Datuk Azizulhasni Awang was conferred the Darjah Bakti by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, during the 2026 Investiture Ceremony held at Istana Negara on June 1, 2026 [1]. Azizulhasni, aged 38, joins an elite group as only the third Malaysian athlete to receive this honour, following Datuk Lee Chong Wei in 2021 and Datuk Nicol Ann David in 2024 [2, 3, 1].
The Darjah Bakti is among Malaysia's highest federal awards. It was introduced on June 26, 1975, and is limited to only 10 living recipients at any given time [2, 3, 1]. The award recognizes individuals for exceptional service and contributions on both national and international stages but does not carry a titular rank [2, 3, 1].
Known as the "Pocket Rocketman," Azizulhasni has had a distinguished career spanning more than two decades that established him as one of Malaysia's greatest athletes [2, 3, 1]. Born in Dungun, Terengganu, he made history by becoming the first Malaysian cyclist to win a world title, capturing gold in the keirin event at the 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Hong Kong [2, 3, 1].
He has earned Olympic medals twice in keirin racing: a bronze at the 2016 Rio Games and a silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, marking him as one of Malaysia’s most successful Olympians [2, 3, 1]. Azizulhasni also claimed numerous medals in the Commonwealth and Asian Games and other major international competitions [2, 3, 1].
Most recently, in May 2026, he secured one silver and two bronze medals at the Japan Track Cup Series in Shizuoka, maintaining his high international competitive level [2, 3, 1].
