What’s with our fascination with titles?

 

From Clement Stanley

Patriot president Brig-Jen (Rtd) Mohamed Arshad Raji has suggested that people who have been awarded honorifics such as “Tan Sri”, “Datuk Seri” and “Datuk” be stripped of such honours once they have been convicted of a crime.

The question he asked was, which was more important to preserve: the sanctity of the honour or a disgraced recipient?

The problem is partly due to us. We, as a society tend to place too much emphasis on such salutations on people who are undeserving of our respect.

People who are no different than thieves. People who feast off the blood of taxpayers. People who pass themselves off as preachers and men of God.

People who head ministries, government institutions and government-linked companies. People who are empowered politically and are regarded wrongfully as our bosses when they, in fact, should be regarded as servants to the people.

Unfortunately, it is part of our culture to show such respect. And now we even have a “Datuk Seri” who is a head or “tai ko” of the underworld.

Joining the ranks presently is a cartel leader who owns a yacht, two helicopters, a fleet of luxury cars and RM3.5 million in cash, all of which comes from taxpayers’ funds.

Do they deserve such honours? And have they rightfully earned it?

A Malay lady with 10 children was evicted from her home in Bukit Mertajam recently. She had a fridge with two-week old meals in it. A DAP MP, Steven Sim came to her rescue in more ways than one. Shouldn’t such an honourable deed be recognised?

But what is the grandeur of such titles? Yes, being a “Datuk”, “Datuk Seri”, so on and so forth admittedly has certain privileges. None more so than having that feel-good factor or “syok sendiri” syndrome.

Although, the bigger and lingering question will be, do they deserve that title? And yes, stripping of such titles should be done, when the occasion calls for it.

It is not unusual. It has been done to Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali. It has also been done to Najib Razak and Rosmah Mansor. Yet Nicky Liow, a known criminal, still retains his “Datuk Seri”. This surely is a comedy of errors!

But it goes back to Arshad’s question. Which is more important to preserve: the sanctity of the honour or a disgraced recipient?

Clement Stanley is an FMT reader.

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