Flag blunder: Sin Chew's apology insufficient, Maszlee demands retribution

Summary

• Ex-minister Maszlee Malik demands a resignation from Sin Chew Daily, or for Chinese daily to face legal consequences.

• Sin Chew yesterday published an illustration of the Jalur Gemilang without the crescent moon.

• UPDATED 1.14PM | Umno leader Razlan Rafii calls authorities to revoke Sin Chew's publication licence.

Former education minister Maszlee Malik is demanding retribution after a Chinese daily made a blunder with the Jalur Gemilang.

Sin Chew Daily yesterday published a front page illustration of a jong bearing the Malaysian and China flags to coincide with Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the country.

However, the Malaysian flag was missing a crescent moon.

In an apology published yesterday, Sin Chew blamed a "technical error" for the mistake, and vigorously apologised.

It fixed the digital version of the illustration and republished the corrected illustration in its print edition today.

Someone needs to resign

However, Maszlee viewed the apology as insufficient.

"An apology can only be accepted if it is done by someone who is ignorant, dense, and made a mistake.

"A renowned newspaper that is almost 100 years old, has more than half a million readers, a chief editor and other experienced editors made a mistake about their country's own flag?

"Is a small apology sufficient? Someone must take responsibility," he said in a statement today.

The PKR leader said someone in Sin Chew must either resign or be brought to justice.

Otherwise, the country's pride and the flag will continue to be trampled on, he added.

As such, the former minister demanded authorities take stern action without compromise over the matter.

‘Revoke publication licence’

An Umno supreme council member also called for strict action over the flag faux pas by urging the authorities to ban the publication.

Razlan Rafii said such an error was unacceptable and cannot be treated lightly as it is "treason" against the country's symbol.

"The Jalur Gemilang has been flying high for 75 years. Our country has been independent for 68 years. The editors at Sin Chew Daily should realise that the Jalur Gemilang is a symbol of the country's sovereignty, unity and the struggle of its citizens when fighting against colonisation.

"It is not just a cloth with stripes but a flag that carries this country's pride.

"This is Malaysia. It does not make any sense that the people working in Sin Chew Daily did not know what the Jalur Gemilang looks like, unless they no longer have any nationalist spirit," he said in a statement.

The political secretary to Rural and Regional Development Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi added that the incident also occurred during a worrying time when the opposition was playing up 3R (racial, religion and royalty) sentiments.

Thus, he said strict action must be taken against the editor in charge and proposed that “Sin Chew Daily's publication licence be revoked immediately" as a warning to those who wish to mock the country's symbol.

Take stern action

Echoing the duo’s sentiments, PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden urged Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil to take stern action against those involved.

He said no media outlet in the country should be let off the hook after disrespecting a national symbol.

“If the government can act against Era FM using Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the same principle must be applied to Sin Chew using existing legal provisions,” he added.

On March 11, the parent company of Era FM radio station was slapped with a RM250,000 fine after its presenters mocked a Hindu religious ceremony.

MCMC, however, decided against suspending Maestra Broadcast Sdn Bhd's licence after considering several factors, including the impacts it would have on Era FM's sister companies that are also operating under the same licence.

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