Another Jalur Gemilang gaffe: MOE apologises, launches probe

Summary

• The Education Ministry apologises after releasing a report with an erroneous Jalur Gemilang on it.

• The ministry says it has taken action against those involved and vowed an investigation.

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The Education Ministry has apologised over a gaffe involving the national flag.

This comes after its SPM Analysis Report, released today, contained an erroneous Jalur Gemilang.

A graphic showed students in a classroom, with a Jalur Gemilang with two stars instead of one hanging on a wall.

The flag also had eight alternating red and white stripes instead of 14.

Subsequently, the ministry mentioned that it had recalled the report, with corrections being made.

“We cannot accept this negligence as Jalur Gemilang is the symbol of our nation’s sovereignty.

“We have taken immediate action on all those who were involved, and a thorough investigation is being conducted,” it added.

Another mistake was found on page 14 of the report, in a graphic which depicted students in a kitchen.

A Jalur Gemilang in the background was shown without the 14-point star representing the Malaysian states and federal territories.

The crescent moon was instead depicted alongside a comma-shaped yellow blob.

According to the credits on all of the images, they were generated using artificial intelligence.

Uproar against daily

Last week, Sin Chew Daily published an incomplete illustration of the Jalur Gemilang on its front page in conjunction with coverage of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Malaysia.

The incident drew criticism from various parties, including the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who said the newspaper’s management and editorial department must be more careful and thoroughly vet materials before publication.

Following the backlash, the newspaper apologised, stating that the mistake was an unintentional technical error.

The daily had also suspended two of its editors over the matter.

On April 19, an event organiser apologised after a video showing an incomplete Jalur Gemilang was played at the TCE Baby Expo held at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

The flag in the video was reportedly missing its crescent moon. A photo of the botched flag has been circulating online since at least April 18.

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