Academic convention is that only MD or Medical Doctors uses the title Doctor in front of their names. Phd holders are not suppose to use the title Doctor. I seem to notice that Malaysians seem to want to have some titles to their names. To the extent that the academic convention for Phd is totally ignored and people are prepared to buy their degrees from degree mills just to have that title. For instance, our Perlis Chief Minister who bought his Doctorate from Newport University which is only recognised by the California authorities but not accredited by any agencies in the US to offer any degree courses.

Maybe that's why also the need by Malaysians for datukships. You can buy them so easily now if you have the right contacts, and if you throw a stone in Malaysia, you would probably hit a Datuk or Dato.

As for myself, I always make a point in Malaysia never to call anybody Doctor unless he is a medical doctor. When asked why I don't call Phd holders Doctor so and so, I tell them, surely as a PhD holder, you know about the academic convention? That tends to shut them up!