PETALING JAYA: A chief executive officer of a financial services company is under police investigation for allegedly falsely claiming to possess a "Datuk Seri" title from Selangor.
The individual had updated his LinkedIn account to state he received the Datuk Seri title in January 2025, following a claimed Datuk title in December 2024.
It is understood that the Malaysian has primarily worked overseas.
The issue surfaced when a copy of his purported watikah (appointment letter) appeared on social media.
Discrepancies were noted when the alleged copy stated the investiture ceremony occurred at Istana Negara instead of Istana Alam Shah.
Additionally, the letter was dated July 2024, whereas the Selangor palace investiture typically occurs on Dec 11 annually.
Police are investigating whether the suspect is involved in any scam.
The man also claimed to have multiple Masters in Business Administration from top universities.
The case has drawn the attention of the Selangor Palace.
On Friday, police announced an investigation into a Facebook account over the suspected false claim.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed that a report was lodged in Shah Alam against an individual allegedly misusing the title on social media.
The individual styled themselves as "Datuk Seri" and claimed the title was conferred by the Sultan of Selangor, although checks revealed no such conferment had occurred.
"The Selangor Commercial Crime Investigation Department has opened an investigation paper under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and Section 3(1) of the Offences Relating to Awards Act 2017," Comm Hussein said in a statement on Friday (April 4).
Those found guilty of using false honours or titles under the Act may face imprisonment of up to three years, while offences under Section 420 carry a jail sentence of between one and 10 years.
Comm Hussein stated that stern action would be taken against those who misuse or falsely claim royal honours or titles.
He urged anyone with information about the Facebook user to contact the police at 03-5520 2222.
He emphasised that titles bestowed by the Sultan of Selangor are symbols of honour and dignity that must be respected and protected from abuse.
The Selangor Palace also released a statement, confirming it had filed a police report regarding the matter.
"The Facebook account suggests that the individual was awarded the Darjah Kebesaran Seri Paduka Mahkota Selangor, conferring the title Datuk Seri, by the Sultan of Selangor," it stated in a Facebook post on Friday.
"Verification by the Selangor Royal Council confirmed that the Facebook account owner never received any 'Darjah Kebesaran' from the Sultan of Selangor or any other Selangor titles.
"It is clear that the suspect has illegally used the title Datuk Seri to deceive the public on Facebook," the palace said, adding that the account owner had been asked to assist the police in their investigation.
