PKR Youth: ‘New flag’ nothing to do with us

PETALING JAYA: PKR Youth has denied any role in trying to change theJalur Gemilang to an “alternative flag” during the Janji Demokrasi gathering but admitted that it was designed by one of its youth leaders.

“The flag was designed by our deputy youth information chief Mohd Najwan Halimi in 2007 but at that time, he was not a member nor held any post in the youth wing.

“What happened during that year should not be associated with us,” its chief Mohd Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said yesterday.

He maintained that there was nothing wrong in flying the flag, also known as the Sang Saka Malaya, during the Merdeka eve gathering.

“The most important part is that we are clear on our stand which is that we have no intention to change our national flag,” he said.

Shamsul was responding to criticism against the youths, who had flown the alternative flag, leading to allegations that the wing wanted to replace the Jalur Gemilang with it.

Najwan had explained in his blog that the Sang Saka Malaya was designed by him based on the patterns of the Indonesian and Singa­porean national flags.

Shamsul denied that the wing was involved in distributing pamphlets to participants during the gathering and welcomed a police probe into the Janji Demokrasi participants who stepped on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s picture.

Sources: The Star 4 sept 2012

Blogger sparks uproar

KUALA LUMPUR: A blogger has claimed responsibility for the “new Malaysian flag” controversy, saying it was done to honour the country’s early freedom fighters.

Muhammad Nasir confessed in his blog Singaselatan, which attracted instant flak from local historians and sparked an uproar among Netizens.

Historian Tan Sri Prof Khoo Kay Kim questioned the motive of Muhammad, who said he was responsible for unveiling the flag with his friend Zairi Shafai during the Janji Demokrasi gathering at Dataran Merdeka here last Thursday.

“Do they really know the struggle of Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM) and what it represented? If they are not happy with the country, they should give up their citizenship and migrate elsewhere,” Khoo said.

Prof Khoo, one of the co-authors of the Rukun Negara, said KMM was formed in 1938 for the purpose of overthrowing the then British rulers in Malaya.

He noted that a large number of KMM members were Indonesians, hence the leftist movement’s goal of forming Panji Melayu Raya or Greater Indonesia which called for the unification of Malaya and Indonesia.

Datuk Dr Ramlah Adam, the author of over 30 books on local history, questioned the group’s motive for glorifying KMM.

“They are trying to create their own version of history without really understanding the details behind KMM, which was against the Malay rulers.

“Some may treat their actions as young boys being mischievous but I worry that there may be a greater plan by the Opposition to cause disunity,” she said.

Blogger Aesheh Adlina Karim drew attention to the similarities of the group’s flag to the Singaporean and Indonesian national flags.

“Do they (Pakatan) mean to make Malaysia a republic because both Indonesia and Singapore are republics?” she asked in her blog.

Meanwhile, PKR deputy information youth chief Najwan Halimi said he modified a 1947 AMCJA-Putera leftist movement 12-star flag in 2007, adding that this flag design was mistakenly used by the group.

sources: The Star 4 sept 2012

Chorus of disapproval over acts of a few

PETALING JAYA (Sept 3, 2012): Various quarters have joined the chorus of disappointment over the actions of a few individuals who behaved degradingly towards government leaders and carried flags allegedly meant as alternative to the Jalur Gemilang during the recent Merdeka eve celebration at Dataran Merdeka.

In a statement, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng expressed disapproval at the few who stepped on pictures of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak

In doing so, he also called on Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to act decisively against those who had committed similar acts to degrade Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

"Clearly there is selective prosecution and double standards by not demanding for stern action against Perkasa members who burnt or stepped on my portrait outside my office in Komtar and performed funeral rites on my portrait outside my house," he said today.

"To date, no court action is taken against these perpetrators who showed disrespect on portraits of PR leaders," he added.

Lim took to task Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon for linking the behaviour of stepping on Najib's portrait to the Opposition.

"It is irresponsible to blame the Opposition for an act that was clearly not our doing," Lim said.

He added that there was also no action taken when a group behaved in a similar manner against Bersih co-chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Ambiga had a derogatory "butt dance" performed by a few army veterans outside her house. She also had beef burgers grilled in front of her home when she is a practising Hindu and a vegetarian.

Meanwhile, PKR Youth denied allegations it wanted to change the national flag. Its chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin said this although their Deputy Publicity Chief Najwan Halimi had reportedly designed the 'Sang Saka Malaya', inspired by Putera-AMCJA (All-Malaya Council of Joint Action) people's coalition of 1947, that became the subject of controversy after the 'Janji Demokrasi' event on Merdeka eve.

"Najwan designed it in 2007, and some youth had taken it as a manifestation of their patriotism. I have no problems with anyone who wishes to fly the 'Sang Saka Malaya' as an expression to acknowledge the country's historical development," he told a press conference today.

He described what happened as a manifestation of the youths' observation of history to celebrate the spirit of past Independence figures such as Dr Burhanuddin Helmy and Ishak Haji Muhammad (Pak Sako) during whose time the flag was introduced.

Shamsul challenged Umno to change its own flag, the 'Sang Saka Bangsa' should its members find the element 'Sang Saka' a threat to national security.

He stressed that the issue has no basis to be politicised at all just because there were some youths who happen to have different ideas and opinions in viewing the country's history.

"What is clear is that this issue is being blown out of proportion as if it has potential of becoming a threat to the nation's security," said Shamsul.

He also denied knowing the individuals involved in the act of stomping on Najib's portraits, pointing that he and his team will even assist in finding the group in order for the authorities to take the necessary action against them.

However, he also urged the police to take the same action against the individuals who had done the same towards the opposition leaders.

Meanwhile, Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan) president Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said it was unfortunate that after 55 years of independence, people's behaviour had regressed.

"Politics is becoming dirtier by the day and it does not in any way reflect the maturity which should have been gained all this time," said Abdul Kadir who had served as the Merdeka Day organising committee chairman from 1999 to 2006, during his term as a federal lawmaker.

He cited several incidents, including the flag controversy, and recent attacks to a bus used for PKR's Jelajah Merdeka Rakyat roadshow in Kelantan, as examples of acts which should be condemned.

"The authorities should put an immediate stop to such acts by taking stern and unbiased action towards the responsible parties to prevent it from becoming a trend and making Malaysia a laughing stock to the world," he stressed.

Sources: The Sun 3 Sept 2012