![]() ![]() The top man – the king who sits on the throne in Kuala Lumpur and comes from a different royal family each term – takes the title Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (YDP), which translates as “He who is made supreme lord.” The heads of each royal family in each state is known as the Sultan, except in Negeri Sembilan when he is known as Yang Di-Pertuan Besar (“he who is made a great lord”) and in Perlis where he is Raja. Titles for the royals are hereditary and only used by members of royal families in the nine royal states. While even some local people despair at the confusion and proliferation of titles, there are many who feel this is a strong and important element of the country’s heritage, and titles are still highly prized by those who receive them. Originally the monopoly of the ruling aristocracy, titles and honorifics gradually became available to the common Malay people too, but the aristocracy always retained certain titles they preferred (such as Zulkarnain meaning double-horned or Mu’azam meaning great).ĭespite considerable influence from the British during the period before independence, Malaysia retained its complicated titles that are vastly different from that of the British system, and they remain in common use today. The system of honorifics and titles was in existence long before the colonialists arrived to claim this areas theirs, and the original titles were Hindu-Buddhist, merging with Islamic honorifics (such as Sultan and Shah) when Islam arrived in the country and thus creating longer, more complicated titles. Also, by learning a few basic rules, expats can more easily identify when to expect royalty and when just a wealthy businessman, when to use Datuk and when Dato’ works just as well. ![]() It is, however, an intriguing topic and one that offers a little insight into the structuring of society. ![]() One of the things that befuddles many foreigners in Malaysia is the dizzying array of honorifics and titles that pepper the names of the powerful.įrom mouth-achingly long titles for the royal family to the unfathomable difference between Datuk and Dato’, Tun and Tuan, any expats that have to deal with these people in some naming capacity often resort to seeking help from local colleagues, memorising the long titles without any clue of what they mean or stand for. Is it Dato’ Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak or Datuk Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak? What is the difference?! Sarah Rees attempts to shed some light on the complicated titles and honorifics in Malaysia and guide expats through the complicated tangle of addressing VIPs. ![]()
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