The Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders.
Indonesia, meanwhile, despite being a Republic, recognizes several hereditary rulers and aristocratic systems, mostly those who supported the Independence movement of 1945. The late wife of former President Suharto, for example, was the Raden Ayu Siti Hartinah, not as some say, Madame Suharto. (Under the Dutch in Java, similarly, descendants of the Majoors, Kapiteins and Luitnens der Chinezen were entitled to the hereditary title "Sia".) In the 1930s, the colonial government abolished these titles and Peranakan feudalism, during implementation of their "social policy", whose goal was establishing a more egalitarian society.
Today, Malaysia, Brunei and several provinces in Indonesia still regularly award honorary and life titles. What follows is specific to the Malaysian system. References to Brunei and Indonesia are given when pertinent.
In Malaysia, all non-hereditary titles can be granted to both men and women. Every title has a form which can be used by the wife of the title holder. This form is not used by the husband of a titled woman; such a woman will bear a title which is the same as a titled man.
The sequence that should be used when formally writing or addressing a person's name is as follows:
Honorary Style, Professional Rank, Royal Hereditary Title, Federal Title, State Title, Non-royal Hereditary Title, Doctor (of medicine or philosophy), Haji/Hajjah (for Muslim men and women who have performed the Hajj), Name.
A "style" carried by virtue of royal title always trumps those carried by non-royal titles. Male royals may choose to append "al-Haj" to their name instead of using "Haji". The following example is correct:
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The following titles are hereditary and reserved for royal families of the nine royal states of Malaysia and royal families of Brunei.
In Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong grants federal title awards. Some may carry the following federal titles. Such titles are honorary and non-hereditary. Federal title may be revoked by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and may be returned by the individual.
The Tun title has existed in the Malay society for hundreds of years. In ancient times, Tun was an honorific title used by noble people of royal lineage. Tun is a title inherited by the male descendants.
Over time, the Tun title has become a title conferred by the Agong to the most deserving recipient who has highly contributed to the nation. The wife of a Tun is Toh Puan. The highest federal award granted by the Malaysian government is the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SPGP).
Tun is the most senior federal title awarded to recipients of either the SMN (Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara) or SSM (Seri Setia Mahkota). However, the SMN and SSM are not the highest federal awards. The SMN ranks fourth in order of Federal Awards and the SSM ranks fifth.
There may not be more than 35 local living holders of each of these awards at any one time. The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects. Foreigners may receive the award in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.
The title for the wife of a Tun is Toh Puan.
Tan Sri is the second most senior federal title and an honorific used to denote recipients of the Panglima Mangku Negara (PMN) and the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM). The PMN and PSM rank seventh and eighth respectively in the order of Malaysian Federal Awards. The wife of a Tan Sri is called Puan Sri.
There may be at any time up to a maximum of 75 living PMN holders, and a maximum of 250 living PSM holders. The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects. Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and may use the title locally.
The current Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia has the title Tan Sri, and is known as Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Datuk is a federal title that has been conferred since 1965. It is limited to recipients of Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN), of which there may be up to 200 living at any one time, and Panglima Setia Diraja (PSD), of which there may be up to 200 living at any one time. The PJN and PSD rank 9th and 10th respectively in the rank of federal awards.
The wife of a federal Datuk is a Datin.
A female conferred the title in her own right is formally known as "Datin Paduka"; the prefix "Datuk" is more commonly used for women as well as men.
The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects. Foreigners may receive the award in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.
Individual states that have a head of state nominated by the respective state's legislature may confer the title of 'Datuk' to individuals. However, this is different from the title "Dato'". The latter is awarded by individual states headed by a Sultan, and not a head of state nominated by the state legislature. For example, the Yang Dipertua Negeri Melaka is the non-hereditary head of state nominated by the Melaka state legislature. He may confer the title of 'Datuk'. The Sultan of Pahang is the hereditary ruler of the state and may confer the title of "Dato'". Individual rulers (and their staff) determine the award of these titles.
In Malaysia, the Ruler and Governor grants state title awards. Some may carry the following state titles. Such titles are honorary and non-hereditary. State title may be revoked by the Ruler or Governor, and may be returned by the individual.
Dato' Sri or Dato' Seri is the highest state title conferred by the Ruler on the most deserving recipients who have contributed greatly to the nation or state. It ranks below the federal title Tun and is an honor equivalent to Tan Sri. The wife of a recipient is Datin Sri.
The current Prime Minister of Malaysia's title is Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak. Both former Prime Ministers Mahathir bin Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also held the title Dato' Sri during their administrations. After retirement, both received Malaysia's most senior federal title Tun, conferred by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Since Dato' Sri is the most senior state title, there is a limited quota that can be awarded in each state. The Ruler only confers such an honorary title to a very few recipients during the Ruler's royal birthday celebration every year. In Selangor, a maximum of 2 Dato' Sri (SPMS)[2] state awards can be conferred each year, up to a maximum of 40 living Dato' Sri (SPMS)[2] holders at any one time. The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects.
Some rulers grant awards which carry highest titles unique to that state, such as Dato' Sri Utama of the state of Negeri Sembilan.
Datuk Seri is also the most senior state title conferred only by the governor to the most deserving recipient who has highly contributed to the nation or state.
A governor who is appointed by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong, namely the Governor of Melaka, Penang, Sabah except Sarawak, can award the Datuk Seri title and such honorary title is equivalent with Dato' Sri.
However, both titles Dato' Sri and Datuk Seri may cause confusion since Malaysia media and press may address Dato' Sri title holders as Datuk Seri.
Dato' is the most common highly regarded title in Malaysia. The wife of a Dato' is a Datin, except in Terengganu where they are known as "To' Puan" (not to be confused with "Toh Puan", the wife of a non-hereditary "Tun").
The Dato' (pronounced in similar manner to Datuk) may only be conferred by a hereditary royal ruler of one of the nine Malay states.
There are also hereditary Dato's from Negeri Sembilan, where titles are held for life by heads of certain families and passed on to their heirs. These are not conferred by the ruler, but passed on through the customary native laws. The wife of a hereditary Dato' is addressed by courtesy as "To' Puan".
In other states, certain noble families also have hereditary titles and are addressed as Dato'. For example, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak, is hereditary Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar of Pahang. He would have been addressed as "Dato'" even if he had not been conferred a "Dato' Sri" (SSAP)[3] state award of Pahang.
Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.
A governor who is appointed by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong. The Governors of Melaka, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak can confer the title Datuk, not Dato'.
Some state governors grant awards which carry titles unique to that state, such as Datuk Wira of the state of Melaka, and Datuk Amar and Datuk Patinggi of the state of Sarawak. Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.
This title is mainly used in Brunei and Sarawak. An example of the title in Brunei would be Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa, the former Minister of Home Affairs.[4] In Sarawak, it would be Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib, the current Chief Minister of Sarawak.[5]
JP or Justice of Peace rank below all Dato' or Datuk. In Malaysia, Justices of the Peace have largely been replaced in magistrates' courts by legally-qualified (first-class) stipendiary magistrates.
However, state governments continue to appoint Justices of the Peace as honours. In 2004, some associations of Justices of the Peace pressed the federal government to allow Justices of the Peace to sit as second-class magistrates in order to reduce the backlog of cases in the courts. Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.
Dato Paduka is the most common title awarded in Brunei, of which it is a class of the Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Yang Amat Mulia (The Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei). The wife of a Dato Paduka is a Datin, except when the recipient is a female, whereby she would be addressed as Datin Paduka. Other versions of Dato Paduka includes Dato Seri Paduka, Dato Paduka Seri, Dato Laila Utama, Dato Paduka Seri Laila Jasa and others. These title awards are granted by His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei, and the titles are non-hereditary.[6]
The following are both used as styles, before a person's title, and (by themselves) as forms of address:
The English versions of these styles follow British usage. Thus the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, Senators, state Executive Councillors and judges of the High Court and above are styled the Honourable. It is a solecism to style the Prime Minister or a Minister Right Honourable as they are not members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.
The State of Sabah by Act of Parliament established an Order of Chivalry styled Darjah Yang Mulia Kinabalu (The Illustrious Order of Kinabalu). The relevant legislation governing Honours and Awards in Sabah is the State Honours Enactment, 1963 (Sabah No.33 of 1963)(as amended).[7] The Enactment deals with all aspects including process of nomination, conferral, wearing of medals, promotion in the Order and quotas. Appointments to the Order are made to persons who have rendered 'meritorious service to the State'.[8] Appointment to the Order is submitted to the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (the Governor) by the Chief Minister; every appointment to the Order is by Warrant under the hand of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.[9]
Non-citizens may be appointed as honorary members of the Order.[10] An example of an honorary award is The Honourable Shane Leslie Stone AC PGDK QC former Chief Minister of Australia's Northern Territory, conferred the Pangalima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu in 1998.
The motto of the Order is 'Sabah Maju Jaya'.[11] The Yang di-Pertua Negeri (the Governor of Sabah) is the Patron of the Order - Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Kinabalu (The Most Illustrious Order of Kinabalu) - and is deemed a member of the First Grade.[12] A Chancellor is selected by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri from amongst the members of the First Grade.[13]
There are four Grades of the Order[14]
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri may on the recommendation of the Chief Minister cancel and annul the appointment of any person to any of the Grades of the Order.[17]
It was recently brought to attention that not all Datuks have lived exemplary lives and some have even been convicted of crimes. The various sultans have taken steps to ensure the integrity of the institution by means of consultation as well as the revoking of the given titles.
Tun Dr Mahathir mentioned that one of the problems with titles in Malaysia is the numbers given out. He stated in an interview "Personally, I feel if you want to give value to anything, it must be limited...if you produce a million Ferrari cars, nobody will care about buying a Ferrari."
The Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Perak, Raja Nazrin Shah stated "That is my view. You degrade the award and the Ruler has the right to revoke it. In my opinion, it should be taken away." He also stated that "Sometimes, I think we give away too many datukships...it dilutes and devalues the award."
In the first government following the independence of Malaya in 1957, five of 15 cabinet Ministers were Datuks. The finance minister at the time, Tan Siew Sin, held the title Justice of Peace. Later he was granted a Federal award which carried the title Tun. The father of Malayan independence, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, received no awards and carried the title "Tunku", which he inherited as the prince of the state of Kedah. He was honorarily referred to as "Yang Teramat Mulia". The senate held only 14 datuks and parliament held only seven.
The conferral of "Datuk" by the Penang government to 25-year-old squash world champion Nicol David and Olympic silver medalist Lee Chong Wei sparked controversy that they are too young to receive the title. The Melaka government also was criticized for awarding the Datuk title to a non-Malaysian Indian actor, Shahrukh Khan, for making movies in the state.
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