However, the four states will still use a common theme of “Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa (One Nation, One Country, One Soul)” which the pact had previously agreed upon, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali (picture) said.
Kedah will use “Terus Berbakti (Continue to Serve)” as its state theme while Kelantan will be adopting “Menerajui Perubahan (Spearheading Change)”.
Only Penang and Selangor will maintain “Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa”.
“This is because the state exco of Kedah and Kelantan decided on their respective themes before we decided on (Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa), and the exco decision is binding,” Mustafa told reporters at a joint news conference with his PR allies at the PKR headquarters here.
Also present were PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar and DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke.
He said the pact will also launch an alternative to the federal government’s theme song and logo for the National Day celebrations on Thursday, after the PR supreme council meeting.
He added that the song is penned by a renowned composer but that he chose to keep his identity under wraps until the launch.
Nurul Izzah said PR’s theme song will be non-partisan, unlike the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government’s choice.
“Our song gives room for all parties to express their feelings about freedom and not feel ‘hijacked’ or neglected,” she said.
The federal opposition bloc had rejected the 2012 National Day theme song and logo when both were unveiled last month, claiming the lyrics and design smacked of partisan politics in the run-up to the 13th general elections, which could see a regime change for the first time since independence in 1957.
At a separate press conference earlier today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, said BN, as the ruling coalition, holds the right to decide the National Day theme because its three founding members — Umno, MCA and MIC — were responsible for helping the country gain its independence from British colonial rule.
“Without a doubt, it is parties like Umno, MCA and MIC that fought for independence. Let those who fight for independence determine the theme. When did the opposition fight for independence?” he told reporters in Parliament.
Nazri said he felt the “Janji Ditepati” theme was apt as it represents the fact the federal government has kept its promises to the people.
The “Janji Ditepati” theme has been publicly panned on various social networking sites, including by graphics designers and songwriters, who say its seemingly political content is unsuitable for the celebration that stretches from August 31 to September 16, which is Malaysia Day.
The government eschewed the traditional logo designing competition this year, leaving the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture to come up with the logo which comprises words in different fonts, the Jalur Gemilang, the 1 Malaysia logo and the theme “Janji Ditepati”, all depicted in the four colours of the national flag.
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