Malay salutations and honorary degrees

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The Malay language has a complex system of honorary titles and salutations that are still commonly used today in Malaysia and Brunei . Singapore , whose monarchy was abolished in 1891 by the British colonial government, has, however, introduced civil titles.

Awarding honorary titles and forms of salutation is still the order of the day in Malaysia, Brunei and some Indonesian provinces. However, the following statements refer exclusively to Malaysia. References to Brunei and Indonesia are included where relevant.

All non-heritable titles in Malaysia can be bestowed on both men and women. Each title also has a form that can be used by the title holder's wife. Conversely, however, this form is not used by the husband of a woman with a title, rather the woman then receives the title intended for male titleholders.

Title hierarchy

The order of precedence that should be used when addressing a title holder formally in writing or in a salutation is as follows:

  • Honorary title,
  • professional rank,
  • hereditary titles of the royal houses,
  • titles awarded by the state,
  • state-awarded titles,
  • inheritance titles not awarded by the royal family,
  • Doctor (of medicine or philosophy),
  • Haji / Hajjah (for Muslims - men or women - who have completed a Hajj ),
  • Surname.

A salutation that a person is entitled to based on their royal origin always trumps a salutation based on a non-royal title. Male members of the royal family may optionally add al-Haj to their name instead of the Haji . The following example would be correct:

  • Yang Amat Mulia Jeneral Tengku Dato '(Name) al-Haj

Honorary title

The following honorary titles are used both as a suffix in front of the following titles and as a salutation:

  • Tuan Yang Terutama (TYT) (literally "The Most Perfect Lord") is the salutation for the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of a state and corresponds to the salutation "Your / His Excellency". The title is also used for ambassadors of another country residing in Malaysia, e.g. BTYT Tuan Christopher J. LaFleur .
  • Yang Amat Berhormat (YAB) (literally "The Honorable") is the salutation for the Prime Minister , the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Ministers of the states of Malaysia .
  • Yang Berhormat (YB) (literally "The Honorable") is the salutation for members of parliament and members of the state legislative assemblies. A prince who is also a member of parliament is dubbed Yang Berhormat Mulia . B. Yang Berhormat Mulia Tengku Tan Sri Razaleigh Hamzah, who sits in Parliament for the Gua Musang constituency.
Yang Berhormat are also named holders of the First Degree Crown of Johor (SPMJ) regardless of whether they are members of parliament or not.
  • Yang Amat Arif (YAA) (literally "The Most Scholar") is the title of Chief Justice of Malaysia, President of the Malaysian Court of Appeals, Chairman of the Supreme Court of Malaya, and Chairman of the Supreme Court of Sabah and Sarawak.
  • Yang Arif (YA) (literally "The Scholarly") is the title of a judge.
  • Yang Berbahagia (Y.Bhg.) (Literally "The Excellent") and variants of it are the titles of people with a knightly title.
  • Orang Kaya Kaya (OKK) is the honorary title of the highest chief of an indigenous group in Sabah.

Hereditary titles of the royal houses

The following titles are hereditary and reserved for the royal families of the nine monarchies in Malaysia and the royal families of Brunei .

Malaysia

  • Yang di-Pertuan Agong (literally "He who was made ruler") is the official title of the ruler of Malaysia , who is chosen from among the ranks of the monarchs of the nine royal houses. The title is usually translated as "king" in western countries.
  • Yang di-Pertuan Besar (literally "He who was made ruler") is the official title of the ruler of Negeri Sembilan . All other rulers - with the exception of the Raja of Perlis - are sultans .
  • Yang di-Pertua Negeri is the title of the head of state of those states that do not have a hereditary ruler.
  • Tuanku is on the one hand a title if it is in front of the name, on the other hand a salutation if Tuanku stands on its own. Tuanku is reserved for Malay rulers. It literally means "My Lord" and can also be understood as "Your Majesty" or "Your Highness" in personal address. Tuanku is not translated. In Sarawak , Tuanku is used by some noble families. In Aceh , an Indonesian province, the children and grandchildren of a ruling monarch are known as Tuanku .
  • Tengku is roughly synonymous with a prince or princess. Other spellings are Tunku in Johor , Negeri Sembilan and Kedah , and Ungku or Engku Ansaruddin Agus to characterize certain lines of the family tree. Raja is used in Perak and some family trees of Selangor, and Syed / Sharifah in Perlis in conjunction with the trailing name of the royal Jamalullail clan.

Brunei

  • Yang di-Pertuan Negara (literally "He who was made ruler of the state") is the official title of the Sultan of Brunei and can also be simply translated as "head of state". The title was used in Singapore until independence in 1965 ; since then, the head of state has only been dubbed “ president ”.
  • Pengiran Muda and Pengiran Anak are used as honorable designations in front of the names of direct members of the royal family.
  • Pengiran is a hereditary honorific for those who are related by blood to the royal family. The title precedes the name.
    • Awangku is the honorary designation for male descendants of a pengiran as long as they are not married. The title precedes the name.
    • Dayangku is the honorary designation for female descendants of a pengiran as long as they are not married. The title precedes the name.

Formal salutations of high-ranking persons

  • Ke Bawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia (literally: "The dust under the feet of His Exalted Highness") is used for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and equal rulers of other states. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong also uses the predicate Seri Paduka Baginda (literally: "Vanquisher Majesty"), while its title is often translated as His Majesty ("His Majesty") in English.
  • Yang Teramat Mulia is used for the children of ruling sultans (with the exception of Negeri Sembilan) and by Dato 'Kelana, the Undang of Sungai Ujong in Negeri Sembilan .
  • Yang Amat Mulia is used for the children of the rulers of Negeri Sembilan and Johor , the Undang of Jelebu, Johol and Rembau and the Tunku Besar of Tampin in Negeri Sembilan.
  • Yang Mulia is the title of heirs and heirs, whose descent goes back to the royal houses.

Titles awarded by the state

In Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is responsible for state-awarded titles. The titles listed below are non-hereditary honorary titles. Titles awarded by the state can be revoked by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or returned individually.

To do

The title to do has existed in Malay society for hundreds of years. In earlier times, Tun was used as an honorary title for a nobleman of royal descent. It was hereditary within male offspring.

Over time, Tun became a title bestowed by the Agong on those who had done great service to the nation. The wife of a do is called Toh Puan .

Doing is the highest state awarded title. It is awarded to holders of the order SMN ( Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara ) or SSM ( Seri Setia Mahkota ). However, the SMN and SSM are not the highest government awards, but rank fourth and fifth respectively. The named awards may not be given to more than 35 living individuals at a time, this restriction only applying to Malaysian nationals.

Toh Puan

The title for the wife of a do is Toh Puan .

Tan Sri

Tan Sri is the second highest state-conferred title and is tied to the bestowal of the orders Panglima Mangku Negara (PMN) and Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM). PMN and PSM rank seventh and eighth of the state awards. The wife of a Tan Sri is called a Puan Sri . The PMN award may not be issued to more than 75 living persons, while the maximum number of the PSM award may not exceed 250. Again, these restrictions only apply to Malaysian nationals.

Former Deputy Prime Minister and current Minister for Home Affairs of Malaysia Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin holds this title.

Datuk

Datuk is a state-awarded title that has been conferred since 1965. It is limited to the recipients of the order Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN) and Panglima Setia Diraja (PSD) (each maximum 200 living people). The orders PJN and PSD rank ninth and tenth of the awards given by the state.

The wife of a state-appointed Datuk is the Datin .

State-awarded titles

The states of Malaysia have their own titles, which are awarded by the individual rulers or the Yang di-Pertua Negeri . These titles are honorary and not hereditary. State-awarded titles can be revoked or returned by their holder at any time.

Dato 'Sri

Dato 'Sri or Dato' Seri is the highest title that can be bestowed by the ruler of a sultanate on those who have made special merits for Malaysia or the state. The rank of title is below that of doing and is equivalent to that of Tan Sri . The wife of such a title holder is Datin Sri .

The title of the former Prime Minister of Malaysia is Dato 'Sri Najib Tun Razak . Current Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad and former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also held the title of Dato 'Sri during their reigns . Then they were awarded the highest state title Do by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong .

Since Dato 'Sri is the highest title that can be awarded in a state, there is a limit to the number of titleholders. The respective ruler awards this title once a year to a few people on the occasion of their birthday celebrations. In Selangor a maximum of two Dato 'Sri (SPMS) can be awarded annually and the total number of 40 living titleholders must not be exceeded. However, these restrictions only apply to Malaysian nationals.

Some rulers also award titles that are above the Dato 'Sri but are only valid within their state, e.g. B. the title Dato 'Sri Utama in the state of Negeri Sembilan .

Datuk Seri

Datuk Seri is awarded in the states that do not have a ruler. In the states of Melakka , Penang and Sabah , the Yang di-Pertua Negeri gives the title Datuk Seri, which is equivalent to the title of a Dato 'Sri and is pronounced the same way.

When naming the title in the media, care should be taken with the interpretation, as Dato 'Sri and Datuk Seri are often referred to as Datuk Seri .

Date '

Dato ' is the most common highly regarded title in Malaysia. The wife of a Dato ' is the Datin, except in Terengganu where she is dubbed To' Puan (not to be confused with a Toh Puan , the wife of a non-hereditary do ).

The title Dato ' (which is pronounced exactly like Datuk) may only be bestowed by one of the nine hereditary rulers of the Malaysian states. In Brunei, too, it is a title that is awarded.

There is also the hereditary title of a date from Negeri Sembilan . This title is not bestowed by the ruler, but is regulated by traditional laws of the indigenous population. The wife of a hereditary Dato ' is politely addressed as To' Puan .

In other countries, certain noble families also have hereditary titles and are dubbed 'Dato' . For example, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato 'Sri Najib Tun Razak , is hereditary orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar of Pahang . His correct address would be Dato ' although he was not appointed Dato' Sri (SSAP)

The title can be awarded to foreigners on an unscheduled and honorary basis. In this case, its validity is limited locally.

Dato is a title of nobility in Timor and is also used in the Philippines .

Datuk

Datuk is the title of a Yang di-Pertua Negeri appointed by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong. The Yang di-Pertuan Negeri from Melakka , Penang , Sabah and Sarawak are also allowed to award the title Datuk , but not the title Dato ' .

Some states grant specific titles, such as Datuk Wira in the state of Melakka and Datuk Amar and Datuk Patinggi in the state of Sarawak. The title can be awarded to foreigners on an unscheduled and honorary basis. In this case, its validity is limited locally.

Pehin

This title is mainly used in Brunei and Sarawak. An example of a Brunei holder of this title is the former Minister of the Interior Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa. In Sarawak, for example, the title is worn by the current Prime Minister Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib.

JP

JP (Justice of Peace) (dts. " Magistrate ") are of rank forth below all Dato ' or Datuk settled. Magistrates of the peace in Malaysian local courts have been largely replaced by legally qualified and fully trained magistrates.

Despite this, state governments continue to appoint honorary justice of the peace. In 2004, some associations of friend judges enforced against the government of Malaysia that these justice of the peace be admitted as second class judges in the local courts in order to reduce the backlog of unresolved court cases. The title can be awarded to foreigners on an unscheduled and honorary basis. In this case, its validity is limited locally.

Dato Paduka

Dato Paduka is the most widely awarded title in Brunei . He is a grade of the order Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Yang Amat Mulia (The Most Honorable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei) . A Dato Paduka's wife is called Datin; unless the title holder is a woman herself, she would then be dubbed Datin Paduka . Other versions of the Dato Paduka include Dato Seri Paduka, Dato Paduka Seri, Dato Laila Utama, Dato Paduka Seri Laila Jasa . These titles are bestowed by His Highness the Sultan of Brunei; none of them are hereditary.

Other hereditary titles

  • Pengiran, synonymous with Tengku (prince)
  • Raja, the application varies according to the lineage
  • Ungku, in some states for descendants on the maternal side of the ruling house
  • Raden, a royal family name that can be used in various Malay sultanates in Kalimantan and is very common among the Malays in Pontianak .
  • Syed is a title carried by the male descendants of the male line of the Prophet Mohammed via his grandsons Hassan and Hussein . Female descendants bear the title Syarifah or Sharifah .

Other salutations

  • Haji (or Hajjah in the feminine form) can be used by people who have completed a Hajj . This title is shown with Hj. Or Hjh. abbreviated.
  • Tuan is synonymous with the term master . Because of its colonial undertone, this title is rarely found today on its own, but it can be placed in front of the title Syed and Haji without any problems . It is also used for untitled members of parliament and members of the state parliaments. In some states, such as B. Kelantan, the salutation also denotes a member of the royal family.
  • Encik (abbreviated En. ) Is the common form of address for all male, adult persons and corresponds to the "Herr" in German that precedes the surname.
  • Puan (abbreviated Pn. ) Can be used for all female, married women. The salutation is equivalent to the English salutation "Mdm./Madam". Since a married woman does not bear the name of her husband in the Malay culture area, the expression puan cannot be associated with the German expression "woman + surname". In contrast, married women of Chinese-Malaysian descent with (Malay) Puan + first name or (English) Mdm. + First name addressed.
  • Cik corresponds to the term Fräulein , which is no longer used in German, and is applied to all unmarried women.

Awards

Malaysian government

There is currently a hierarchy of 28 awards. The titles and forms of address associated with the award of an award have already been presented above.

Sabah

The state of Sabah has created the order of knights Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Kinabalu (The Illustrious Order of Kinabalu) based on a parliamentary resolution . Admission to the Order is linked to the right to use a title, namely:

  • The first degree (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Kinabalu) gives the bearer the title Datuk Seri Panglima. Their wives bear the title Datin Seri Panglima. The title may be placed in front of the name, and the abbreviation SPDK may also be inserted after the name.
  • The second degree ( Knight Commander of the Order of Kinabalu; German: "Grand Commander") gives the bearer the title Datuk. Their wives bear the title of Datin. The title may be placed in front of the name, and the abbreviation PGDK may also be added after the name.
  • The third degree only includes the addition of the abbreviation ASDK after the name.
  • The fourth degree only includes the addition of the abbreviation ADK after the name.

Revocation of titles

In the past, some Datuk attracted public attention because of their not exactly exemplary lifestyle; some were even convicted of crimes. For this reason, steps have been taken within the sultanates to secure the reputation of the titles. This includes both the summons for “consultations” and the withdrawal of titles that have already been awarded.

Selangor

  • When the Datos of Selangor tried to found an association of the Datos in Selangor , the application was initially approved by the authority keeping the register of associations . The plan was postponed after the Sultan threatened to immediately revoke his title from any Dato who joined this association.
  • In 2003, the Sultan of Selangor withdrew the titles of four Datuks.

Pahang

  • In 2004 the Sultan of Pahang withdrew the titles from two dates.

Criticism of the awarding practice

In the early days of Malaysia, honorary degrees were given sparingly. In the first cabinet after independence in 1957, only five of the 15 ministers had the rank of datuk. The then Finance Minister Tan Siew Sin was justice of the peace; later he was given the title of Doing. The father of Malaysian independence, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj , received no titles, but as Prince of Kedah State he held the hereditary title of Tunku . His formal address was Yang Teramat Mulia . Only 14 Datuk were represented in the Senate and seven Datuk in Parliament.

The inflationary allocation practice of the last few years has increasingly attracted critics. Tun criticized Dr. Mahathir that the main problem with titles is their downright devaluing amount of awards. In an interview he said: "I personally believe that something is only of value if it is limited ... When a million Ferraris are produced, nobody will want a Ferrari anymore."

Raja Muda Raja Nazrin Shah , the Crown Prince of Perak stated, "Sometimes I think that we have given too many Datuk ... that dilutes and devalues ​​the title."

When the state government of Penang elevated the 25-year-old squash world champion Nicol David and the Olympic silver medalist Lee Chong Wei to Datuk in May 2009, this sparked heated discussions because of the young age of the title recipients. The state government of Melakka also received criticism after it awarded the Datuk title to the Indian actor Shahrukh Khan for using the state of Melakka as a location for his films.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b pengiran . In: Malay Dictionary . Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka . Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  2. ↑ a b Darjah Kebesaran Negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan . Retrieved March 2, 2010.
  3. ↑ Pahang . Retrieved March 2, 2010.
  4. ↑ http://bruneiresources.blogspot.com/2008/09/pehin-in-brunei.html
  5. ↑ Web presence of the Prime Minister of Sarawak ( Memento of the original from January 4, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Accessed September 25, 2012 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / chiefministertaib.sarawak.gov.my
  6. ↑ http://bruneiresources.com/bintang.html
  7. ↑ The Star Online: Interview with Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed , October 19, 2004; Accessed January 7, 2013
  8. ↑ The Sun Daily: Circumstances of pomp ( Memento of the original from December 5, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. January 15, 2010; Accessed January 7, 2013 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.thesundaily.my
  9. ↑ Francis Paul Siah No Datukship For Kids ; Accessed January 6, 2013. Quoted in Praveen's blog (full text).
  10. ↑ asianweekly: Malaysian award for Bollywood star upsets locals ; October 18, 2008 edition; Accessed January 6, 2013

Remarks

  1. ↑ Explanation: SSAP = award of the state of Pahang
  2. ↑ Women of Chinese-Malaysian descent also do not take the name of their husbands when they marry.

Web links