"There are so many Datuks that the title has almost lost value"

 

This is taken from FMT here.

"Datuk" association urges state govts to follow strict criteria when awarding titles
Council of Federal Datuks concerned over Datuks involved in criminal activities

• decision to award is prerogative of Sultans, governors
• vetting process could be tightened for Datukship
• advisors to Sultans, governors should be more proactive 
• so that dubious characters stripped of titles

Johor, S'gor, Penang exemplary in their vetting
the 3 states have strict criteria, check criminal, bankruptcy records

• before Datuk awarded to those who made big contribution to society 
• public would know why they deserved the title
• Now Datuks being arrested for crimes and corruption
• A lot of the time, no one knows who these people are

several nomination categories for federal, state awards 
public service, politics, sports, NGOs, social work
Nominations also from palaces, governors’ offices.
criteria not same for all states

• Patriots Association said number of titles awarded should be limited
• There are so many Datuks, title almost lost value
• “Let’s bring back the honour in our honorifics” 
• propose mechanism where title revoked if they commit crime

My comments : Sadly in this country no one dares speak the truth on matters like this BECAUSE our Stone Age libels laws can see you getting hit with lawsuits for libel and slander. 

So no one dares tell the truth. So the problem never gets solved. For example just look at this screenshot from Google. It is quite disgusting.

These are Tan Sris.

I TOTALLY DISAGREE that there is no strict vetting of these criminal characters who have been awarded Datukships and Tan Sri titles. 

On the contrary the vetting is very thorough. Meaning the people who do the vetting know exactly who they are vetting. And yet they award the titles.

So the question is WHY? The answer is obvious (but I cannot state it here also for obvious reasons). So please stop bullshitting. We all know why these dubious characters can be awarded datukships and Tan Sri titles as well. 

Why would anyone award a datukship to a 30 year old boy who does not have a university education, who probably cannot even speak proper English or Malay, who has millions of Ringgit and drives luxury cars and yet has no listed company, no well known business, no brand name or product to his name, no intellectual, academic or social contributions to society? In other words he is your perfect dubious character. Yet he is awarded a datukship. 

These questions can only be answered by the people who vet these characters and the people who award these titles.

Considering the number of dubious characters who have been awarded datukships and Tan Sris, the whole idea of awarding these titles comes into question. All sorts of criminals and gangsters also belong in this "club". 

Few other countries in this world award titles. The European monarchies still do so. Many countries give awards to recognise contribution to society and achievement but those awards do not carry titles. They are just awards. 

N'theless strict criteria and much vetting is done before a person is awarded something. Hence their titles and awards are prestigious.

But imagine a situation where common gangsters and criminals share the same title as you. This is where the society's value system itself comes to the fore. A society does not have a value system when it stands shoulder to shoulder with gangsters and criminals at the highest award giving ceremonies.   Thats what it really means. 

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.