A reporter just phoned up, asking for my comments on popular Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan as one of the 77 new Malacca Datuks on the occasion of the 70th birthday of the Malacca Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob.
I was astounded and I said so. Are there no Malaysian film stars, artists or sports-people who have greater title to be honoured and encouraged as compared to Shahrukh?
I don’t think the reason that has been given for making Shahrukh Khan a Malacca Datuk would impress or convince many – that the Bollywood actor-dancer had “contributed to our tourism industry when he acted in a movie filmed in Malaysia”.
On this basis, shouldn’t Hollywood stars Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones be honoured for their 1999 film “Entrapment” which first promoted the Twin Towers to the world shortly after they were completed when the Twin Towers was used as the film location – although the film was subsequently accused of “distortion” when images of Malacca slums were spliced with shots of the 1,482ft-high skyscrapers.
Or the 2000 Academy Award-nominee film “Anna and the King” (a remake of “The King and I”) starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat (and our Patrick Teoh) which was mostly shot in Ipoh?
Or are Taiwan Gold Horse Award 2005/6 Best Leading Actor Aaron Kwok to be similarly awarded for his 2006 film “After This Our Exile” and world-famous director Ang Lee for his 2007 film “Lust, Caution”. starring Tony Leung & Tang Wei, as both promoted Malaysia as having been filmed or used footages from Perak?
What about other foreign stars in films which had used Malaysia for their location?
#1 by carcinoma on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 9:59 pm
i totally agree with Jimm, we sell everything including our own datuks! next time sell the sultan title la! i tot datukship is for those people that will contribute and further contribute to the country. i am not anti shah gang, he is a talented person but it is our side that over doing it! no wonder there is a saying about selangor, if u throw a stone in a busy street, 10 datuks will OUCH! the datukship has to be revised and given to people that are important to our country. honor them, dont sell the title! for those datuks that really are good and willing to help the public, i feel pity for them. all datuks are grouped into ordinary people who just took out 100,000RM to buy the title. this statement is from the eyes of the public. we assume they bought thetitle! so please dont let outsiders think that our datuks are easily granted. it is easier than getting a doctor’s degree!
#2 by bongkk on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 10:09 pm
THey have just turned the datuk title from cheap to worthless. You probably have never heard of anyone being addressed as Encik, Mr. or sir, right? You will agree with me that there are more people in m’sia being addressed as a datuk than an encik, Mr or a sir, correct? Thats how cheap a datukship have gotten to be.
#3 by mohrafael on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 10:18 pm
what else can we say about malaysia leaders? it has been like this, what a crazy fool…
#4 by humanly on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 10:19 pm
Whattheheckman is telling us something. He said Shah Rukh Khan is a Muslim while his wife is a Hindu. Any possibility the couple kena tangkap basah in their hotel room while they were in Malaysia? If the rumour is true, the title was to make up with him. But then, it looks like the superstar is giving Melaka a snub by not coming to receive his award.
#5 by OCSunny on Saturday, 11 October 2008 - 10:28 pm
Anyone who has grand children is classified a datuk. So what is the big deal as I am also a datuk. It has become a big joke in Malacca about this datukship awards. What a shame!?!
#6 by otyew on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 12:10 am
desperate man, do desperate (err….stupid things most of the time) things. wan to get the indian supporters n then find an indian star to become datuk for the ‘recognitions’?
i think the national geographic, discovery, cnn n so on will have a lot of malaysia datuk. somemore, ppl tak kisah for tat…..buat malu sendiri n malaysia.
#7 by parajurit sarawak on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 12:22 am
In Sarawak we have the highest of the Datukship. DATU PATINGGI. Who create it….????? and for WHOM???
#8 by blur on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 1:31 am
I think the people who really deserve the datukship title are the voters of Permatang Pauh. They shoved the shoe into UMNO’s mouth and gave the country hope for a new future. Kudos – to those who really voted. For those who didn’t, I can’t really tell but please accept my compliments kalau tak malu.
#9 by rubenz on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 5:13 am
If I were Shah Rukh, I would say that I decline the award, as long as the Hindraf 5 (and other political detainees) are detained under ISA.
#10 by isahbiazhar on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 5:34 am
Shah Rukh Khan is a Muslim so he is given.Others do not qualify.Mohan Das was not a Muslim so Mahathir did not recommend him for Datukship.Nicol had to be recognised by the DAP and not by BN.We have such dicrepancies in this country.We never learn!
#11 by counsel888 on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 8:26 am
Sadly the vast majority of you have lost the point here. Instead of the Xenophobic innuendo bing promoted here, one should ask what Datukships are for first. Then maybe find out what the criteria is for a Datukship, then whether that criteria has been met.
It matters not whether it is given to Sharuk Khan or a Chinese badminton player from Malaysia which appears to motivate the bulk of the anger here. Very much a Theresa Kok type of mentality.
Datukships were for a very long time given to towkays whose contribution to the economy was to enrich themselves (quite often through dubious means) and in the process enrich select sectors of the community (being their own usually) who paid a contribution to a Sultan to buy themselves respectability. Hopefully that culture has changed if it is not already.
#12 by negarawan on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 8:58 am
Datuk, Tan Sri, outside of Malaysia people don’t care. Even criminals have these titles. In God’s eyes, these titles have no meaning.
#13 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 9:18 am
Have anyone asked why did Daim do this? Daim, throughout his career, has been actually a very focus person, so the idea he is doing this to promote Malacca? I find it fishy… There is deal in it for him somewhere and Khaleed Nordin probably have a piece of it.
#14 by UzMiNoOnist on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 11:53 am
If this half naked Bollywood star is given a Datukship, then every Malaysian deserves to be on the Datukship list too.
Why?
When we are out of this country we always call ourselves as Malaysian, not a Malay, a Chinese or Indians or any other ethnicity. By so doing, we are introducing Malaysia to the world and be proud of our culture and traditions. I am sure we can do a better job than a foreigner who can’t even speak Bahasa Melayu or understand the history of Malaysia. Don’t you think we are more deserving than this half naked Bollywood star?
What about the trishaw men who guide tourists around town giving them their first hand knowledge about the place or city they are in. I bet these trishaw men know more about Malaysia than this half naked Bollywood star. Don’t you think these trishaw men are more deserving than this half naked Bollywood star?
What about our taxi drivers who would chauffeur tourists around town giving them free tour guide services. These taxi men definitely know more about Malaysia than a foreigner who can’t even speak Bahasa Melayu or understand the history of Malaysia. Don’t you think these taxi men are more deserving than this half naked Bollywood star?
How many Malaysians has this half naked Bollywood star helped when shooting a movie in Malaysia? While the rest on Malaysian is worrying how to feed their family we have the UMNO elite class getting entertained by this half naked Bollywood star.
This gomen under UMNO has lost its way… to the point of no return.
#15 by khoo19 on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 12:25 pm
Indirectly it is saying the tourist department in Malacca is not doing their work. Should the budget go the Bollywood or tourist department.?
#16 by whattheheckman on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 3:52 pm
Even in India, when the No. 1 man, the President, gives an award to the actor, there were occasions they dont turn up. Even if they attend the ceremony, u can see some of them stupidly dressed.
Popular South Indian actor, Vijay, from Tamil Nadu received an award from the then President, Abdul Kalam, dressed so shabbly and unshaven. It appeared like a disgrace for a public function with the President of the world’s largest democracy in attendence as the guest of honour. But then, that is India, where some famous super star actor and actress are so popular with the general masses they hardly care two hoots for politicians and statesman.
So do you think Shah Rukh Khan has time for Malacca, leave alone the rest of Malaysia.
The Malacca state govt should give the award to some local indian who has done excellent public service to the people of malacca.
If I am not mistaken PPP President Kaveas once said that the Malacca CM did not nominate a single PPP office bearer for Datoship inspite of them having worked hard with the Malacca CM in rain and shine. Instead, he said 200 ppl got datoship and they dont even have an address in Malacca. I will apologise if I am wrong on this but I remember reading this in the press.
This is Malaysia and this will always be the case.
Incidently any malaysian actor or actress honoured in India?
#17 by cinaindiamelayubersatu on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 6:39 pm
1. jackie chan lagi layak dari siapa khan…
2. datukship bukan diberi tapi dibeli…nak murah beli dari mindanao la…
#18 by OldManoftheSea on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 6:39 pm
Have no idea who to give liau. Cheapen the “Datukship” And Sharul Khan do not know where the hell is Melaka although filmed in A’Farmosa resort. He only remember the resort. Ha!ha! ha! as I read in the paper today.
(Cheau Kah Lak Chui kee) laught until my teeth drop- a Hockien expression.
#19 by cinaindiamelayubersatu on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 6:43 pm
1. melaka, bagi la datuk kat lim kit siang & lim guan eng. lim guan eng kena masik jail sebab gadis melaka…
2. altantuya (may you rest in peace) pun layak juga sebab malaysia dah terkenal di seluruh dunia…paling tidak semua rakyat mongolia dah kenal malaysia kalau tak melaka…
#20 by ahkok1982 on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 9:12 pm
Reading in between the lines… why Shahruk? Of course to rope him to promote BN!!!!! Then he will be used to bring back all the Indian votes..
Whatever they do, it has something political.
Tell me that i am wrong.
#21 by riversandlakes on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 10:39 pm
This is so stupid. We make ourselves (again and again) the laughing stock of the world.
#22 by lopez on Sunday, 12 October 2008 - 10:58 pm
dont fall for it, it is bullshit , and it is just another publicity stunt as usual,
BTW pls look the rear side before you reverse your loory.
you might hit something you know…..smay velo always not as famous. even he unable to get audience so who are you a lahtuk from yee dia.
soory man not selling lah….spent so damn much of money and cant even produce a dwarf of p lamle.
sad , sad velly sad, what happen something wrong with the younger generation or something wrong with the people in moi
#23 by rotihailam on Monday, 13 October 2008 - 1:05 pm
It’s a great shame that the BN government as well as BN controlled state governments choose to honour foreigners for their dubious contributions to Malaysian society but at the same time ignore or discriminate in honouring Malaysians who have done much to make Malaysia proud. The 2 Malaysians of ethnic-Indian origin who reached the top of Mt Everest is a case in point. They were indeed honoured with some national awards for their heroism but it fell short of a Datukship whilst other Malaysians who swam the English Channel, sailed around the world as well as trekking to the two polar ice-caps were duly honoured with Datukships. It is my view that such discrepancies in the issue of Datukships speak volumes of the discriminatory practices of the BN government. Perhaps at least one of the Pakatan Rakyat state governments, in particular Selangor, should right this ‘wrong’ of the BN government by awarding these two fellas a Datukship each in the near future.
#24 by sivasundram on Monday, 13 October 2008 - 1:46 pm
Interesting comments on awarding a title to SRK and not to other movie personalties. I is quite simple really! SRK is a muslim!
#25 by Dr_Albert_Schweitzer on Monday, 13 October 2008 - 8:27 pm
C_ntleer & Rectum must be the most stupid persons in our land for making such a decision.
You can’t blame them because their brains had long been fossilized.
Please continue to expect moronic decision from both of them.
HaHaHa. Say Goodbye to your brains, C_ntleer & Rectum.
#26 by Kongseemik on Tuesday, 14 October 2008 - 12:45 am
Why are all the famous anak-anak Melaka being left out? To award Datukship to Shah Rukh Khan is sheer mockery, aptly described by the Malay peribahasa “Anak di pangku kelaparan, beruk di rimba disusui”!!!
#27 by kurt82 on Sunday, 7 December 2008 - 12:07 am
Better him than some of our so called “Dato’ / Datuk”!!!
#28 by eyeopening on Sunday, 7 December 2008 - 7:28 am
Just curious, why Shah Rukh Khan ? What was the recognition given to our very own heroes Magendran and Mohandas, the two Malaysians who first planted the Jalur Gemilang on Mount Everest in 1997. Why have they not been given their long-overdue proper recognition by government and nation .
Why ? We need the answer. Because they are Malaysians of Indian Origin? Come on guys – we are not naive. Everyone is watching the government and the racist Umno’s every blundering move.
It is sickening !