A TOUCHING content of vocal UMNO Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh ‘presenting’ his Datukship award to his parents soon after his return from Istana Melaka has set tongues wagging among netizens.

“Without you and dad, there’s no such thing as today … this is the share for you and dad … without your proper bring-up, your son won’t be getting this today,” the Merlimau state assemblyman told his mother who was weeping with joy.

Earlier, the Melaka state EXCO for Rural Development, Agriculture and Food Security was seen putting his sash around the shoulders of his wheelchair-bound father while reminding the latter that he owed it to him for all the success in life today.

“This is for you … thank you, dad … can call Datuk Saleh already,” the faithful son told his father as 40,000 likes, 5,500 comments and 2,200 shares poured in from netizens for the barely two-minute clip on his Facebook page.

For context, Akmal was conferred the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) which carries the title “Datuk” in conjunction with the 75th birthday of the Melaka governor Tun Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam yesterday (Aug 25).

He had joined 299 recipients of state awards, honours and medals led by newly-minted Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar who received the “Darjah Gemilang Seri Melaka (DGSM)” which carries the title “Datuk Seri”.

While his supporters showered him with praises, contending that the ‘grateful son’ deserved to be rewarded for championing the cause of “bangsa, agama dan negara” (race, religion and nation), few detractors chided the Russia-trained medical doctor for excessive clickbait and self-praise tendencies.

They also wondered how a samurai sword-wielding politician who had incited racial and religious hatred in the country should deserve such recognition.

Few netizens also questioned Akmal’s made-to-believe prodigal son portrayal when he had not been in good terms with his siblings.

Some also lamented how one can get rewarded for all the wrong reasons in Malaysia.

To cut a long story short, one netizen summed up best by hoping that the UMNO Youth head would be more well-behaved after being conferred the Datukship title. - Aug 26, 2024

https://focusmalaysia.my/detractors-question-logic-behind-king-of-boycott-hero-malaya-being-conferred-datukship/