Let us compare between Shah Rukh Khan and the thousands of our soldiers who gave their lives for our nation since World War 2.
What do they get for their "Taat Setia" motto etched deep in their hearts and minds?Nothing.Some may argue,hey, we gave PGB and SP to some of the brave ones.But then, how about the rest?Don't they deserve a proper recognition as well?
After all, PGB and SP only awarded for those who served the nations after the independence.Not everybody can get it. For those who gave their lives even before that, they were simply names engraved on the wall of Pasir Panjang Memorial in Singapore.Not in Malaysia,even.(I can't even go and visit their graves).
Why don't we award "datukship" to all of them.No need for us to go beyond that - 'Tan Sri'ship or even 'Tun'ship. Just a simple Dato'ship will do.Not one to be left behind and to be given regardless of their ranks.I don't think it will cost the state or even federal government much except for the cost of producing medals and printing the official credentials.
For a start, I copied down some of the heroes (that begin with alphabet A) of Royal Malay Regiments who served and killed during World War 2 from Syed Othman Syed Omar's "Rejimen Askar Melayu DiRaja 1933 - 1968".
A
1. Lt.Muda Ahmad Noordin (1 Melayu)
2.Lt. Ariffin Hj Sulaiman ( 2 Melayu)
3.Lt. Abdul Wahid Mat Kidam (2 Melayu)
4.Lt.Abdullah Saad (2 Melayu)
5.Lt.Muda Adnan Saidi (1 Melayu)
6.Koperal Abas Awang (1 Melayu)
7.Sarjan Abdul Rahman (2 Melayu)
8.Prebet Ahmad Ismail (1 Melayu)
9. Prebet Ahmad Hj.Ithnin (1 Melayu)
10.Prebet Abdul Latiff Kidam (1 Melayu)
Don't you think that 10 names starting from alphabet 'A' from the thousands names, is too much to ask for datukship, before we even put SRK on the list?