Where is your national flag ?

This year, the month long Hungry Ghosts Festival (Por Tor) coincided with the weeks of National Day Celebration. The Hungry Ghosts Festival is over, so is the Merdeka day celebrations. But I still see a lot of National Flags hoisted in all over the places. So, the remnants of National Flags hoisted in all over the old places gave me an impression that the “Por Tor” festivities is still not over yet.

The national flag is, by right, is a symbol of pride, hope, and honour. It should be hoisted at appropriate place with pride and dignity. But, during the month preceding the National Independent Day, I saw the National flags inappropriately hoisted on many places of insignificant. For example, I saw the National flags hoisted behind garbage trucks, at the road sides near the drains, on top of trees, on top of traffic signages and lamp posts, on top of car bonnets, on top of garbage dump, etc. I also saw worn out and dirty flag hoisted on top of business premises. I also saw doormat with the national flag design being placed at entrance to a business premise. The list of ignorant disrespect for the national flag can go on and on…..

I am one of those people who believed in appropriateness, and common sense dictates that, there are some places where the national flags should not be hoisted. Isn’t there any rules or codes governing the display of National Flag ? People like to show their patriotism with their creativity in displaying the national flag. But by disgracefully displaying the national flags with no regard for common sense is an act of ignorance. Disgraceful ignorance should not accepted as act of patriotism but an act of arrogant stupidity. Recently, a group of Malaysians felt sensitized and offended when a young Malaysian student sang “Negara ku ku” with the national flag behind. But nobody felt offended when the national flags were hoisted behind the smelly garbage trucks and all over the inappropriate places. We argued, freedom of expressions has its limit, but does the limit applies here ? Isn’t it equally disrespectful and disgraceful ?

During the week preceding Merdeka Day, I was approached by a young man selling the national flags. In his eagerness to sell the flag, he complained that he still have a lot of flags to be disposed off and told me that the price of our national flag is cheaper than a pack of cigarette. I am not very sure whether he implied a political statement or commercial desperation. My assumption is, to him, even the value of a pack of Dunhill is worth more than our national flag. When I asked him where should I hoist the flag, he told me “mana mana you suka” or “anywhere you like” ! I refused to buy the flag peddled by him out of respect for the national flag. I sincerely hope, this time next year, the government can distribute the national flag free of charge, and all other Malaysians should refrained from buying the Malaysian flags. It is degrading to knowingly allow our national flag being disrespectfully commercilized by peddlers.

We can distribute and asked the children to wave the national flag with pride. We can go around shaming car owners for not buying and fasten the national flag on their vehicles. We can issued directives to ask business premises to hoist the national flag. In fact, we can ignorantly accused people for not displaying national flag in the name of patriotism and love for the country. But do we understand the significance and the proper respect for the national flag ?

If we hoist the national flag on a pole, how many Malaysians will actually run to the pole and salute the flag with pride and honour ? I do ! Do I carry a National Flag ? Yes. I always do - in my heart and soul.

Tuhan kurniakan Raja kita selamat bertakhta………