The Jalur Gemilang unites us, not divide

Sinar Daily

18 hours ago

The national flag represents unity, pride and identity; and must be respected by all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. By MUKHRIZ MAT HUSIN
13 Aug 2025 09:41am
Bernama photo for illustration purpose only.
SHAH ALAM - With less than three weeks to go before Malaysia's 68th Independence Day celebrations, calls have been made for Malaysians to focus on unity rather than allowing political controversy over upside-down Jalur Gemilang incidents to divide society.
Former National Unity Advisory Council member Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye emphasised that the national flag represents unity, pride and identity; and must be respected by all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation.
'We hoist the Jalur Gemilang to show that we are proud of our country and as a mark of respect for the symbol of a sovereign nation. What is important now is that all parties, especially the public, should not politicise this issue.
'If an incident of the Jalur Gemilang being flown upside down was unintentional, then the party involved should apologise, admit it was a mistake and correct it. That is all,' he said. Bernama photo for illustration purpose only.
Lee added that if such incidents occurred due to negligence and without intent, the government should focus on educating and raising awareness among those involved.
He argued that no one would deliberately want to fly the flag upside down and turn it into an issue.
'Perhaps there are those who do not know or are ignorant about this matter. That is why I suggest that the government should publicise and run an awareness campaign showing the correct way to hoist the Jalur Gemilang,' he suggested.
Universiti Malaya Media Coordinator at the International Institute of Public Policy and Management (Inpuma) Dr G Manimaran, echoed this sentiment as well.
He urged a return to the fundamentals of civic education to prevent such incidents in the future.
'Lately, we have been politicising this issue more than seeking solutions to correct the mistake. We have not looked at the root cause of the problem. We need to go back to the basics, which is civic and citizenship education and this should be from all levels,' he said.
Senator Professor Emeritus Datuk Seri Dr Awang Sariyan took a firmer stance, stressing that the government must ensure acts of disrespect towards the Jalur Gemilang are treated seriously and dealt with through legal action.
'The government must take firm action through enforcement agencies. Anyone committing the offence of insulting the national flag must be prosecuted in court. The punishment that can be imposed is a maximum fine of RM20,000 or a maximum prison term of three years, or both.
'The government's firmness is important so that insulting the national flag, which is equivalent to insulting the nation, is not taken lightly and does not recur,' he said.