KEPALA BATAS: The hardware shop mired in controversy over an upside-down Jalur Gemilang has remained closed for a second consecutive day.
A check along Jalan Datuk Haji Ahmad Badawi here found the area quiet, with only one car parked outside the shop yesterday morning.
“The row of shops here is often busy but now, it is unusually quiet,” said clinic assistant Aniza Abdul Talib, who works nearby.
Customers are staying away too, she added.
“There has been no visible activity around the shop following the incident. None of its staff is around,” said Aniza, 30.
She said neighbouring business owners had chosen not to get involved and were trying to go about their day as usual.
On Saturday, hardware shop owner Pang Chin Tian, 59, was arrested by police following accusations that he had improperly displayed the flag in front of his shop. He has been released on police bail.
Pang said he would accept any punishment over the case, which he described as unintentional and regretful.
“I love Malaysia. I want to put up the flag again,” he said during a visit by Penang DAP leaders yesterday.
“Even if it is a small mistake, I will take responsibility for it.”
Penang police chief Comm Datuk Azizee Ismail, when contacted, said investigations had been completed and the police were now awaiting instructions from the Attorney General.
Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, who had initially wanted to stage a protest at the hardware shop, said he would visit the shop tomorrow.
In another case concerning the Jalur Gemilang, online critics have gone after Terengganu Umno Youth for putting up an image of the flag with only 12 stripes in its social media posting about the upside-down flag incident in Penang, as well as the controversy over the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir.
The post described the acts as “cruel, rude and heartless” and called for the harshest punishment for those responsible.
However, social media users noticed that the Jalur Gemilang image in the post had only 12 red-and-white stripes instead of the official 14.
These netizens pointed out the irony of the case, with many posting sarcastic comments.
The Youth wing later replaced the image with a corrected version, but by then many users had already shared screenshots of the original post.
In a Facebook video, Dr Akmal called on the authorities to investigate and prosecute the Terengganu Umno Youth member who produced the erroneous poster of the flag.
“There are two stripes missing, and I have confirmed that the mistake came from the person who designed the poster. We take responsibility,” he said.
