Patriotism is more than flag-flying at places of business, in house compounds, on motor vehicles.

There are several flag bedecked cars, buses and taxis purportedly displaying their patriotism while at the same time disregarding speed limits, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and yellow boxes at road junctions with scant attention for the safety of fellow road-user citizens.

A patriot upholds just laws of the land. Flying the Jalur Gemilang alone is not patriotism. Not flying one need not necessarily mean being unpatriotic.

Patriotism is loyalty to king and country realising that the government of the day is neither king nor country. The government of the day is to be supported if it ensures justice for all and if its policies are for the common good.

It is to be opposed and exposed if the nature of the regime pays only lip service to the fundamental liberties of persons, denies freedom under the rule of law and categorises certain sections of the citizenry as pendatang or penumpang.

A patriot shuns and abhors racial and religious chauvinism and adventurism for the greater good and unity of the country which a patriot is obliged to promote.

A patriot recognises the opposition as an essential and integral part of parliamentary democracy and does not treat it as an enemy of state nor as a cumbersome appendix. A patriot accepts changes of government as necessary in the natural growth of a nation.

A patriot upholds, defends and promotes the human rights of fellow citizens and others and realises the vital importance of an independent judiciary as the conscience of the nation and in which all could seek redress and justice without fear or favour.

A patriot is committed to bring up his/her children to be good citizens of the country and mould them according to a matured notion of patriotism.