Sometimes a decision is so irrational and so ridiculous that no amount of explanation can ever justify it.
Take, for example, the decision to raise fuel prices in June. Or the decision to arrest the Shin Chew reporter last month, ‘for her protection’.
Yesterday, when I opened up the Star and read this, I was stunned.
The Malacca government, in its infinite wisdom, has decided to grant Bollywood superstar Mr. Shah Rukh Khan a Datukship.
As expected, it received a lot of negative response from Malaysians. And rightly so. Regardless of how big a superstar Mr. Khan is, what has he ever done for Malacca? Or for the country for that matter. Does he even know where or what Malacca is? The significance of the bandar bersejarah? Hang Tuah, A. Famosa, 1511, Parameswara?
Do we actually think that Mr. Khan will be proudly parading his title? That in international events, people are going to introduce him as Datuk Shah Rukh Khan?
Does he even know what a Datukship is?
Today, Malacaa Chief Minister (and Deputy PM hopeful) Mr. Ali Rustam has defended the state’s decision to award the Datukship. According to him, Mr. Khan’s award was suggested by former finance minister Mr. Daim Zainuddin for the actor’s decision to shot his movie One Two Ka Four some years ago. According to Mr. Ali, the ‘exposure’ that the film gave Malacca resulted in an increase of tourism in the country. Of course, this is a statement which can never be justified; I don’t suppose the Chief Minister can provide us with the data on the co-relation between tourism in Malaysia and Mr. Khan’s movie. And he doesn’t have to; no one is going to ask him. After all, he might be the second highest leader in Malaysia one day (if he wins the deputy president post, of course).
Looking back, I remembered some people questioning the award to Datuk Nicol David when she was conferred the title by the Penang government. Some argue that she’s too young, although everyone agrees that’s she’s probably our most dominating sportsperson ever. She’s like the Tiger Woods of Squash, or the Roger Federer or something.
More people questioned the award to Datuk Lee Chong Wei some months ago, also by Penang, when he brought home a silver. I remembered reading an article in Utusan Malaysia criticizing the Penang government (a Pakatan state, remember) for the award, saying that sports is politicized and that Mr. Chong Wei ‘only’ won a silver medal. Of course, no such criticism can be found of this facade by Mr. Ali Rustam in Utusan Malaysia.
And whatever it is, Mr. Chong Wei and Ms. Nicol are Malaysians who have contributed to the country. Mr. Khan?
For a long time, the Datukship has lost its prestige. What used to be an honour to be given to deserving Malaysians is now virtually meaningless.
With ‘Datuk’ Shah Rukh Khan, it has reached a new low.
what the @&uk is going on .. It is going to be like this lah..what ever they want to do go ahead. whoever they want to give the kepala datuk to anybody go ahead ahead lah ..why we are giving a bloody care anymore.. after all who are a really stupid people. We are right? we are giving a full mandate to ali setan to rule Melaka again..so why now bother> we are also stupid choosing stupid people to govern the state.. it is our ourselve to be bombarded due to our stupidity licking their ass all the time. So be it. Let them do whatever they want to do.. it is our blessing from the beginning. If they want to confer the datukship to other asshole..so what ..is our routine change? fuel price drop? we select UMNO this is what we are getting. next PRU election..vote again to UMNO..mesti vote..punya ..this is because we are absolutely a bunch of asshole and stupid people..
I can understand your despair at the actions of our leaders, who time and time again indulge in utter stupidity and think that they’re doing us a favour in doing so. I would say don’t lose hope, but even I am doubting hope these days.
Melaka dan Pahang memang terkenal dengan sikap mendapat publisiti murahan dengan memberi banyak pingat kepada rakyat.
Kalau melaka kasi 101 pinggat ….pahang pulak akan kasi 121.. and this will go on and on…
Tapi kali ini lebih menarik kerana memberi kepada celebriti.
Saudara syahredzan,
Bagi pendapat saya, sudah tiada nilai mendapat pingat di tanahair ini. Kerana jumlah penerima pingat terlalu banyak sampai di kalangan kakitangan kerajaan….
kerani-kerani selalu kata…lagi satu step..boss aku jadi JUSA B…confirm dapat Dato’… dah tak de lagi …boss aku banyak berjasa… banyak polisi yang di buat ..di layak dapat Dato…
Pada pendapat saya wahai saudara Syahredzan, ramai sebenarnya rakyat yang betul-betul berjasa untuk tanahair ini dan layak… tetapi mereka terlalu sibuk berjasa, berbakti dan berkhidmat…lupa nak bodek ketua menteri, so nama tak de dalam list lah…
Salam
Itulah, pingat yang satu kala dahulu merupakan bentuk perhargaan kepada rakyat Malaysia yang telah berjasa kini telah hilang ‘kilaunya’ sehingga menjadi bahan momokan dan ketawa.
Saya fikir dalam hal ini Sultan-sultan dan Yang Dipertua Negeri harus mula memainkan peranan untuk menggariskan panduan dalam pemberian anugerah, seperti yang dilakukan oleh DYMM Sultan Selangor.
“Bagi pendapat saya, sudah tiada nilai mendapat pingat di tanahair ini. Kerana jumlah penerima pingat terlalu banyak sampai di kalangan kakitangan kerajaan…. ” (suara IV B Damansara Kim)
Amen to that! Well said indeed!
kalau tak de nilai tak payah lah kecoh org tu dpt Datuk… apa lah korang nih.
Kami kecoh sebab kami merasakan bahawa penganugerahan ‘Datuk’ kepada Shah Rukh Khan telah ‘merendahkan lagi’ nilai anugerah tersebut.