Verity journal

PETALING JAYA: Syndicates offering fake datukships are able to swindle their victims of millions of ringgit by being very convincing and operating with “authority”.

Police sources familiar with such investigations said the modus operandi was simple – meet at expensive hotels, pay for the meeting and after the bait is taken, fleece the victim.

“In one of the investigations, we found two people who allegedly conned more than seven others into parting with some RM700,000.

“The victims actually believed that an investiture would be held in a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

“However, when the victims realised the Sultan’s absence on that day, the excuse given by the tricksters would be that the Sultan was unwell.

“Eventually, when the victims found out their datukship was not recognised by any state and lodged a police report, it was too late,” said one police officer who is based in Kelantan.

The officer warned those desperate for a Datuk title that they were committing a crime if they bought it from any state, as stipulated under the Penal Code.

The latest Datukship scam was detected early this year in Kelantan.

State police chief Datuk Dr Ab Rahman Ismail said a 66-year-old man not related to the Kelantan royal family managed to convince his victims otherwise.

Initial investigations showed that at least 10 victims, mostly businessmen, were cheated.

The syndicate had allegedly sold the bogus titles for at least RM200,000 each.

In Sabah, opaque syndicates, with members close to the Sulu Sultanate, operate the selling of titles, according to the Sabah Suluk Cooperation Council.

Its secretary Mohd Zaki Harry Susanto said the syndicates would approach “potential individuals” and if they were interested, they would be given a form to complete.

“These ‘potential individuals’ usually have a lot of money and are obsessed with titles,” he said, adding that they would pay thousands of ringgit for them.