Selangor top cop: We'll come down hard on fake Datuks

PETALING JAYA: Police in Selangor are coming down hard on those who use fake honorific titles for various activities, especially impersonation and cheating, said Comm Datuk Mazlan Mansor.

The Selangor police chief said posing as a "Datuk" or "Datuk Seri" is tantamount to insulting the royal institution.

"We have cases of individuals using these fake titles including someone who used a fake letter supposedly issued by the Selangor Palace.

"We will not tolerate such blatant disregard for the law and the royal institution," he told The Star on Wednesday (April 11).

The latest case involved a 64-year-old man who was detained last month in connection with a fake letter offering the Darjah dan Bintang Kebesaran Negeri Selangor honorific title which carries the title "Datuk".

He was posing as Selangor Council of the Royal Court secretary.

"We have already wrapped up the case. We are waiting for the decision by the Attorney-General's Chambers on the matter," Comm Mazlan said.

The police proposed that the suspect be charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code for using a forged document, which carries a jail sentence of up to two years or a fine or both on conviction as well as under Section 4a of the Selangor State Enactment, which carries a fine of up to RM500,000 or up to five years imprisonment or both upon conviction.

It is learnt that the state enactment was amended by Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah in 2016, to ensure that proper punishment was meted out against those who used fake honorific titles.

Comm Mazlan said there were also cases of individuals with fake titles who even challenged and attempted to intimidate the police.

He cited the example of a married couple who claimed to be a Datuk Seri and Datin Seri when they were stopped by police in Klang over a traffic violation.

"Upon checking, we discovered that they were merely sundry shop owners  who used the titles to 'get their way' when confronted by the authorities," he said.

Elements of the underworld are also using fake titles to boost recruitment for new members, added Comm Mazlan.

"We are very serious in coming down hard against all these dodgy elements in the state.

"As you can see, the punishment for such offences is very serious, thus I hope the public will not be involved in such crimes. We are heeding the call of the Sultan, who do not want anyone to insult the royal institution by using or selling the fake titles," he said.

Those who still disregard the warning will face the full brunt of the law, vowed Comm Mazlan.