Malaysian obsession for titles, world's highest holders!

Change mindset of obsession for titles

I REFER to the letter “Just one too many Datuks around” (The Star, Dec 6 :see beloww) by Pola Singh.

It is utterly amusing that Malaysians are so obsessed with titles, especially the politicians and business community.

It is said Malaysia has one of the world’s highest rates of royal title holders estimated to run into tens of thousands.

Our former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad had warned about title glut. When you have too many Datuks then the value of the title will drop.

“If you produce a million Ferrari cars. Nobody will care about buying a Ferrari,” Dr Mahathir had said.

In Britain, which has double the population of Malaysia, fewer than 100 will be knighted by the Queen every year.

In comparision about 300-400 new Datuk titles are conferred in Malaysia.

Currently, there are 15 different avenues where a person can be conferred a Datukship within Malaysia – from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the 14 states including the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

I have a few friends who have done nothing for the rakyat yet have been bestowed with “Datuk” and‘Tan Sri” titles.

It is embarrassing how one could carry these titles without any contributions to society or with personal achievements to show.

This group is highly egocentric and self-serving. Great personalities do not fall for this kind of cheap publicity.

US president Barack Obama, former South Africa President Nelson Mandela, newly crowned Indonesian President Jokowi, Chinese President Xie Jinping do not carry any titles.

Big achievers like Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates hardly have any titles to their name; yet have contributed immensely to mankind.

Malaysians must change the mindset of title obsession and instead contribute positively to our beloved nation, participate in NGO activities and do something good for fellow human beings who are living hand to mouth.

To some, titles purportedly help slice through red tape and gain easy access to those in power.

However, when these Datuks or Tan Sris leave Malaysian shores, often they don’t get any recognition.

I wish to relate an incident during an international function in a foreign country attended by the host country’s Prime Minister.

This particular Tan Sri was trying to push his weight to get a front seat through his assistants but was refused by security officials.

He was sent to the back of the hall. In Malaysia it could have been a different story.

Malaysians must understand that recognition and reputation comes with your noble work for community, contribution to the society, high moral standards, and integrity.

We must stop this obsession of seeking titles.

Source: FR Subang Jaya The Star/Asia News Network

Just one too many Datuks around

THERE is a joke going around that “if you throw a stone into a VIP crowd in the country, not only will it hit a Datuk but it will rebound off him and hit another Datuk”. And if you were to do the same to an ordinary group of Malaysians, then at least half of those hit will be Datuks!

Many believe that there are just too many Datuks around. I agree.

On a number of occasions, I have been put in a rather embarrassing situation when I entered a room and called out to my ex-classmate who is a Datuk. Unfortunately, the one I was referring to was not paying attention but I got cold hard stares from two other Datuks I was not familiar with.

On another occasion in a room full of VVIPs, I said something unpleasant (with a particular Datuk in mind) but I got immediate response from two other Datuks thinking that I was referring to them. How can we enlighten Datuks that there are also others in the room with the same title and that they cannot infer that they are the only ones with the title?

I have asked around whether I could address a Datuk using his or her maiden name? I have been told politely time and again that this is indeed a sensitive issue; the majority of the Datuks would feel slighted if we do not address them by their title. It means a lot to them. It makes them feel important.

And please don’t forget the Datins. They too want their share of the limelight. The look on their faces tells all if you were to address them by their name.

I know of a secretary who was severely reprimanded by her boss when she printed his new calling card with the new title “Tan Sri”.

Her superior was angry that she left out his previous Datuk title in the card. Since the Tan Sri title is a higher award, she assumed that the Datuk title need not be used anymore.

Then there are those Datuks who have recently been conferred “Tan Sri” titles and strongly resent if one were to absent-mindedly call them “Datuk”.

Yes, there are also the humble ones who tell you that they prefer to be called by their names but they are a minority.

Perhaps the Association of Datuks can take the lead and persuade its members to encourage the public to refer them by their name and not their title. This will be a good start.

But until then, please do not take any chances. If in doubt, address the VVIPs as Tan Sri first. And give the Datins and Puan Sris the due respect please.

By POLA SINGH Kuala Lumpur The Star/Asia News Network Dec 6, 201

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Proud of dubious titles: Datukship award ...

Abdul Latif presenting an award to Koh at an investiture ceremony at the ‘balai rasmi’ in Simpang Ampat, Malacca, on Feb 16, 2013 PET...

Proud of dubious titles: Datukship award ...

  
Abdul Latif presenting an award to Koh at an investiture ceremony at the ‘balai rasmi’ in Simpang Ampat, Malacca, on Feb 16, 2013

PETALING JAYA: Scores of recipients of questionable awards from territorial chieftains are shamelessly displaying their dubious titles of “Datuk”, “Datuk Paduka” and “Datuk Seri” online.

A website lists a number of people with Datukships conferred by Malacca’s Undang Luak of Naning, Dato’ Seri Raja Merah Dato’ Abdul Latif Hashim.

The website also contains a full list of awards conferred by the chieftain, compri­sing 60 awards under 11 categories.

Awards in the first 10 categories come with different titles while the last category – with three awards – does not come with a title.

The categories range from Anugerah Darjat Kerabat Gelaran, which lists the highest award as the Darjah Kerabat Undang Naning, to the Anugerah Kehormat Gelaran, which carries the title Datuk.

The Star reported recently that Abdul Latif handed out scores of unrecognised Datuk­ships and other titles to those who had “contributed” to the Naning Territory.

Another self-claimed “Malacca-Perak Sul­tan” Ahmad Shah Raja Noor Jan Shah had also awarded titles to over 90 people.

Awards conferred by territorial heads and self-styled traditional leaders are not recognised anywhere in the country, unlike those conferred by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and heads of state.

As of yesterday, two people had been identified on the website as recipients of the highest award, the Darjah Kerabat Undang Naning, which carries the title Datuk Seri Diraja.

Twenty-three others carry the title “Datuk”, of whom 17 were awarded the Darjah Kehormat Undang Naning while the rest were conferred the Darjah Kehormat Wilayah Naning.

Other titled recipients are Datuk Paduka Seri and Datuk Jaksa (six recipients each), Datuk Seri (one recipient), Datuk Paduka (nine recipients) and Datuk Panglima (five recipients).

The website also contains background information on Naning Territory, photographs of the Naning flag and those of its divisions, the current chieftain of Naning and pictures of his birthday in 2010.

‘I was told to pay RM90,000 for award’

By LOSHANA K. SHAGAR  loshana@thestar.com.my

 

KUALA LUMPUR: A week after his face appeared in the newspaper, a recipient of the unrecognised Dato Kehormat Undang Naning award has claimed that he was led to believe the award was genuine and he almost paid RM90,000 for it.

Sebestian Koh, 49, said there were over 100 recipients that day receiving one of three titles – Datuk Seri, Datuk Paduka and Datuk.

Koh also refuted a statement by Malacca’s Undang Luak of Naning, Dato’ Seri Raja Merah Dato’ Abdul Latif Hashim, that he did not confer the title.

Showing photographs of him receiving the award at the “balai rasmi” in Simpang Ampat, Malacca, on Feb 16, Koh said: “I think the confusion must have arisen because there were so many people being awarded titles that day, so he (Abdul Latif) might not have remembered me.

“I was told by a friend, who also received the award, that it was recognised by the Government. He said I could even include the title in my MyKad and passport.

“Although I had never heard of the award, I decided to accept it since they were conferring it on me anyway.”

Koh was speaking to reporters at the MCA Public Service and Com­plaints Department yesterday.

The Star had front-paged the issue of questionable titles conferred by Naning chieftains and interviewed Abdul Latif and Ahmad Shah Raja Noor Jan Shah, who claimed to be the “Malacca-Perak Sultan”.

Abdul Latif had said that the investiture ceremony to confer titles was purely customary and the awards were merely customary titles with no connection to those bestowed by the Malacca Government.

In November last year, Koh said his friend, a certain “Datuk” Teoh, had called to inform him about the Datukship and handed over a “surat watikah”.

He said he was also informed about the RM90,000 “standard donation” for the title, which would be “contributed” to the Naning territory.

Before the investiture ceremony, Koh said he paid RM6,000 for a yellow sash with red stripes, a medal with the words “Dato Kehormat” and a card identifying him as a title holder.

When asked if he knew that the award was dubious, Koh admitted that he did know that the historical state had no sultan.

“The one conferring the title claimed to be a descendant of the Malacca sultanate and I asked around to check if this was true,” he said, confessing however that this was not done thoroughly as whatever information he had, coupled with Teoh’s persuasion, made everything “look very real”.

A few months after he accepted the award, Koh said his friends asked if they could advertise their congratulatory messages, to which he agreed.

“Only after The Star article on the Datuks of Naning was published did I realise that I had received an unrecognised award. My friends are laughing at me for being a recipient of a fake award. It is very embarrassing.”

When asked about his next move, Koh said he would not lodge a police report but had set aside the award and moved on.

On whether the award might be revoked if he did not settle the “standard donation”, Koh waved it off as a non-issue, adding that “it was not recognised anyway”.

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