FOREIGN VIS-À-VIS LOCAL DATUKSHIP

The P.M.N. (Panglima Mangku Negara) was bestowed upon my late father by His Majesty the First Yang Di Pertuan Agong which first carried the title " Dato " but was later changed to " Tan Sri " maintaining the old Order or Initials.

I really can’t fathom the front page attention given to foreign Datukships being conferred on social climbers and the sort. I say that I can’t understand what the big fuss is all about because judging by the ridiculous number of people being conferred yearly by Their Royal Highnesses the Sultans and Their Excellencies the Yang Di Pertuas Negeri in Malaysia, the title of Datuk has become less significant and is almost of no value in today’s society.

I mean there have been occasions when one State gave out up to 90 Datukships at one time and in the usual events in other States except for the State of Johor Darul Taqzim, they run up to half a century every time. I have also seen some people of very dubious characters receiving these awards by Sultans, not knowing how to construct even one simple sentence in Bahasa Melayu. We have also read in the past that there were people receiving awards with police records. Again, I am wondering why we are fussing over foreign Datukships.

Once I was at a wedding and there were two speeches made on the evening, one by the bride’s father and the other by the groom’s buddy who was the sponsor for the wedding, a young gentleman who got rich the traditional way, by inheritance. Both speakers were Datuks. The first and elder one was a retired civil servant. I knew this because when the second chap spoke he said it was difficult for him, a corporate Datuk, to have his speech be compared to the more seasoned civil servant Datuk. What does that mean? Did he insinuate that his title was bought?

I also know of one lady who abuses her title to the max, talks down and loudly to people wherever she is regardless of the company she is with, talks with her mouth full and wears clothes like she has no mirror at home. Whenever I see this Dato’, I wonder if the person who recommended her to H.R.H. was mentally stable the day he made his decision. I also wonder if those conferring the awards know and are aware of the characters they pin their State Medals on. This lady Dato’, and I’m sure there are many more Dato's like her out there, reflects badly on the Palace every time she opens her mouth and people have asked me before with their heads shaking, "please tell me which State conferred this title on her?" Of course, without hesitation, I respond swiftly registering to them that Datukship from that particular State is of cheap value, not because it was purchased, but because of the high number it produces and the characters it is decorated on.

About three years ago, on two occasions I flipped through the newspapers and saw a congratulatory message for two gentlemen from the same company being conferred the title Dato’ by one of the Royal Houses in Malaysia. In another event I was introduced at a Country Club to a young Dato’ in his early 20s. I believed his title to be authentic because I was introduced to him by a former Menteri Besar before he retired. I wonder at that age, what could have been his deed to the State in question to deserve such an honour?

My argument here is that we should forget about highlighting the foreign Datukships as these procurers never misrepresented themselves as producing titles from local Palaces. Also those who were “donating” to their funds were well aware that they were conferment from a foreign land. Before we do take them seriously, we should first raise concerns over the almost unlimited number of Datukships given to people who have absolutely nothing to do with the respective States giving them out locally.

Gone are the days when initials followed the surnames like the one I saw in my late father’s call card that had P.M.N. (Panglima Mangku Negara) after his titled name. Perhaps it’s because so many fake Datuks are roaming around not wanting to be checked but feeling absolutely free because they are among tens of thousands with the same title in town. So outrageous are the number of Datuks today, even the car-jockeys at the hotels are calling everyone stepping out of their vehicles “Datuk” because nine times out of ten, he is spot on!

I strongly urge with the utmost respect and loyalty to the Royal Households in this country and the Government of the States with Governors, to restrict the decoration of Datukship to only those deserving and who have served in their respective States, to PRESERVE or rather RESTORE, the prestige and privilege that come with the title.

In this respect, I have the highest regard for the Johor Palace because the H.R.H. only bestows two or three of them every year to deserving civil servants in the State. Politicans and corporate people are the most difficult ones to receive this honour in the State for some reason. The Johor Palace can never be accused or suspected of “selling” the title to anyone.

I read in Fauziah Ismail’s blog Latte @ Chinoz on the Park, http://xmatters.blogspot.com/2008/12/johor-buzz-he-is-datuk-but-its-not-sir.html “ that the only Datukships recognised by England’s Court of St James are those from Johor and Kelantan ”. That explains, through my observation, why ladies and gentlemen who were decorated by these two Malay States carry themselves with utmost respect and honour.

p/s. Rule of thumb: Spelling for State decorations from Royalty is "Dato" while those from the Federal level and States with Yang Di Pertua Negeri is "Datuk".