FOR a very long time ordinary Malaysians suspected that greedy, rich individuals – especially business people, were dishing out cash to needle their way to getting title awards.
And likewise, middlemen took advantage of such greed and made hay too.
However, the Agung’s timely reprimand should clense the piles of dirt showered by greed driven individuals on the prestigious awards of Datuk-ships, Tan Sris and Tuns.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong today reprimanded “rich” individuals who tried to lobby him to bestow on them honorifics such as Datuk and Tan Sri.
The king said such titles were not for sale, and that the rich should use their money to help the poor instead.
Yes indeed. It is time that corrupt, deceitful, rich business people got grounded. You cannot continue to vie for these royal awards and bring shame and disrepute upon our Rulers.
The widely shared joke that if you dropped a stone it is likely to fall on a titled Malaysian has made the honorifics seem mercenary, cheap and easily bought.
Certainly patriotic citizens will embrace the King’s advice to the rich and well connected to go do charity with their wealth.
The titles have to be earned the hard way and with examplary track record.
It is time to redeem the grace, dignity, honorable and deserving awards in the interest of our beloved nation’s reputation and image in the eyes of citizens and the world. – June 2, 2025
J.D. Lovrenciear is a Scoop reader