The decision by the Malacca State government to confer the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) which carries the title "Datuk" to Bollywood hearthrob, Shah Rukh Khan makes me more convinced that the Malacca Datukship is one of the "cheapest" in terms of prestige and credibility, compared to other states. In fact, a harsher Malay word for it would be "koman."
I regard the conferment to Shah Rukh Khan as the "pinnacle of mediocracy" by the State government which has a tendency to award Datukships to any Tom, Dick and Harry.
Having served a former senior federal-level politician some years back (who also had the honour of being bestowed with a Malacca Datukship at that time), I noticed that the list of recipients for that particular year was not even close to being credible, authoritative and having done great services to the State, let alone the country. My conclusion at that time was, if you were a politician or government officer having served in Malacca for a couple of years and was in the good books of the Chief Minister or Yang Dipertua Negeri (Governor), then you're set to at least get the entry-level DMSM. Oh, and let's not forget the typical "mengampu" businessmen and lobbyists too.
Yesterday, the Artistes Association of Malaysia (Seniman) also filed an official protest over Malacca's move to make Shah Rukh Khan a Datuk at a press conference by its president Datuk Mustapha Maarof who said the Datukship for Shah Rukh belittles the credibility and creativity of local talent. And so did Film Directors Association of Malaysia president Ahmad Ibrahim (Mat London) who was convinced that Shah Rukh doesn't even know what being a Datuk meant. And I totally agree with him, which explains why Shah Rukh didn't even bother to attend the investiture ceremony in conjunction with the Governor's birthday last Saturday. He was probably sipping cocktail in his mansion in Mumbai and said "Yeah, whatever" when his assistant conveyed him the happy news that he was now a Datuk.
I think I know the real reason behind the Datukship conferment. It's plain simple. Shah Rukh comes to Malacca for a special investiture ceremony next month, haves lunch or hi-tea with the Governor, Chief Minister and other State VIPs and then attends a meet-the-fans session in town to press some flesh, if he even bothers. And then he might shoot a scene from his latest movie somewhere in Banda Hilir and returns to India. And in a few months time, local die-hard fans of Shah Rukh will eagerly storm cinemas nationwide to catch a glimpse of Malacca again, just like they did in "One Two Ka Four" where one of the song scenes of the movie was shot in A Famosa Resort, Alor Gajah. This is how pathetic we have become, endlessly attempting to piggy-back on almost any opportunity which comes our way, all in the name of promoting our country for tourism purposes.
I'm going end this post with my two-cents worth of advice to the Malacca State government regarding conferment of Datukships to the undeserving, in my mother tongue - "Sudah sudah lah tu."
I regard the conferment to Shah Rukh Khan as the "pinnacle of mediocracy" by the State government which has a tendency to award Datukships to any Tom, Dick and Harry.
Having served a former senior federal-level politician some years back (who also had the honour of being bestowed with a Malacca Datukship at that time), I noticed that the list of recipients for that particular year was not even close to being credible, authoritative and having done great services to the State, let alone the country. My conclusion at that time was, if you were a politician or government officer having served in Malacca for a couple of years and was in the good books of the Chief Minister or Yang Dipertua Negeri (Governor), then you're set to at least get the entry-level DMSM. Oh, and let's not forget the typical "mengampu" businessmen and lobbyists too.
Yesterday, the Artistes Association of Malaysia (Seniman) also filed an official protest over Malacca's move to make Shah Rukh Khan a Datuk at a press conference by its president Datuk Mustapha Maarof who said the Datukship for Shah Rukh belittles the credibility and creativity of local talent. And so did Film Directors Association of Malaysia president Ahmad Ibrahim (Mat London) who was convinced that Shah Rukh doesn't even know what being a Datuk meant. And I totally agree with him, which explains why Shah Rukh didn't even bother to attend the investiture ceremony in conjunction with the Governor's birthday last Saturday. He was probably sipping cocktail in his mansion in Mumbai and said "Yeah, whatever" when his assistant conveyed him the happy news that he was now a Datuk.
I think I know the real reason behind the Datukship conferment. It's plain simple. Shah Rukh comes to Malacca for a special investiture ceremony next month, haves lunch or hi-tea with the Governor, Chief Minister and other State VIPs and then attends a meet-the-fans session in town to press some flesh, if he even bothers. And then he might shoot a scene from his latest movie somewhere in Banda Hilir and returns to India. And in a few months time, local die-hard fans of Shah Rukh will eagerly storm cinemas nationwide to catch a glimpse of Malacca again, just like they did in "One Two Ka Four" where one of the song scenes of the movie was shot in A Famosa Resort, Alor Gajah. This is how pathetic we have become, endlessly attempting to piggy-back on almost any opportunity which comes our way, all in the name of promoting our country for tourism purposes.
I'm going end this post with my two-cents worth of advice to the Malacca State government regarding conferment of Datukships to the undeserving, in my mother tongue - "Sudah sudah lah tu."
1 comment:
Minat Hindustan nampak...hehehe
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