Why the Jalur Gemilang deserves more than just apologies

Sinar Daily

4 days ago

IN 2025, despite our progress and education, we still get the basics wrong, such as flying our national flag, the Jalur Gemilang, upside down.
While a school in Port Dickson quickly apologised for the mistake, the incident kindled larger questions: How much empathy is too much? When does accountability kick in? And what does it say about us as a nation when the very symbol of our unity is mishandled, again? SJKC Chung Hua said one of the flags had been accidentally hung upside down by a staff member. Photo source: Social media
On Aug 3, SJKC Chung Hua in Port Dickson issued a public apology. The reason? A photo of the Jalur Gemilang, flying upside down on their school compound, had gone viral on social media.
The school, along with its board and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), admitted the mistake and claimed it was a staff oversight.
According to their statement, the incident occurred on the afternoon of Aug 1, when a school employee reportedly a person with disabilities (PwD) was installing flags before the end of the workday.
It was described as a careless error. Once alerted, the school corrected it immediately.
Empathy poured in from some quarters. But so did criticism.
Even Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek issued a stern statement, stressing the seriousness of the mistake and promising firm action after a full investigation.
'This mistake should not have occurred,' she said.
Frankly, she is right. Because at what point do we stop excusing the inexcusable?
Yes, the individual responsible is reportedly a PwD. And yes, mistakes happen. Perhaps that person had hung the Jalur Gemilang correctly hundreds of times before and this was just one accidental lapse.
But should that soften our response entirely?
The answer is not black and white. Of course we must show empathy, especially toward individuals with different abilities. But empathy does not mean erasing the importance of accountability.
If the individual in question was visually impaired, then yes, logic tells us that disability directly affects the task. But if the disability is not relevant to the action - for example hanging a flag the right way - then why bring it up unless we are deliberately trying to deflect responsibility?
The school's statement did not explain why this person was in charge of the task or what protocols were in place to ensure it was done correctly.
That lack of transparency is frustrating, especially because this wasn't the first time Malaysia has dealt with an upside-down flag situation.
And every time it happens, the public reaction is the same: a mixture of shame, anger and tired resignation.
Over the years, there have been repeated cases of our flag being flown upside down. Some accidental, others alleged to be deliberate. The pattern is disturbing.
It has led to dangerous and divisive narratives: race-blaming, sarcastic social media commentary and a general breakdown of trust between people and institutions.
Scroll through the comments on social media posts about this incident and you will likely see something like, 'Nanti dia keluar kad OKU, lepas macam itu saja.' (He will show his PwD card, and the case will be settled just like that.)
That's where we are now; where disabilities are sometimes seen as 'get-out-of-jail-free cards' even in public discourse.
This is toxic. It is unfair to the disabled community and insulting to everyone's intelligence. The real question is, why are we not taking this seriously enough to prevent it from happening in the first place?
Malaysia is a complex, beautiful mess of races, languages, beliefs and cultures.
Our diversity is marketed globally as our strength and to a large extent, that is true. But scratch the surface and we see the cracks.
Online, everything from crime reports to everyday mishaps often turns into racial commentary.
A story about theft? People ask if the perpetrator is 'Type M,' 'Type C,' or 'Type K.' Social media racism has become routine.
That is why the Jalur Gemilang holds such significance. It stands as one of the few symbols all Malaysians are meant to stand behind.
For all the talk of 'unity in diversity,' it is worth asking: what truly brings us together?
Take Nasi Lemak, often celebrated as our unofficial national dish. Not everyone eats it and even among those who do, some skip the ' sambal ', ' kacang ', or ' ikan bilis '. So the point is not that every Malaysian enjoys the same food in exactly the same way, 100 per cent similar.
It is not a language either. While Malay is the national language, there are Malaysians who struggle to speak or understand it. Even among the Malays themselves, some are not fluent.
And it certainly is not politics. If anything, our political journey has often pulled us apart rather than brought us together.
What we are left with is the Jalur Gemilang; a powerful symbol that rises above race, religion and class. It does not require translation. It does not rely on personal taste. It simply represents us all.
A flag, by definition, is more than just cloth and colour. Ours, designed in 1949 by Mohamed Hamzah, symbolises unity, bravery, Islam, Royalty and equality among our states and federal territories. Every stripe, every star point, every color, means something.
People died defending what it represents. Warriors, true heroes of our 'tanah tumpahnya darahku' literally bled for Malaysia.
So no, flying it upside down is not 'just a careless mistake.' It is a symptom of something deeper, a carelessness with national identity, a tolerance for repeating the same errors, a nation too afraid to draw the line between empathy and excuses.
We need to stop treating flag protocol as an afterthought. Every school, government office and private institution must understand that displaying the Jalur Gemilang is not symbolic fluff, it is a national responsibility.
There must be standard operating procedures. There must be checks. And most importantly, there must be consequences when things go wrong; regardless of who is involved, regardless of race, status or ability.
Because if we can not even agree on how to hang our flag properly in 2025, what else are we willing to get wrong?
We are just weeks away from Merdeka Day. While most Malaysians are gearing up to celebrate, reflect and show pride in our country, this incident served as a wake-up call.
Respecting the Jalur Gemilang is not just about hoisting it up. It is about upholding what it stands for. It is about making sure that in everything we do, whether in leadership, education or civil service, we are facing the right way.
And not upside down.