Sunday August 12, 2007
Flying our flag has nothing to do with politics
TAIPING: Flying the Jalur Gemilang is an apolitical statement of patriotism and does not indicate that the person flying the national flag is a supporter of a particular party, said Deputy Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He was recently taken aback when a stall owner in Kuala Lumpur refused to accept a Jalur Gemilang, presumably fearing that his customers might shun his outlet.
“Flying the Jalur Gemilang doesn’t mean that it is a show of support for Umno, MCA, MIC or Gerakan.
“Showing off the Jalur Gemilang is a patriotic act and the stall owner clearly doesn’t understand this,” Ahmad Zahid told reporters after flagging off a Merdeka convoy of vintage bicycles at SK Terong near here yesterday.
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Vintage fleet: Ahmad Zahid (second from right) mingling with members of the Merdeka convoy on Saturday. With him are (from right) Perak State Assembly Speaker Datuk Mat Isa Ismail, Terong assemblyman Rosli Husin, Kuala Sepetang assemblyman See Tian Seng and Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Tan Lian Hoe. |
This is because the Malaysian flag looks very similar to the United States’ flag, the Star Spangled Banner, and “from afar, our flag does look like the US flag”.
He said Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Zainal Abidin Zin discovered this during a Merdeka convoy last year that passed through a certain African country. He and his entourage were scorned because people mistook the Jalur Gemilang for the US flag.
On a related matter, Ahmad Zahid said RTM – acting on a suggestion by Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim – would take photos of buildings which did not fly the Jalur Gemilang next week.
Earlier in his speech, he appealed to the people to fly the Jalur Gemilang in front of their homes to mark our 50th National Day, a once in a lifetime occasion.
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