COMMENT It does not really matter whether the culprit is a Datuk or a Datuk Seri; even if he is without a title, the assault case involving a trucker in Ampang recently is still setting tongues wagging even one week after the incident.

Even until today, the person’s identity has not been revealed yet. As the employer, we would have expected him or her to stop the bodyguards from further injuring the truck driver.

This is one reason why people are still asking, “Who is the owner of the Mercedes-Benz involved in the assault? Why did he not stop the men he hired from attacking the trucker? Why is he hiding behind a veil of secrecy if he was not involved?”

This incident has raised concerns over how some people have been awarded the datukship, when it should be given only to men and women of honour.

Cases of two more Datuks

The other set of questions people are now asking are: “Who is the Datuk Seri who was caught on video carrying a bolt cutter, seemingly ready to attack the security guard at a condominium in Penang?”

Has he been charged over his act of aggression? What is happening after he was released on police bail?

It is important that we do not allow such people to abuse the royal titles that are supposedly given to people who have earned merits for their contribution towards society.

This came into the spotlight again after red-shirt leader Jamal Mohd Yunos claimed that he was awarded his datukship from the Sultan of Pahang.

Despite being a division leader of Sungai Besar in Selangor, and most of his businesses are located in the state of Selangor, he did not receive his datukship from Selangor, but Pahang.

The people would like to know how he earned himself a datukship, especially with the allegedly uncouth behaviour he exhibited during his stint in the spotlight. And, at this juncture, he may still be making his bizarre protest at the Selangor state secretariat, probably seated on one of his beds, hoping to get a massage.

This has overshadowed even his most comical act, when he turned up clad in towels at the front gate of the Selangor secretariat office, demanding to have his shower at Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali’s office.

To me, he looked and behaved more like a jester to me, he did not live up to his status as someone with a Datuk or Datuk Seri title.

Titles reflect on the royal families

I hope that the sultans realise that the titles that they awarded to the people reflect on Their Royal Highnesses. This is the reason why the question is often being asked, “Where is your Datukship from?”

And if someone says, “From this state or from that state”, our immediate response would be: “Oh... ah...”

For a number of years now, the Sultan of Selangor has stopped giving out titles unless the recipients have truly contributed to welfare and development of the state and its people. Every year, there are only a few people being conferred the datukship.

This is what makes it prestigious when someone receives a datukship from the Sultan of Selangor. It goes without saying why people look down on certain titles that have been awarded, especially when there are cases where even alleged thug-like characters and big-time vice bosses have been awarded big titles.

Sometimes I even wonder if Malaysian tycoon Low Taek Jho would soon be receiving his datukship, or would he not? Despite being a “person of interest” in Singapore, Low’s role in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal is no different from that of others who are still clinging on to power. They can still walk scot-free.

There are many such cases. I know of one tycoon, for example, who was known as the alleged boss of vices within the nightclub circle in his home state, but today is a Datuk Seri awarded by the sultan of a particular state, although he has seemingly not contributed anything to the development of the state.

It is no wonder that people say, “Throw a stone and you can easily hit a Datuk or Datuk Seri.” I urge the royal families to start cleaning up their list of awardees, especially those who do not deserve it.

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.