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The Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders. The Philippines historically used Malay titles in its pre-Hispanic history as evidenced by historical figures Rajah Sulayman, Lakandula and Dayang Kalangitan. Malay titles are still used by the traditional royal houses of Sulu, Maguindanao, Maranao and Iranun in the southern Philippines.^[1][2][3][4]

Indonesia, meanwhile, despite being a Republic, recognizes several hereditary rulers and aristocratic systems, mostly those who supported the Independence movement of 1945. The late wife of former President Suharto, for example, was the Raden Ayu Siti Hartinah, not as some say, Madame Suharto. (Under the Dutch in Java, similarly, descendants of the Majoors, Kapiteins and Luitnens der Chinezen were entitled to the hereditary title "Sia".) In the 1930s, the colonial government abolished these titles and Peranakan feudalism, during implementation of their "social policy", whose goal was establishing a more egalitarian society.^{[citation needed]}

Today, Malaysia, Brunei and several provinces in Indonesia still regularly award honorary and life titles. What follows is specific to the Malaysian system. References to Brunei and Indonesia are given when pertinent.

In Malaysia, all non-hereditary titles can be granted to both men and women. Every title has a form which can be used by the wife of the title holder. This form is not used by the husband of a titled woman; such a woman will bear a title which is the same as a titled man.

The sequence that should be used when formally writing or addressing a person's name is as follows:

Honorary Style, Professional Rank, Royal Hereditary Title, Federal Title, State Title, Non-royal Hereditary Title, Doctor (of medicine or philosophy), Haji/Hajjah (for Muslim men and women who have performed the Hajj), Name.

A "style" carried by virtue of royal title always trumps those carried by non-royal titles. Male royals may choose to append "al-Haj" to their name instead of using "Haji". The following example is correct:

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

Malay royalty[link]

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

Malaysia[link]

• Yang di-Pertuan Agong (literally, "He who is made Supreme Lord" but usually "Supreme Head" or "Paramount Ruler") is the official title of the ruler of all Malaysia, elected from among the nine heads of the royal families. The title is often glossed King in English.
• Yang di-Pertuan Besar (literally "He who is made Great Lord", but often "Great Lord") is the official title of the Ruler of Negeri Sembilan. All other Rulers are Sultans except the Raja of Perlis.
• Yang di-Pertua Negeri is not a royal title, but the title of a Governor of a state which does not have a hereditary ruler.
• Tuanku is both a title when used before a name and form of address when used alone, and is reserved for the Malay Rulers. It literally means "My Lord", and as a form of address can be glossed as "Your Majesty" or "Your Highness", but is left untranslated when used as a title. In Sarawak, "Tuanku" is the prefix used by certain noble families. In Aceh, a province of Indonesia, "Tuanku" is given to children and grandchildren of a ruling monarch.
• Tengku (also spelled Tunku in Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Kedah, and Ungku or Engku to denote particular lineages, and Raja in Perak and certain Selangor lineages, and Syed/Sharifah in Perlis if suffixed by the royal clan name "Jamalullail") is roughly equivalent to Prince or Princess. Tengku is also royal hereditary Malay title in eastern Sumatra which is part of Alam Melayu (Malay World). East Sumatra have several Malay sultanate such as Sultanate of Langkat, Sultanate of Serdang, Sultanate of Deli, Sultanate of Asahan, Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura, Tengku Besar of Pelalawan and Sultanate of Riau-Lingga

Brunei[link]

• 'Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan' is the official title of the Sultan of Brunei. The present Sultan's official name (with full title) is "Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Muizzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam"
• The Crown Prince has the title "Pegiran Muda Mahkota".
• The Sultan's sons would have the title "Pengiran Muda" while his daughters would have the title "Pengiran Anak Puteri"
• Pengiran is a hereditary honorific prefix for people who have blood ties with the royal family.
  • Awangku is the honorific for male children of a pengiran who are unmarried.^[5]
  • Dayangku is the honorific for female children of a pengiran who are unmarried.^[5]

Styles on formal Malaysian notices[link]

• 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 state Rulers alike. However, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong also uses the prefix "Seri Paduka Baginda" (literally, "Conqueror Majesty") and in English, his title is often translated as "His Majesty". A state Ruler is "His Royal Highness" (before 1971, "His Highness"). Since 1984, the ruler of Johor has used the title "Baginda" as well, but he is still referred to in English as "His Royal Highness". The ruler of Perak also uses the prefix "Paduka Seri" which is derived from the archaic formula "Paduka Seri Maulana". The ruler of Negeri Sembilan also used the prefix "Paduka Seri" between 1993 and 2004 (this has since been dropped). These titles are not used as a form of address - instead Tuanku is used.
• Yang Teramat Mulia is used by the children of reigning Sultans (except in Negeri Sembilan) and by the Dato' Kelana, the Undang of Sungai Ujong in Negeri Sembilan
• Yang Amat Mulia is used by the children of the ruler of Negeri Sembilan and Johor, the Undang of Jelebu, Johol and Rembau and the Tunku Besar of Tampin in Negeri Sembilan
• Yang Mulia translates to His/ Her Grace, used for heirs and heiresses, who are the descendants of royal families.

Federal titles[link]

In Malaysia, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong grants federal title awards. Some may carry the following federal titles. Such titles are honorary and non-hereditary. Federal title may be revoked by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and may be returned by the individual.

Tun[link]

The Tun title has existed in the Malay society for hundreds of years. In ancient times, Tun was an honorific title used by noble people of royal lineage. Tun is a title inherited by the male descendants.

Over time, the Tun title has become a title conferred by the Agong to the most deserving recipient who has highly contributed to the nation. The wife of a Tun is Toh Puan. The highest federal award granted by the Malaysian government is the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SPGP).

Tun is the most senior federal title awarded to recipients of either the SMN (Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara) or SSM (Seri Setia Mahkota). However, the SMN and SSM are not the highest federal awards. The SMN ranks fourth in order of Federal Awards and the SSM ranks fifth.

There may not be more than 35 local living holders of each of these awards at any one time. The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects. Foreigners may receive the award in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.

Toh Puan[link]

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

Tan Sri[link]

Tan Sri is the second most senior federal title and an honorific used to denote recipients of the Panglima Mangku Negara (PMN) and the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM). The PMN and PSM rank seventh and eighth respectively in the order of Malaysian Federal Awards. The wife of a Tan Sri is called Puan Sri.

There may be at any time up to a maximum of 75 living PMN holders, and a maximum of 250 living PSM holders. The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects. Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and may use the title locally.

The current Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia has the title Tan Sri, and is known as Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Datuk[link]

Datuk is a federal title that has been conferred since 1965. It is limited to recipients of Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN), of which there may be up to 200 living at any one time, and Panglima Setia Diraja (PSD), of which there may be up to 200 living at any one time. The PJN and PSD rank 9th and 10th respectively in the rank of federal awards.

The wife of a federal Datuk is a Datin.

A female conferred the title in her own right is formally known as "Datin Paduka"; the prefix "Datuk" is more commonly used for women as well as men.

The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects. Foreigners may receive the award in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.

Individual states that have a head of state nominated by the respective state's legislature may confer the title of 'Datuk' to individuals. However, this is different from the title "Dato'". The latter is awarded by individual states headed by a Sultan, and not a head of state nominated by the state legislature. For example, the Yang Dipertua Negeri Melaka is the non-hereditary head of state nominated by the Melaka state legislature. He may confer the title of 'Datuk'. The Sultan of Pahang is the hereditary ruler of the state and may confer the title of "Dato'". Individual rulers (and their staff) determine the award of these titles.

State titles[link]

In Malaysia, the Ruler and Governor grants state title awards. Some may carry the following state titles. Such titles are honorary and non-hereditary. State title may be revoked by the Ruler or Governor, and may be returned by the individual.

Dato' Sri[link]

Dato' Sri or Dato' Seri is the highest state title conferred by the Ruler on the most deserving recipients who have contributed greatly to the nation or state. It ranks below the federal title Tun and is an honor equivalent to Tan Sri. The wife of a recipient is Datin Sri.

The current Prime Minister of Malaysia's title is Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak. Both former Prime Ministers Mahathir bin Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also held the title Dato' Sri during their administrations. After retirement, both received Malaysia's most senior federal title Tun, conferred by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Since Dato' Sri is the most senior state title, there is a limited quota that can be awarded in each state. The Ruler only confers such an honorary title to a very few recipients during the Ruler's royal birthday celebration every year. In Selangor, a maximum of 2 Dato' Sri (SPMS)^[6] state awards can be conferred each year, up to a maximum of 40 living Dato' Sri (SPMS)^[6] holders at any one time. The numerical limits apply only to Malaysian subjects.

Some rulers grant awards which carry highest titles unique to that state, such as Dato' Sri Utama of the state of Negeri Sembilan.

Datuk Seri[link]

Datuk Seri is also the most senior state title conferred only by the governor to the most deserving recipient who has highly contributed to the nation or state.

A governor who is appointed by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong, namely the Governor of Melaka, Penang, Sabah except Sarawak, can award the Datuk Seri title and such honorary title is equivalent with Dato' Sri.

However, both titles Dato' Sri and Datuk Seri may cause confusion since Malaysia media and press may address Dato' Sri title holders as Datuk Seri.

Dato'[link]

Dato' is the most common highly regarded title in Malaysia. The wife of a Dato' is a Datin, except in Terengganu where they are known as "To' Puan" (not to be confused with "Toh Puan", the wife of a non-hereditary "Tun").

The Dato' (pronounced in similar manner to Datuk) may only be conferred by a hereditary royal ruler of one of the nine Malay states.

There are also hereditary Dato's from Negeri Sembilan, where titles are held for life by heads of certain families and passed on to their heirs. These are not conferred by the ruler, but passed on through the customary native laws. The wife of a hereditary Dato' is addressed by courtesy as "To' Puan".

In other states, certain noble families also have hereditary titles and are addressed as Dato'. For example, the current Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak, is hereditary Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar of Pahang. He would have been addressed as "Dato'" even if he had not been conferred a "Dato' Sri" (SSAP)^[7] state award of Pahang.

Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.

Datuk[link]

A governor who is appointed by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong. The Governors of Melaka, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak can confer the title Datuk, not Dato'.

Some state governors grant awards which carry titles unique to that state, such as Datuk Wira of the state of Melaka, and Datuk Amar and Datuk Patinggi of the state of Sarawak. Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.

Pehin[link]

This title is mainly used in Brunei and Sarawak. An example of the title in Brunei would be Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa, the former Minister of Home Affairs.^[8] In Sarawak, it would be Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib, the current Chief Minister of Sarawak.^[9]

JP[link]

JP or Justice of Peace rank below all Dato' or Datuk. In Malaysia, Justices of the Peace have largely been replaced in magistrates' courts by legally-qualified (first-class) stipendiary magistrates.

However, state governments continue to appoint Justices of the Peace as honours. In 2004, some associations of Justices of the Peace pressed the federal government to allow Justices of the Peace to sit as second-class magistrates in order to reduce the backlog of cases in the courts. Foreigners may be awarded such titles in a supernumerary and honorary capacity and use the title locally.

Dato Paduka[link]

Dato Paduka is the most common title awarded in Brunei, of which it is a class of the Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Yang Amat Mulia (The Most Honourable Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei). The wife of a Dato Paduka is a Datin, except when the recipient is a female, whereby she would be addressed as Datin Paduka. Other versions of Dato Paduka includes Dato Seri Paduka, Dato Paduka Seri, Dato Laila Utama, Dato Paduka Seri Laila Jasa and others. These title awards are granted by His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei, and the titles are non-hereditary.^[10]

Honorary styles[link]

The following are both used as styles, before a person's title, and (by themselves) as forms of address:

• Tuan Yang Terutama (T.Y.T.) (literally "The Most Eminent Master") is the style of a state Governor, equivalent to "Your/His Excellency" and also as a title for serving Ambassadors to Malaysia, e.g. T.Y.T. Tuan Christopher J. LaFleur.
• Yang Amat Berhormat (Y.A.B.) (literally "The Most Honourable") is the style of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Chief Ministers of the states.
• Yang Berhormat (Y.B.) (literally "The Honourable") is the style of Members of Parliament and state Legislative Assemblymen. A prince who is a Member of Parliament is "Yang Berhormat Mulia" e.g. Yang Berhormat Mulia Tengku Tan Sri Razaleigh Hamzah, the MP for Gua Musang. "Yang Berhormat" is also used for recipients of the First Class Order of the Crown of Johor (S.P.M.J.) regardless whether he is a Member of Parliament or not.
• Yang Amat Arif (Y.A.A.) (literally "The Most Learned") is the style of the Chief Justice of Malaysia, the President of the Malaysian Court of Appeal, the Chief Judge of the High Court of Malaya and the Chief Judge of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak.
• Yang Arif (Y.A.) (literally "The Learned") is the style of a judge.
• Yang Berbahagia (Y.Bhg.) (literally "The Felicitous") (and variants thereof) are the styles of persons with a chivalrous title.

The English versions of these styles follow British usage. Thus the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, Senators, state Executive Councillors and judges of the High Court and above are styled the Honourable. It is a solecism to style the Prime Minister or a Minister Right Honourable as they are not members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.

Other Malay titles by inheritance[link]

• Pengiran, equivalent to Tengku or Prince'
• Raja, varies depends the lineage of heretary.
• Ungku, equivalent to Tengku or Prince. A hereditary (paternal) title from one of the lineages of the Royal Family of Johor.
• Raden, a royal family name used in the several Malay Sultanates in Kalimantan, used extensively by the Pontianak Malays.
• Abang is a title that is particularly found in Sarawak. Its origin rooted from the appointments of Datuk Patinggi, Datuk Temenggung, Datuk Bandar and Datuk Imam for centuries, long before the British colonization. The children of these state dignitaries carry the title Abang (male) and Dayang (female). When an Abang marries a Dayang or a commoner, the issue will get to keep the title. The issue of a Dayang does not carry a title if he/she has a non-Abang father. However, if a Dayang marries a male aristocrat bearing a different title than hers, her issue will be named according to the husband's given title.
• Awang is the term used for addressing men in Brunei and it is equivalent to Mr. However, Awangku are hereditary, of which they may later claim the title Pengiran since they are also related to the Brunei Sultanate. This, however can only be done after he gets the approval of the elders and is considered as matured enough to carry the title, or after which he has married. The change is only eligible for those who inherit the name Awang from their family line. As for the rule of inheritance of the name, it is the same as Abang
• Dayang is the term used for addressing women in Brunei and it is equivalent to Ms. Dayang is also the female issue of an Abang and an Awang (see Abang and Awang).
• Syed is a title inherited by male descendants, through the male line, from the Prophet Muhammad via his grandsons Hassan and Hussein. Female descendants are known as Syarifah or Sharifah.
• Megat is a title inherited by the male descendant of a Megat. A Megat is a descendant of the Pagaruyung Prince, Megat Terawis who was also the first bendahara of Perak. Megats along with Puteris and Tuns are typically found in Perak."Megat" is also styled by a half blood royal male descendant of a female royal of Pahang.
• Puteri is a title inherited by the female descendant of a Megat.
• Tun is a title inherited by the issue of a Puteri, the female descendant of a Megat and a commoner father, in turn inheritable through the male line. In Pahang it is the title of a male or female descendant of a Sultan through the distaff line. In upper part of Terengganu, Tun is a title inherited by descendant of now abolished Bendahara of Terengganu,
• Meor is a title inherited by the male issue of a Syarifah and non-Syed father and for female the first letter of the name comes with 'Ma' as in "Ma Mastura". Typically used in Perak and few other states such as Terengganu and Kelantan.
• Wan is a title inherited by the issue of a male Wan. Typically found in Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and Natuna-Anambas. In Kedah, Wan is the title used by descendants of certain former chief ministers of the state, e.g. the descendants of Wan Mohd Saman. Wan can also be used as the title for a girl's name, but this is uncommon, e.g. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Wan can also be found in Sarawak, and is somehow related to the state's Syed lineage. A female issue of Wan carries the title Sharifah. A Wan may later claim the title Tuanku. This, however can only be done after he gets the approval of the elders and is considered as matured enough to carry the title. The change is only eligible for those who inherit the name Wan from their family line. The issue of a Sharifah does not carry a title if he/she has a non-Wan father.
• Nik is a title inherited by the issue of a male Nik. It is typically found in Kelantan and Terengganu.
• Che is a title inherited by the issue of a male Che descendants and were also used by some Malay nobles in ancient time. Certain lineage of Raja Jembal descendants also uses the Che title. However the Che title can also be passed down from a descendant of a female Nik and non-Nik male. The Che title is commonly found in Pattani,Kedah,Kelantan and Terengganu.

Other salutations[link]

• Haji (or Hajjah for female) can be used by people who have completed the Hajj. This title is abbreviated as "Hj." or "Hjh.".
• Tuan is equivalent to Master. Due to its colonial overtones, this term is mostly obsolete, although the title can still be prepended to Syed and Haji. It is used for non-titled Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen. In some states like Kelantan, it could also denote one of the royal family.
• Encik (abbreviated "En.") is equivalent to Mr and can be used by all men.
• Puan (abbreviated "Pn.") can be used by all married women. It is equivalent to 'Mdm./Madam' not 'Mrs', as in the Malay language, married women do not use the names and/or surnames of their husbands. Married Chinese-Malaysian women are also addressed as "Puan (name)" in Malay and "Mdm. (name)" in English, since they do not change their surnames on marriage.
• Cik is equivalent to Miss and can be used by all unmarried women.

Sabah[link]

Honours and awards for Sabah[link]

The State of Sabah by Act of Parliament established an Order of Chivalry styled Darjah Yang Mulia Kinabalu (The Illustrious Order of Kinabalu). The relevant legislation governing Honours and Awards in Sabah is the State Honours Enactment, 1963 (Sabah No.33 of 1963)(as amended).^[11] The Enactment deals with all aspects including process of nomination, conferral, wearing of medals, promotion in the Order and quotas. Appointments to the Order are made to persons who have rendered 'meritorious service to the State'.^[12] Appointment to the Order is submitted to the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (the Governor) by the Chief Minister; every appointment to the Order is by Warrant under the hand of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.^[13]

Non-citizens may be appointed as honorary members of the Order.^[14] An example of an honorary award is The Honourable Shane Leslie Stone AC PGDK QC former Chief Minister of Australia's Northern Territory, conferred the Pangalima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu in 1998.

Order of Kinabalu[link]

The motto of the Order is 'Sabah Maju Jaya'.^[15] The Yang di-Pertua Negeri (the Governor of Sabah) is the Patron of the Order - Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Kinabalu (The Most Illustrious Order of Kinabalu) - and is deemed a member of the First Grade.^[16] A Chancellor is selected by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri from amongst the members of the First Grade.^[17]

Grades of the Order[link]

There are four Grades of the Order^[18]

1. First Grade - Sri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (post nominal SPDK)(Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Kinabalu). Recipients may use the appellation and style before their names of Datuk Seri Panglima and wives Datin Seri Panglima.^[19] There is a quota of 150 members excluding honorary members.
2. Second Grade - Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (post nominal PGDK)(Knight Commander of the Order of Kinabalu). Recipients may use the appellation and style before their names of Datuk and wives Datin.^[20] There is a quota of 950 members excluding honorary members.
3. Third Grade - Ahli Setia Darjah Kinabalu (post nominal ASDK)
4. Fourth Grade - Ahli Darjah Kinabalu (post nominal ADK)

Medals of the Order[link]

• Bintang Setia Kinabalu (First Class)
• Bintang Kinabalu (Second Class)
• Certificate of Honour (CH)

The Yang di-Pertua Negeri may on the recommendation of the Chief Minister cancel and annul the appointment of any person to any of the Grades of the Order.^[21]

Related Issues[link]

It was recently brought to attention that not all Datuks have lived exemplary lives and some have even been convicted of crimes. The various sultans have taken steps to ensure the integrity of the institution by means of consultation as well as the revoking of the given titles.

Tun Dr Mahathir mentioned that one of the problems with titles in Malaysia is the numbers given out. He stated in an interview "Personally, I feel if you want to give value to anything, it must be limited...if you produce a million Ferrari cars, nobody will care about buying a Ferrari."

The Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Perak, Raja Nazrin Shah stated "That is my view. You degrade the award and the Ruler has the right to revoke it. In my opinion, it should be taken away." He also stated that "Sometimes, I think we give away too many datukships...it dilutes and devalues the award."

In the first government following the independence of Malaya in 1957, five of 15 cabinet Ministers were Datuks. The finance minister at the time, Tan Siew Sin, held the title Justice of Peace. Later he was granted a Federal award which carried the title Tun. The father of Malayan independence, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, received no awards and carried the title "Tunku", which he inherited as the prince of the state of Kedah. He was honorarily referred to as "Yang Teramat Mulia". The senate held only 14 datuks and parliament held only seven.

The conferral of "Datuk" by the Penang government to 25-year-old squash world champion Nicol David and Olympic silver medalist Lee Chong Wei sparked controversy^[who?] that they are too young to receive the title. The Melaka government also was criticized for awarding the Datuk title to a non-Malaysian Indian actor, Shahrukh Khan, for making movies in the state.

Issues in Selangor[link]

• The Dato's of Selangor attempted to set up an association of Selangor Dato's. It received approval from the registrar of societies but was shelved when the Sultan forbade any Dato' from joining or risk losing the title.
• Four datuks were removed in 2003 by the Sultan of Selangor.

Pahang[link]

• The Sultan of Pahang revoked the titles of two dato's in 2004.

See also[link]

• Datu - Philippine equivalent of Malay term Dato
• Datuk (Minangkabau) - traditional title in Minangkabau community

Notes[link]

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2009)

External links[link]

• "Special list of federal and state honours", awarded 2002-2009, The Star
• Correct Forms of Address in ^{[dead link]}
• "Selangor Sultan strips trader of title", Aug2007, Malaysian Bar
• "NasionCom founder charged with graft", 20 May 2008, The Star

[{[ms:Darjah kebesaran Melayu]}]

Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun
Native name	陳志遠
Born	1952 Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
Nationality	Malaysia
Occupation	Chairman of Berjaya Group
Net worth	US$1.25 billion (2011)[1]

Tan Sri Dato' Seri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun (born 1952;^[2] (Chinese: 陳志遠; pinyin: Chén Zhìyuǎn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tân Chì-uán); is the current owner of Cardiff City F.C. and also is the Chairman and Chief Executive of Berjaya Corporation Berhad, which controls a wide array of businesses which includes golfing, property, resorts, and gambling in a group known as the Berjaya Group. He operates the second pay-TV service in Malaysia, MiTV, that was launched in September 2005. In 2010 he entered the Forbes billionaire billionaire list with an estimated worth of US$1.3 billion (RM4.2 billion).^[3] Tan's success in the Malaysian business sector has been attributed in part to his close association with prominent Malay political figures.^[2][4]

Tan was born in 1952, in Batu Pahat, Johor. He worked as a clerk and an insurance agent before going into business in the 1980s. In 1982 he purchased Malaysia's McDonald's franchise and in 1985 he bought Sports Toto when the lottery agency was privatised by the government.^[4] Vincent Tan has had close links with Mahatir Mohamed and his family, the ex prime minister of Malaysia. Vincent Tan obtained the license of his lottery business from an untendered privatisation in 1985 (Studwell, Joe; Asian Godfathers, page 130, Grove Press, 2007)

On 23rd of February 2012, Vincent has decided to retire from an active corporate role in (B-Corp), the flagship of the Berjaya Group of Companies. ^[5]

References[link]

Michelle Yeoh SPMP
Michelle Yeoh at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011.
Chinese name	楊紫瓊 (Traditional)
Chinese name	杨紫琼 (Simplified)
Pinyin	Yáng Zǐqióng (Mandarin)
Jyutping	Joeng4 Zi2king4 (Cantonese)
Birth name	Yeoh Choo-Kheng (Iûⁿ Chí-khēng)
Born	(1963-08-06) 6 August 1963 (age 48)[1][2] Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Occupation	Actress/Dancer
Years active	1984–present
Spouse(s)	Dickson Poon (1988–1992) Jean Todt
Awards MTV Asia Awards Asian Film Award 2004

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

Datuk Seri Michelle Yeoh or Michelle Yeoh Choo-Kheng (born 6 August 1963^[1]) is a Hong Kong-based Malaysian actress, well known for performing her own stunts in the action films that brought her to fame in the early 1990s.

Born in Ipoh, Malaysia, she is based in Hong Kong and was chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1997.

She is best known in the Western world for her roles in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, playing Wai Lin, and the multiple Academy Award-winning Chinese-language martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, for which she was nominated the BAFTA for "Best Actress". In 2008, the film critic website Rotten Tomatoes ranked her the greatest action heroine of all time.^[3] In 2009, she was listed by People magazine – as the only Asian actress – as one of the "35 All-Time Screen Beauties".^[4]

She is credited as Michelle Khan in some of her earlier films. This alias was chosen by the D&B studio who thought it might be more marketable to international and western audiences. Yeoh later preferred using her real name.^[1]

Early life and career[link]

Michelle Yeoh Choo Kheng was born to a prominent ethnic Chinese family in Ipoh, Malaysia, on 6 August 1962. Her parents are Janet Yeoh and Yeoh Kian Teik, a lawyer and MCA politician.^[2] She was keen on dance from an early age, beginning ballet at the age of four. At the age of 15, she moved with her parents to England, where she was enrolled in a boarding school. Yeoh later studied at the Royal Academy of Dance in London, majoring in ballet. However, a spinal injury prevented her from becoming a professional ballet dancer, and she transferred her attention to choreography and other arts. She later received a B.A. degree in Creative Arts with a minor in Drama.

In 1983, at the age of 21, Yeoh won the Miss Malaysia beauty pageant.^[1] She was also Malaysia's representative at the 1983 Miss World pageant in London. From there, she appeared in a television commercial with Jackie Chan which caught the attention of a fledgling Hong Kong film production company, D&B Films. Yeoh started her film career acting in action and martial arts films such as Yes, Madam in 1985, after which she did most of her own stunts.^[5]

The D&B Group in Hong Kong was run by Dickson Poon. Yeoh married Poon in 1987 and retired from acting. After the couple divorced in 1992, Yeoh returned to acting.^[1]

Wider fame[link]

Yeoh's performance in Police Story 3: Super Cop sealed her comeback. She acted in The Heroic Trio in 1993, and the Yuen Woo-ping films Tai Chi Master and Wing Chun in 1994.

Yeoh learned English and Malay before Cantonese, and cannot read Chinese characters; consequently she learned the lines for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon phonetically.

She starred in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies as Wai Lin (1997). Natasha Henstridge was rumoured to be cast in the lead Bond girl role but eventually Yeoh was confirmed.^[6] Brosnan was impressed, describing her as a "wonderful actress" who was "serious and committed about her work".^[7] He referred to her as a "female James Bond" in reference to her combat abilities. She wanted again to perform her own stunts but was prevented because director Roger Spottiswoode considered it too dangerous. Still she performed all of her fighting scenes.^[8][9] Thereafter, she was offered the role of Seraph in the two sequels to The Matrix, but she could not accept due to a scheduling conflict (the Matrix writers then changed Seraph into a male character and cast Collin Chou in the role).^[10] In 2002, she produced her first English film, The Touch through her own production company, Mythical Films.

In 2005, Yeoh starred as the graceful Mameha in the film adaptation of Memoirs of a Geisha, and she continued her English-language work in 2007 with Sunshine. In 2008, Michelle Yeoh also starred in fantasy action film The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor with Brendan Fraser and Jet Li.^[11]

In 2010, she starred in Reign of Assassins.

In October 2011, she has been chosen by Guerlain to be its new skincare ambassador.^[12] Yeoh will play a role in strengthening the French cosmetics company's relationship with Asia.^[13]

Apart from action films, she is famous for playing nationalists in two biopics. In 1997, she played Soong Ai-ling in the award winning The Soong Sisters. In 2011, she portrayed Aung San Suu Kyi in Luc Besson's The Lady.

Controversy[link]

On 22 June 2011, Yeoh was deported from Burma, allegedly over a new film The Lady, in which Yeoh portrays Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese Prodemocracy leader.^[14]

Personal life[link]

Yeoh was married to Hong Kong entrepreneur Dickson Poon, who owns businesses such as Harvey Nichols and Charles Jourdan.^[15] She is a Buddhist.^[16]

In March 2008, she visited Vietnam to film a documentary for the Asian Injury Prevention Foundation (AIPF).^{[citation needed]} On 31 July 2008, she confirmed news that she was engaged to Jean Todt, a leading figure in motor racing, during an interview with Craig Ferguson on CBS's The Late Late Show.

Yeoh is also a patron of the Save China's Tigers project committed to protect the endangered South China Tiger.^[17]

Awards, honours and styles[link]

In 1999, she was a member of the jury at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.^[18]

On 19 April 2001, Yeoh was awarded the Darjah Datuk Paduka Mahkota Perak (DPMP), which carries the title Dato' by Sultan Azlan Shah, the Sultan of Perak, her home state, in recognition of the fame she brought to the state.^[19]

On 25 November 2002, she was honoured as The Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) (Cultural Achievement) by JCI (Junior Chamber International).^{[citation needed]}

On 23 April 2007, the then French President Jacques Chirac awarded her Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur. The decoration was presented to her in a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on 3 October 2007.^[20]

In 2011, she received a special award for her contribution to Malaysian cinema at Malaysian Film Festival (FFM 24).

On 14 March 2012, the then French President Nicolas Sarkozy awarded her the Officier de la Légion d'honneur. The decoration was presented to her at a ceremony held at the president's official residence, the Elysee Palace on that day.^[21]

On 22 May 2012, she was awarded the Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Perak which carries the title Datuk Seri' during the investiture ceremony in conjunction with the Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah's birthday.

Nominations[link]

Hong Kong Film Award 1998 The Soong Sisters – Nominated as best supporting actress

BAFTA Film Award 2001 – Best Actress (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)

Filmography[link]

Michelle Yeoh on the "Avenue of Stars" in Hong Kong

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Michelle Yeoh

• Michelle Yeoh at the Internet Movie Database
• Michelle Yeoh Web Theatre
• Michelle Yeoh at Yahoo Movies

v t e Cinema of Hong Kong Actors Directors Cinematographers Ocean Shores Producers Shaw Brothers Studio Films A–Z Action films Writers Films by year: 1909–1929 1930s 1940s 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

v t e Cinema of China Awards Festivals Production companies Studios Filmmakers Actors Cinematographers Directors Producers Screenwriters Films 3D films Silent films Short films Television films Films by director Films by genre Action Animation Comedy Documentary Drama Fantasy Horror Romance Science fiction Thriller Films by decade 1905–1919 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010 2011 2012

Dato' Seri Azizan bin Abdul Razak^[1] (born c. 1940) is the Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) of the Malaysian state of Kedah. His Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) leads a coalition government of Kedah with PKR and the DAP after their victory in the 2008 Malaysian election.^[2] Ustaz Azizan is the first Menteri Besar of Kedah from a political party other than UMNO. He holds the Kedah state assembly seat of Sungai Limau, is the PAS Commissioner for Kedah and member of the PAS Central Committee.

Azizan was sworn in as the Menteri Besar of Kedah at 3.40pm Sunday, 9 March 2008, before Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah at Wisma Darul Aman, witnessed by royalty and dignitaries. On 16 July 2008, Ustaz Azizan was conferred the Darjah Seri Paduka Mahkota Kedah (SPMK) which carries the "Datuk Seri" title. The award was presented by Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah at Istana Anak Bukit in conjunction with the Sultan's Golden Jubilee celebration.^[3]

Personal life[link]

Azizan has 14 children from two marriages.^[4] He is a graduate of Al-Azhar University and the University of Kent, and a former head of the sharia law department of the National University of Malaysia.^[2]

Electoral history[link]

2008: Kedah State Assembly - Sungai Limau[link]

• Azizan Abdul Razak (PAS) 12,028
• Basorri Abu Hassan (BN) 8,816

2004: Kedah State Assembly - Sungai Limau[link]

• Azizan Abdul Razak (PAS) 10,882
• Suhaimi Abdullah (BN) 9,802

References[link]

Francis Yeoh is a prominent business personality in Malaysia.

Tan Sri Dato' Francis Yeoh Sock Ping, CBE (Chinese: 楊肅斌; pinyin: Yáng Sùbīn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Iûⁿ Siok-pin, born August 23, 1954) is a prominent business personality in Malaysia, and the eldest son of Malaysian billionaire Tan Sri Dato' Seri Yeoh Tiong Lay. He obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) Degree in Civil Engineering from Kingston Polytechnic (now known as Kingston University), United Kingdom in 1978.

Francis had his secondary school education at Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where he was School Captain. He became the Managing Director of YTL Corporation in 1988. Under his stewardship, the YTL Group grew from a single listed entity in 1985 to a force comprising five listed companies, and is now one of the biggest conglomerates in Malaysia ^[1] . Francis is a devout Christian and has often attributed his success in business to the Lord Jesus Christ.^[2]

On January 16, 2003, he was awarded the First Malaysian Ernst & Young Master Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2002 in recognition of his entrepreneurial acumen.

On February 13, 2004, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from his alma mater, Kingston University.

He was awarded BusinessWeek's "25 Stars of Asia 2003" on November 6, 2003 in Hong Kong; and was ranked 21 by Fortune Magazine Asia's 25 Most Powerful Business Personalities on August 9, 2004.

Francis married Rosaline Yeoh in 1982, and they have five children. His siblings reside in Malaysia and are fellow directors of YTL Corporation.

In 2006, he was conferred Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for his philanthropic endeavours.

His wife, Puan Sri Rosaline Yeoh, died on 5 August 2006.

References[link]

• Davies, Nick and Evans, Rob (Apr 24, 2006) For services to the UK: top awards for foreign tycoons, military and the Corrs. The Guardian. Retrieved June 15, 2006.

External links[link]

• [1]