Michael Chong, speaking to FMT, pointed out that candidates were required to submit their applications five months ahead of the selection process.
“This is to allow the relevant authorities to check on their credibility,” he said.
Checks are supposed to be carried out by agencies such as the police, the Immigration Department, the Income Tax Office, the Insolvency Department and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission as well as by banks.
“The police checks, especially, are a must,” said Chong. “It is to know if an individual is a thug.”
Last Monday, police said a datuk was among 18 people believed to be members of the 04 secret society who were detained in Penang on Oct 30 and 31.
Penang CID chief Zainol Samah said the datuk was believed to be the gang’s leader in the state.
Two weeks ago, a 29-year-old datuk seri, Liow Soon Hee, was charged in court over the assault of three Rela officers.
Chong, who heads MCA’s public services and complaints department, said the number of datuks exhibiting unbecoming behaviour or getting involved in crime was in fact increasing.
“I wonder why this is happening?” he said. “Are all the candidates checked thoroughly?”
Some states appear to be more selective than others in awarding titles.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor, for example, has given fewer than 30 datuk titles in the last three years.
He has imposed strict conditions, including a minimum age of 45.
Sultan Ibrahim of Johor said in March that he might confer only one or two such titles when he celebrates his birthday this year.
In a recent press interview, the Johor ruler said: “In Malaysia, if I were to close my eyes and throw a pebble, it may hit the head of a datuk and that pebble may bounce off and hit the head of another datuk and, if luck has it, the pebble may also hit a tan sri.”
Chong also said there had been cases of people claiming to be datuks when they had never been conferred the title.
“It is difficult for the public to check,” he said.
The National Patriots Association recently issued a statement urging recipients of such titles to ensure that they honour the rulers by keeping away from unsavoury activities.
It said the ruler of a state would traditionally award titles only to loyal and trusted subjects of unblemished and distinguished character.
“This would mean that the recipient of the title is a person of a reasonable age, certainly not a 29-year-old, as we see today,” it said.
Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran also commented on the issue.
“I think the award of titles must be made stringent, and only the best be conferred,” he said.
“In England, when titles are conferred, we do not hear of drawbacks or someone being unfit to hold his title. They regulate themselves. That kind of standard must come to this country.”
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