On errant Datuks, is it the people or the system that failed?

‘Gangster’ Datuks, a ‘flasher’ and a ‘confused’ IGP

Aries46: Writer Mariam Mokhtar, many are confused not only about our laws that are supposed to protect us but more about how these are enforced.

Even in highly visible cases of intimidation, assault, harassment, thuggery, mob rule, etc, we are left helpless not only by the indifference of those who witness it but also the hesitancy and inaction of the police as well.

Take the case of the ‘butt-shakers’ at Ambiga Sreenevasan’s home and the ‘red-shirt goons’ who rioted in Low Yat Plaza and Petaling Street, and attacked the Bersih convoys.

Even in the recent case of the lorry driver, despite overwhelming video evidence, there was feet-dragging and confusing statements from the police until the Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs Alliance of Malaysia (Ikhlas) demanded action.

What confuses us most is the apparent double standards in enforcement. A good example is one when an MP tweeted “adios” to a departed, and the inspector-general of police (IGP) took offence and sprang into action.

Can anyone enlighten what the IGP’s priorities are? Protection of the rakyat or the departed?

RM2.6 Billion Turkey Haram: A Datukship in Malaysia has many uses. The public are willing to pay a bomb to get one. Why?

It is a passport to gain favour from the civil servants. Mention that you are a Datuk, you are placed on priority lane over the others.

Display a Datuk crest on your car. You are virtually untouchable on the highway. A glimpse of the crest, the police would wave you on, even though you might have jumped the traffic light or speeding.

The latest use of the title is to allegedly beat up innocent people with impunity. Look at the henchmen of the dead Datuk who was allegedly a gangster and was shot dead in Penang. What happened to those people beating the helpless man in front of the coffin of the dead Datuk?

In developed countries, the press would hound the Datuks for answers on the assaults. High time for the police to protect the weak over alleged Datuk gangsters.

Headhunter: Unfortunately what Mariam writes is nothing out of the ordinary today in the country. And it’s not confined only to Datuks and policemen. It has seeped into every facet of our society.

It is a reflection of the failure of our education, politics and our deteriorating cultures that we were once so proud of. Everything in the country is going down the tube, no thanks to the low standard of our professional services.

And why this obsession with titles, bought or otherwise? Remember the joke if you throw a stone into a crowd, you’ll likely hit a Datuk. Now the joke is that if you go to visit a police station, you’ll likely find a Datuk in one of the cells.

As the saying goes, a fish rots from the head. If our political, professional and community leaders show some good examples, I’m sure it’ll rub off on others.

CucuMalaysia: I am not surprised with what Headhunter said. Just do simple arithmetic here. Every year, all the 13 states in Malaysia confer Datukships on the occasion of their respective sultan’s birthday or governor’s birthday.

In addition, conferment is also carried out at federal level on the Agong’s birthday.

Fairnsquare: Good observation by Mariam, but is it the people or the system that failed?

We should have a system headed by the Agong, where a Permanent Royal Commission comprising the ruling party and same number of opposition members, senior retired judges and other such like people select senior officers of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and the judiciary.

We should also have financial and education systems that are apolitical. Whatever it is, we need to change the system as badgering individuals only create hatred and sadly, no results.

Meow: The public not only have lost confidence in the police force, the government, the politicians, government sector employees, the education system, religious authorities and the list could go on.

Things were not bad until Dr Mahathir Mohamad created the ‘corruption culture’ to help a particular ‘group of people’. This country will head towards a failed state if the majority race maintains its ‘sidelining others’ attitude. May God bless Malaysia.

Hilary: How wrong you are, Mariam. You have no idea what that title does for 99.9 percent of the recipients.

Your report is based on a few rotten apples. Research your subject before you sweep everyone with the same broom.

Abasir: “The IGP needs to understand this.” You think so, Mariam? Perhaps he is incapable of understanding anything other than instructions from his alleged dedak-feeder.

But more to the point, where do these Datuks get their titles? That is where the problem really is. And until that is sorted out, this disease will continue to cripple the nation, if it has not done so already.

ABC123: People with money will always want status and if that status can be bought easily, can you blame them for buying it?

Politician: If I may contribute my two cents worth on the withdrawal of Datukships. Can it be done, and if yes, how?

For starters, jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s Datukship was withdrawn by the Selangor sultan because it was “awarded” for his contributions and the sultan decided to withdraw it when he saw it fit to do so. Fine, whether Anwar was right or wrong is another story.

There are Datukships that were “purportedly” bought. Goods sold are not returnable. So, it looks like the such Datukships have more value than the “awarded” ones.

Hearty Malaysian: This is a good reminder to law enforcers they are here to serve the public instead of dancing to the tune of the powers-that-be.

History has shown when law enforcers stop citizens in their quest for justice, it is the end of the nation.

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