The recent news of Datuks involved in triads, money politics, corruption and the latest being ' full scheme loan sharking ' pushes us to call for an immediate review to the processes and methods of selecting and awarding datukships.

There must not be absolute power and veto in the choice of singling who gets to be a Datuk.

The proper manner is to allow a system similar to a tender committee. Recommendations must be allowed from the following:

  • individual state governments

  • the federal government

  • the Justices of the Peace Association

  • state-level NGOs

  • arts and cultural bodies

  • journalists' bodies

  • state sports councils

  • religious bodies and

  • the state's ruler (or governor's) recommended list

    • The vetting committee should comprise the menteri besar/chief minister, the state secretary, the state mufti and reps from the Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Buddhist and Christian communities, the state's High Court judges, the president of the states municipalities, representatives from the palace or residency and the prime minister's department as well as representatives from Suhakam, Fomca, MTUC, Cuepacs and the Olympic Council of Malaysia.

    The should deliberates the candidates list using a set criteria and point system and the award recipients will be technically selected. There should be no such thing as presenting the short listed names to either royalty or the executive for final approval.

    With a strict vetting process, there will be a near impossibility of title soliciting and trading. The recipients will in turn, be the states' best choices

    I do hope that NGO and other concerned bodies will help push for this.