Flying the Jalur Gemilang at business premises and homes should come from the heart and exudes the genuine spirit of patriotism, said Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.

"It cannot be made a condition or compulsion. Whether we want to flutter it or not, it should come naturally out of love for the country," he told reporters in Ipoh today.

dr zambry abd kadir perak new cm bn 050209 He was commenting on Ipoh mayor Datuk Roshidi Hashim's statement that the Ipoh City Council would blacklist business operators who failed to fly the national flag at their premises in conjunction with the 53th independence day celebration.

Zambry ( right ) said he understood Roshidi's good intention as he wanted to add splendour to the atmosphere but such action was not appropriate.

The state government is planning to launch a series of Jalur Gemilang waving campaign together with PLUS and the Public Works Department at the district and state levels, during with the flags will be distributed to the public, added Zambry.

  Decision withdrawn

Meanwhile, Zambry said the Perak state government had decided to withdraw its decision to take over the Dinding Indian Association (DIA) land in Sitiawan for a school expansion project.

He said state MIC chairman Datuk S. Veerasingam would meet Manjung Land and Mine District Office officers to revoke the proposed gazetting of the 2.2ha land by the Education Ministry to make way for the Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Simpang Empat project.

"Actually, this is not a big problem. We are willing to withdraw the decision as we understand the high sentimental value of the land to the Indian community.

"But the issue is manipulated and politicised by the opposition to the extend that they planned to demonstrate in front of the district office," he said.

He was commenting on Veerasingam's assurance that the prime land would remain with the association and Penang Deputy Chief Minister Dr P. Ramasamy and Padang Serai MP N. Gobalakrishnan should stop inciting Indians from holding a demonstration on the matter.

Zambry said a proposal to gazette the land was made by an Education Ministry officer who had overlooked the historical value of the land to the Indian community and the state government was not notified about it.