding chairman Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, eighth Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and international actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh.

The Japanese Emperor is Also a Tun

The significance of the Federal Honours System extends well beyond Malaysia’s borders.

Since 1958, the Malaysian government has conferred Federal honours upon 1,357 foreign heads of state, heads of government, and other distinguished leaders, in recognition of their contributions to bilateral goodwill, trade and economic cooperation, and cultural exchange.

Recipients of the Darjah Kebesaran Persekutuan (DMN) — the highest Federal award — include Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha, Turkish President Erdoğan, Saudi Arabian King Salman, and the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Among those who have received the “Tun” title are Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako (conferred when they were Crown Prince and Crown Princess), Thailand’s King Vajiralongkorn (conferred when he was Crown Prince), Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Zayed.

Honours Are Both a Mark of Distinction and a Burden of Responsibility

In a nation of more than 34 million people, the number of Malaysians ever to have received a Federal honour is smaller than most would imagine. It is a reminder that behind the titles we hear so often in daily life, there exists a rigorous system with carefully maintained standards.

As reported by Bernama, Professor of Political Sociology, Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) notes that Malaysians generally hold these honours in high regard. However, as the number of recipients has grown — and as some of those recipients have been figures of controversy — public debate around the criteria for conferment has intensified.

He emphasises that honours conferred by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, particularly those carrying the titles of “Tan Sri” or “Datuk”, are not merely tokens of recognition — they carry with them profound moral and social responsibilities.

Senior lecturer in political science Mujibu Abd Muis of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) adds that Malaysia’s honours system must at all times remain clean, free from pressure, lobbying, or self-interest.

“In a society that values decorum and hierarchy, receiving an honour is regarded as the pinnacle of social recognition and status, and is therefore deeply significant. It is not merely symbolic — it is an affirmation of personal achievement.”

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Source：

1. Bahagian Istiadat dan Urusetia Persidangan Antarabangsa. (n.d.). Semakan penerima darjah kebesaran bintang dan pingat. https://www.istiadat.gov.my/semakan-penerima-darjah-kebesaran-bintang-dan-pingat/
2. Nasaruddin, N. H. (2025, June 3). Gelaran Datuk, Tan Sri bawa tanggungjawab besar, bukan lambang status – Penganalisis. Bernama. https://bernama.com/bm/news.php?id=2430206

This article has been translated from its original Chinese version.

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