TITLES bestowed by royal institutions come with a prestige of their own. It is this prestige that many seek. Some deserve it. Some don't.
The perception — whether it is right or wrong is a matter that has been debated for the longest time — is that the titles, especially "Datuk" and "Datuk Seri", are easy to get.
Not that anyone has done a per capita Datuk, Datuk Seri study. But the perception persists. A few even claim that they can buy them.
Scammers have gotten into the business of "selling" them for a price. What audacity! Pathetically, the gullible honorific hunters fall for it.
As they say, a fool and his money are soon parted. The palace can't do much about this self-inflicted affliction. The cure lies in oneself, but vigilance will help.
Even if it is possible to buy them, don't they lose their moral shine? Earn them is our advice. For sure, criminals have been parading them like they have earned it all.
The press is awash with reports of this or that Datuk and Datuk Seri being caught for corruption — one Tan Sri even tried to bribe a sultan. Call it bromides of bribery.
A Tan Sri per capita study? The reputation of Malaysia and the royal institution must not be allowed to be hurt thus.
To be honest, there are just too many titled Malaysians walking around this blessed earth of ours.
Some even behave like the titles make them special species of beings. Their swagger tells it all.
To these undeserving honorific hunters, we say this: kiss your dirty dreams goodbye for a new dawn is here.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, has put them on a watchlist, by issuing a warning: stay clean, or lose the award.
For starters, this year's awards in conjunction with His Majesty's official birthday have been cut by 85 per cent. Of the 2,335 nominees, only 116 made the cut. That is a humongous slice.
For the future, vetting of award nominees, at least for federal awards and honours, will be even more stringent. And a word of advice to those who nominate: preserve the prestige of the awards.
Only those who serve the nation or state, please. Service to the nation or state must mean after the contribution is made, not before.
To be frank, we don't claim to know the reason why the colossal cut was made, but it makes one thing clear: the nomination process needs improvement.
Be that as it may, the colossal cut will do an enormous good to the awards and honours for now and the future.
The new dawn doesn't just stop there. Titled inmates in prisons are under scrutiny, too. Those who still have the titles — for federal awards and honours for now — will have them stripped.
Rightly so, we must say. The good and the bad must never mix. Titled inmates not only tarnish the image of the country or a state, but also the reputation of those who have served either with distinction.
We do not want to give the impression that states aren't revoking awards and honours. They do. A colossal cut will boost the prestige of awards.