Duo nabbed over false submission to Melaka Council of Datuks

MELAKA: A woman with a Datuk title and a male civil servant have been remanded for three days for allegedly submitting false documents to the Melaka Council of Datuks in a bid for membership.

The remand orders for both suspects, said to be in their 30s and 40s, were issued by magistrate Nabihah Mohd Noor on Wednesday (Oct 19) when they were produced at the court complex in Ayer Keroh here.

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The two are being investigated under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption (MACC) Act 2009 for intending to deceive via false claims.

The Datuk was detained at the MACC headquarters at Alai here when she turned up to give her statement on Tuesday (Oct 18) night.

The civil servant was also arrested on the same day.

The name on the membership application submitted to the council was not immediately known.

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Melaka MACC director Mohd Shahril Che Saad confirmed the arrests.

On Sunday (Oct 16), The Star reported that a move was being made by the Melaka Council of Datuks to obtain exclusive rights to honorary titles conferred by the state.

The move aims to stop any forms of abuse and to protect the various awards conferred by the Yang-di Pertua of Melaka, said council president Datuk Wira Jahaya Mat.

It was also to safeguard the image of the honorary titles bestowed upon individuals by the state, he added.

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Melaka confers titles through the Darjah Gemilang Seri Melaka (DGSM), which carries the title Datuk Seri; the Darjah Cemerlang Seri Melaka (DCSM) which carries the title Datuk Wira; the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM), which carries the title Datuk; and the Darjah Pangkuan Seri Melaka (DPSM), which also carries the title Datuk.

Jahaya said with the rights, the council will be able to take prompt punitive action against those who illegally sell, use or abuse the emblems of these titles.

Jahaya noted that last year, police investigated 37 cases relating to abuse of honorary titles from Melaka.