Minister, fly kites, the national flag is risky

Malaysiakini

3 days ago

YOURSAY | 'Few may want to fly any flags given the threats from juvenile politicians.'
Don't fear flying Jalur Gemilang despite upside-down incident: Minister
GrayEagle1207: National Unity Minister Aaron Ago Dagang, no thanks. It is too risky to fly the Jalur Gemilang, for fear of reprisal.
The Madani government allows bullies to police the country as they see fit. There is no compulsion in flying the flag.
Malaysians just want to live peacefully and mind their own business. But certain quarters are allowed to interfere and intimidate the population over matters which can be solved amicably.
All these matters can be solved amicably in a peaceful manner, without violence, intimidation, threats, or vandalism. It seems like a never-ending story.
There are always certain quarters ready to inflate and cause divisions, and the government fuels this by its lack of action and incompetence in restoring public trust and order.
They can't fix social or racial issues in the homeland, but are very enthusiastic about brokering peace between Cambodia and Thailand.
Now, people won't even bother with the Malaysian flag and socks. Good job, Umno-Pakatan Harapan-Madani.
Happy Merdeka.
Koel: Thanks to empty vessels, fewer people may want to fly any flags, given the rabid and unhinged threats from juvenile politicians.
But the people, the media, and these illiterate politicians need to start focusing on what is happening in the world while we are fighting over petty issues.
The impact of tariffs on countries and how it will impoverish us and our neighbours will soon be seen. This poverty in countries like ours will lead to neocolonial moves by bigger countries intent on controlling resources around the world.
We should not be in any doubt that the trade wars do not take any account of the welfare of those in Asia. The design is extraction. We are already seeing this in the so-called deal we got. It will only get worse.
But thanks to juvenile antics by the likes of youths in Umno, newspapers will be filled with this type of the worst kind of trivia. And that is what happens to countries when the silliest are promoted into positions of responsibility in political parties.
We are getting distracted by this nonsense and trivia at our own peril. People need to wake up.
KK Voter: Aaron has expressed regret over the incident in Penang where a shop owner had wrongly displayed the national flag, describing it as inappropriate and capable of tarnishing the country's image.
We wouldn't know whether he 'wrongly displayed the flag' because he hadn't even finished putting it up. The video just shows him fiddling with it alongside another person.
Had the entire process been filmed, it might have shown him correcting the position before hanging it. But I guess we'll never know.
What we do know is that opportunist ministers like you, Aaron, were quick to leap onto the bandwagon, eager for a headline, without a shred of common sense or a thought for the damage caused.
BlueCougar1744: Our glorious national flag has been made taboo by our 'disunity' minister, so much so that none will attempt to put it up.
They would simply want to avoid intimidation or harassment by the authorities.
This year, even if the flags are to be distributed free of charge, many will not fly the flag but instead go out to fly kites instead. He was the one who urged the authorities to act, and now he is begging all not to fear but to fly our flag. Go fly kites.
6th Generation Immigrant: The minister should clarify even further, and maybe to Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh as well, that the act of flying any flag upside down is itself never a crime.
In fact, in almost all international contexts, flying a flag upside down is traditionally a signal of distress or an expression of protest, indicating that the nation is in trouble or that the individual is dissatisfied with the current state of affairs, and we have freedom of expression in this nation.
The police and Umno Youth leader can only lambast that individual for his wrong expression of protest or dissatisfaction, and not because he wrongly flew the flag upside down.
A Little Bit Crazy: Alamak minister, are you joking? The whole world now knows, flying the national flag is a very high-risk action in Malaysia. Nobody will take risks anymore.
While preparing to fly the flag, or after flying the flag, if it is windblown, or if any unintentional or careless action took place, we might land in jail.
With the likes of Akmal and his ilk, it is advisable not to fly any flag. Anyway, life goes on beautifully, without flying any flags.
Aaron, your ministry should be careful too. Make sure your ministry staff fly the flags, print the flags, and handle the precious flags like a baby. Any mistakes, you will lose your minister post.
Just a Malaysian: You are just a coward, like all the leaders we elect to run the country. An old Chinese man, in his patriotic zeal to put up a national flag outside his shop. How did he end up arrested by the police?
Our elected leaders continue to allow a 'riff raff' Umno Youth leader to create such a ruckus without stepping in.
Now that the 'apek' is being punished, Umno Youth appeased, you come out and talk rubbish? After the pain of being a minority is being reminded again, not by Perikatan Nasional but by a Madani coalition partner, no less? Tell me what the Madani government stands for again?
PurpleJaguar0553: People should fly the flag correctly. It is not difficult to know which side is up. Unfortunately, with Akmal and his gang's racist outburst (mind you, they only scream and bark when the mistake is made by a non-Muslim), people will be too afraid to fly the flag because one day, he may not only scream and bark but park right outside your door.
One day, he may even jump at what he considers a poor quality flag, a faded flag, or flying it too low, or not at a prominent place, or using the wrong coloured pole.
We are not being unpatriotic, but do we need this kind of persecution, harassment, and threats, not to mention police reports and possibly being hauled up for investigations?
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