FIVE Pakatan Harapan ministers came under fire today for accepting the title of “Datuk Seri” after being in office for less than five months.
 
Lawyers For Liberty (LFL) said these ministers should have done the right thing and courteously declined the award.

“If politicians or ministers are continuously awarded with titles by virtue of their position, this would demean the significance of the honorary title, rendering it meaningless.

“If they desire to have one, they must prove their worth, just like everyone else,” said LFL coordinator Zaid Malek in a statement.

Zaid said the Barisan Nasional practice of awarding politicians or ministers with honorary titles should be done away.

On Friday, Malacca awarded the “Datuk Seri” title to five ministers in conjunction with Yang di-Pertua Negeri Malacca Mohd Khalil Yaakob’s 80th birthday

The five were Rural Development Minister Rina Mohd Harun, Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan MD Yusof, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religion) Dr Mujahid Yusof.

Deputy Primary Industries Minister Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin was also awarded the same title.

Zaid said honorific titles should not be given to politicians and should be awarded after a strict vetting process “only to those who have unquestionably contributed to society through exceptional service beyond their ordinary call of duty.”

“The title awarded to these ministers are even more questionable when we take into account that they have only been in office for roughly five months, too brief a period for anyone to say that any policy or action taken has brought significant improvement or contribution to society.”

In fact, he said, nothing the ministers had done so far was notable for having exceeded what was required of them.

He added that these ministers should declined to accept the titles.

Yesterday, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng chided several of his partymen for accepting awards from state rulers carrying the honorific ‘Datuk’ title.

He said their acceptance of such accolades would not reflect well on the party and its coalition partners which had captured Putrajaya only five months ago.

He said the party’s central executive committee would meet soon to discuss the situation as the award recipient’s explanations for their acceptance were “unacceptable”.

While Lim did not specify the individuals, over the past few days, social media have been abuzz with news PH leaders were conferred titles in conjunction with the birthday of state rulers.

In Malacca, Bandar Hilir assemblyman Tey Kok Kiew and Bemban assemblyman Wong Fort Pin, both of DAP accepted the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka, which carries the title “Datuk”.

Last week, Sabah DAP leaders Stephen Wong and Frankie Poon were conferred the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu, which carries the same title. – October 15, 2018.