COMMENT | A key component of patriotism is empathy and forgiveness.

I was therefore saddened that despite a public apology for mistakenly flying the Jalur Gemilang upside down, a school in Port Dickson continues to be ridiculed and its error politicised.

I am not defending the wrongful display of our national symbols. The Jalur Gemilang must be treated with the utmost respect. But let us also remember that the mistake was made by a worker with an intellectual disability.

It was corrected within two hours after it was publicly highlighted. The school has also since apologised and committed to stronger oversight.

Yes, a mistake was made, and it is not a trivial one. But our reaction should not overshadow the values our Merdeka spirit stands for.