KUALA LUMPUR: At least six individuals have fallen victim to scams involving the misuse of the “Datuk Seri” title, with total losses estimated at nearly half a million ringgit, says MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong.
He said one of the reports involved a man falsely claiming to be an “Ahli Istana Anak Angkat” to gain the trust of victims and solicit investments, including a case where a Datin lost RM400,000.
“We’ve checked with the Istana and there is no such title. It’s completely fabricated,” he told a press conference at Wisma MCA here today.
Chong said three of the six cases were business-related scams while the others were enquiries — some from overseas — to verify the legitimacy of individuals claiming to hold honorific titles.
Meanwhile, Majlis Datuk Persekutuan Malaysia (MDPM) president Datuk Alvin Tee Guan Pian reminded the public that federal titles were only awarded to those who had made significant contributions to the nation.
“Fake titleholders often use these credentials to secure business deals and contracts. The Securities Commission takes illegal investment schemes seriously, and offenders can be charged in court,” he said.
Separately, the President of Majlis Datuk Dato’ Malaysia (MDDM), Datuk Samson David Maman, urged authorities to expedite amendments to the Awards Act 2017 (Act 787) to curb title misuse.
“It’s going internally. But we know there are many proposed amendments across various acts. Ours is just one of them. Time will come when we are on the priority list,” he said.
Both MDPM and MDDM advised the public to verify honorific claims via the ‘Bahagian Istiadat dan Urusetia Persidangan Antarabangsa’ portal at www.istiadat.gov.my or by contacting them directly. - Bernama
