Put a uniform on a Malay and he is transformed; just like the Malay who becomes a politician. They allegedly become arrogant and obnoxious. They want it their way, all the time. They refuse to listen. They become unreasonable and demanding.
This description also fits many of today’s Datuks. Before they were conferred the "Datuk" title, these men and women were just ordinary citizens, like you and I, largely unknown outside their circle of friends.
What a difference an honorific, like a Datuk, can make. Doors are opened for them, but most important of all, they think they are above the law; like the Datuk from Penang who allegedly assaulted the security guard who filmed him removing a wheel clamp from his car.
Last week in Ampang, a lorry driver reversed into a Mercedes-Benz allegedly belonging to a Datuk. The lorry driver was allegedly mercilessly beaten and kicked like a rag-doll, as he lay on the ground.
Many members of the public and security guards witnessed around five men allegedly assaulting the lorry driver.
Why have we been reduced to a society of on-lookers? Looking the other way seems to be our favourite pastime.
The people who did not go to the rescue of the driver are a perfect example of the moral decline in Malaysia.
We are afraid that the Datuk and his thugs may hurt us or our families.
A few days after the video of the assault on the lorry driver went viral on YouTube, the suspects were finally rounded up. The arrest was swiftly followed with a warning from Selangor police chief Abdul Samah Mat not to share the registration number of the "Datuk’s" silver car online. [Editor's note: It has been established yesterday that the car owner did not carry the "Datuk" title.]
The top cops probably do not realise that the public have lost confidence in the police force.
The rakyat wonder if the police would have acted at all but for the video clip which went viral.
Rightly or wrongly, many people also believe that Datuks are untouchable. It is amazing how civil servants, including policemen, trip over one another to serve Datuks.
Despite the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arresting several Datuks for allegedly stealing several hundred million ringgits from the taxpayer, one very high-ranking Datuk still eludes both the MACC and the police for his role in the missing billions. Why?
In May 2016, a Datuk, who is alleged to be a special adviser to the PM, instructed his friends to drive in a mock convoy. The ‘bogus’ outriders in front of his Bentley tricked the KL traffic with their flashing lights and blaring sirens.
Suspicious traffic policemen stopped the convoy, and one of the Datuk’s bodyguards was found to be in possession of a firearm. The Datuk’s aides were arrested, whilst the Datuk was not apprehended. Why not? It was his convoy.
Perhaps the IGP he should ensure that his policemen do their jobs and attempt to regain our trust.