Uncouth behaviour condemned

The New Straits Times
by ADRIAN LAI AND MAZLINDA MAHMOOD

NOT OUR WAY: Respect the Jalur Gemilang and leaders chosen by the people, protesters told

KUALA LUMPUR: THE demand for the Jalur Gemilang to be replaced was roundly condemned by all quarters yesterday -- from both sides of the nation's political divide, legal experts and personalities alike.

Those who made their demand at a gathering on the eve of Merdeka were also chastised for uncouth behaviour when some of them acted lewdly while others stepped on the picture of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Even opposition stalwart Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat chastised the protesters, calling such actions un-Islamic.

1Malaysia Foundation trustee Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, himself a vocal opposition member of parliament in his day, also criticised the actions of the few.

"Their actions were highly disrespectful and uncalled for."

Lee said if the individuals involved had political differences with the ruling government, they should express their dissent and opposition in more appropriate ways.

"Resorting to acts of vulgarity and indecency does not speak well of our culture and values," he said in a statement.

The protesters, who claimed to be championing a better electoral system for the country, had created alternative flags to replace the Jalur Gemilang and distributed flyers to the people to support their cause during the incident.

Pictures of them committing vulgar acts on pictures of Najib, Rosmah and Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof had gone viral on the Internet.

Video clips of the acts were also uploaded onto YouTube.

1Malaysia Foundation chairman Dr Chandra Muzaffar, meanwhile, stressed that it was important for the people to stand up against such individuals who sought to defile the national flag and insult the prime minister.

He said the act of desecrating the national flag did not represent the sentiments of Malaysians as a whole as it was the work of a minority group.

"It's significant to note that even opposition leaders and some Bersih activists have distanced themselves from the act of wanting to create another national flag," he said.

Chandra said although the act was an isolated incident, it was imperative for society to criticise and repudiate it as the Jalur Gemilang was a national institution.

"And all national institutions, including the national anthem and the Federal Constitution, cannot be denigrated and tarnished in any way."

Chandra added that it was equally important for the perpetrators to be admonished publicly to deter "irresponsible elements" from committing such acts in the future.

"Malaysians, in general, do not endorse (such a behaviour). They, however, have to continue speaking up against such acts to show that they understand the significance of the Jalur Gemilang."

Former DAP vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, whose criticisms against the Bersih movement led to his resignation from the party in May, also expressed unhappiness over the incident, calling it disgraceful and saddening.

"People who claim to be Malaysians must uphold the flag that represents them. If they are thinking otherwise, they should get out of this country," he said yesterday.

Tunku Aziz added that such acts could not be tolerated as the Jalur Gemilang was a symbol of the country's sovereignty and independence.

"If this is how people carry out protests, then it is very saddening. The demand to replace the national flag is tantamount to treason and the government must take stern action against them," he said.

Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who was hosting the party's Hari Raya open house function here yesterday, said showing disrespect for the Jalur Gemilang was the same as not respecting the country's constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.

He also condemned the protesters for stepping on Najib's pictures.

"To trample on photographs of leaders is wrong, what more to do so on the prime minister, who was chosen by the rakyat," he said.

In Shah Alam, Selangor Barisan Nasional coordinator Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed said the act of insulting leaders by stripping off pants and showing bare bottoms was extremely rude and uncivilised.

He said there were no appropriate words that could be used to describe the despicable act as it happened in an educated community.

"It was very shameful and the perpetrators are despicable," he said after visiting an Islamic school.

Pictures of a youth baring his bottom to mock leaders have been widely circulated on the Net, including the social networking website, Facebook.

Heirs of Malaya Association (Waris Malaya) adviser Abdul Raof Mokhtar said the action was unacceptable in a civilised community and called for stern measures against the perpetrators for stoking extreme hatred towards the country's leaders.

"They have to use their minds to express their feelings. They should not resort to acting that way as it is against our religion, norms and values," he said.