Googling the Datuks

Googling the background of people is a new common trend amongst headhunters (when was the last time you googled yourself?).

Now, the Sultan of Selangor, a State in Malaysia, intends to set up a website that allows the public not only to check on the progress in the state will have an interesting section, where the public can check on the background of Datuks in the state.

Datukship is normally given to outstanding personalities in Malaysia by the Sultans or the King personally - sometimes, and in special cases, the title Datuk can also be bought. However, recent scandals, such as a murder case, suspicion of corruption or the total number of Datukship's granted, engulfed the whole institution of this formerly very exclusive "club".

In perspective, the Sultan's move into the Internet marks a significant step forward to transparency in the whole process. Let's just hope that the website will be updated frequently to keep track of the number of Datuks and to allow the googling public to gain as much information as possible.