May the Jalur Gemilang always fly high, symbolising our unity and strength – One People, One Identity, One Nation.
– Anon
August is the season when I should be filled with pride at seeing the Jalur Gemilang fluttering in the breeze. Each year, as we approach Merdeka Day, the sight of the national flag flying from houses, cars, offices, schools, and shop lots is supposed to remind us of our common destiny and shared history as Malaysians.
Yes, this month should be a time when patriotism comes naturally, when the red, white, blue, and yellow instil pride in every citizen, regardless of race or religion.
Yet, I have heard a disturbing sentiment this year. Friends have openly confessed to me that they are of two minds about raising the flag. They worry not because they lack love for the country, but because of fear; fear that the Jalur Gemilang they display could be sabotaged by irresponsible individuals, misinterpreted as a political statement, or weaponised by opportunistic politicians eager to incite hatred and pit communities against one another.
This is a dangerous development. When ordinary Malaysians hesitate to raise their own flag out of fear of reprisals, we must recognise that something has gone very wrong – yes, very wrong!
Communications Minister Datuk Ahmad Fahmi Mohamed Fadzil was right when he recently urged Malaysians not to give in to these intimidation tactics. “Do not be afraid to put up the Jalur Gemilang,” he reminded us, acknowledging that while certain quarters are indeed trying to sow fear, Malaysians must remain steadfast in our spirit of patriotism.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim echoed this sentiment, even warning that politicians and agitators who intentionally use issues like flag blunders to stir public disorder would face consequences. He was responding in part to the controversy surrounding Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh, who is now under police investigation for sedition and criminal intimidation following a video he posted related to a shop in Penang that allegedly hung the Jalur Gemilang upside down.
The fallout from that single incident spiralled quickly. About 200 Umno Youth members gathered near the shop in protest. In retaliation, DAP ordered its youth wings nationwide to file police reports against Akmal. What should have been a simple corrective matter became a political firestorm, illustrating exactly why ordinary citizens are now afraid of putting themselves at risk by flying the national flag.
What worries me even more is the selective way in which some quarters have reacted. Akmal loudly demanded action against the Penang shop owner, but where was his voice when similar incidents involved other institutions, including a mosque, schools, a police station, and even a Terengganu Umno branch?
Were those mistakes somehow less offensive? Or is it that outrage is only reserved for when the alleged offenders fit a certain political or racial narrative? This double standard is corrosive. When one group is vilified while others are given a free pass, it breeds resentment and a sense of persecution.
If the Jalur Gemilang is to be respected, then the respect must apply equally across the board. The law and the authorities must act impartially. Otherwise, we are not honouring the flag; we are weaponising it to attack fellow Malaysians.
It is in this climate of fear that respected academic Professor Dr Mohamad Tajuddin Mohamad Rasdi made a heartfelt confession: this year, he will not fly the flag.
He admitted, with great sadness, that he has even advised his family not to put up the Jalur Gemilang at home or on their vehicles. His reason is simple. He fears that an innocent mistake or even an act of sabotage, such as someone altering or damaging the flag, could be spun into a viral controversy, leading to accusations of treachery, disloyalty or worse.
In a YouTube video, he asked a painful but valid question: are we honouring the people of this country, or are we honouring a mere piece of cloth? The Jalur Gemilang is supposed to represent us all, yet it is now being used by opportunists as a litmus test of false patriotism.
Tajuddin warned that these self-styled defenders of the flag are not motivated by genuine love for Malaysia. They are opportunists fishing in troubled waters, stoking anger and division for their own political ends.
He is right! When patriotism becomes performative, when people scream louder about a flag being hung wrongly than about injustices, corruption or poverty, then what we are witnessing is not nationalism. It is theatre. Worse still, it is theatre designed to pit Malaysians against one another, feeding suspicion and hatred instead of unity and trust.
One recent incident highlights just how absurd things have become. A local council reportedly ordered the closure of a dental clinic simply because the Jalur Gemilang displayed there was deemed “improper”. What madness is this?
Closing down a clinic, inconveniencing the public and penalising a business over a flag arrangement? Is this what our patriotism has been reduced to; a form of bureaucratic bullying? Such actions do not instil respect for the national flag; they breed contempt for authority and fuel the very fear that is spreading among ordinary Malaysians.
The Jalur Gemilang is sacred because it symbolises our independence, our unity, and our shared destiny. But it is not sacred in the way some politicians want us to think. Hanging it upside down by mistake, or with a misaligned star, is not treason.
Such mistakes should be corrected with understanding, not with threats, intimidation or the closure of businesses. True patriotism demands that we show compassion, tolerance, and courtesy when others stumble. Otherwise, the very symbol meant to unite us becomes a weapon that divides us.
Selective persecution is particularly dangerous. If only certain groups are condemned for flag errors while others are shielded, then the flag itself becomes a tool of exclusion. It tells some Malaysians that they are forever on trial, their loyalty perpetually in question, while others are always beyond suspicion.
That is not the Malaysia we want, and certainly not the Malaysia envisioned in 1957 when the Jalur Gemilang was first raised in Merdeka Stadium.
As for me, I will not be intimidated. Like every year, I will continue to raise the Jalur Gemilang proudly at my home and on my car. I refuse to cower before those who wish to hijack our flag for their narrow, divisive agendas.
Hey! Patriotism is not theirs to dictate, and loyalty to Malaysia does not belong to any one party, race, or religion. The flag is ours collectively, and the spirit it represents belongs to all Malaysians.
This Merdeka, let us reclaim that spirit. Let us fly the Jalur Gemilang not because we fear being judged, but because we love this country deeply and sincerely. Let us not allow the saboteurs, the political opportunists, and the false patriots to rob us of the joy of celebrating our independence together.
Malaysia is not defined by them. It is defined by us, the people, who, despite our differences, have built a nation together. The Jalur Gemilang should never be a source of fear. It should always be our shared pride.
This Merdeka month, we must remind ourselves and each other: the flag is not a weapon. It is a symbol of unity. If we allow it to divide us, then we have failed to understand its meaning. But if we fly it proudly, with dignity and compassion, then we honour not just a piece of cloth but the very idea of Malaysia.
Come Merdeka morning, when I hoist the Jalur Gemilang outside my home, it will not be for politicians, nor for the loud voices that try to intimidate us. It will be for Malaysia itself; for the people, the unity, and the dream of a nation where no one should ever be afraid to love their country. That is the Malaysia my daughter, son and I believe in, and that is the Malaysia worth celebrating.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at rajlira@gmail.com
