Don't be fooled by ‘Datuk Seri'
KUALA LUMPUR: Beware of 'Datuk Seri' asking for money.
This was the warning from Datuk Seri Michael Chong, who said his office has received six reports of people being scammed by individuals claiming to have the title.
One victim allegedly lost RM400,000 to a particular 'Datuk Seri' who claimed to be running an investment scheme, said Chong, who heads MCA's Public Services and Complaints Department.
He urged the public to be extra cautious when approached for business deals, particularly by individuals flaunting dubious titles.
'If someone claiming to be a Datuk Seri is asking for money, that's already a red flag.
'We've received reports and a photo of a man claiming to be a Datuk Seri with 'Ahli Istana Anak Angkat' written on top of his name.
'We've checked with the Istana and there is no such title. It's completely fabricated.
'The complainants lost so much money – the amount varies, with one person investing RM400,000. One of the complainants is herself a Datin,' he said during a press conference at Wisma MCA here yesterday.
Chong said the scammer in question is soliciting investments in an illegal money scheme.
'After we interviewed the victims, they admitted they were misled into trusting him because they thought his Datukship is genuine.
'They've now come forward to seek advice from us,' he said.
The scammer's state of origin remains unknown, but Chong confirmed that a police report has been lodged.
There have also been dubious claims made about an alleged 'Agong quota' for such titles.
'As far as we know, no such quota exists,' he said.
The public can verify the legitimacy of honorific titles through the Bahagian Istiadat dan Urusetia Persidangan Antarabangsa website (www.istiadat.gov.my).
'Key in the name and if the person truly holds a Datuk title, it will appear. If you're unsure, you can also contact us or Majlis Datuk-Datuk Malaysia (MDDM) for verification.'
He said Majlis Datuk Persekutuan Malaysia (MDPM) and MDDM are actively addressing this issue, stressing that impersonating titleholders is a serious offence.
'People don't just misuse the 'Datuk' title, but also 'Datuk Seri' and 'Tan Sri'. So far, no scammer has claimed to be a 'Tun' yet,' Chong added.
He said MDDM has been pushing for amendments to Awards Act 2017 (Act 787) to empower police to take swifter action against individuals using fraudulent titles.
'We've been advocating this for years. We understand the proposed changes have gone through the Attorney General's Chambers, and though the process is slow, it is progressing.'
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