Latheefa to politicians: Drop 'flag hysteria', stop targeting school
Published: Aug 8, 2025 12:30 PM
Updated: 3:08 PM
Lawyers for Liberty co-founder Latheefa Koya has urged politicians to stop what she described as a “flag hysteria” over an upside-down national flag recently flown at a Chinese school in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.
Insisting that the incident was an unintentional mistake that has been blown out of proportion, she accused political leaders of exploiting the matter to score patriotic points while victimising innocent parties.
“The truth of the matter is that the politicians are trying to outdo each other in being seen to be the most patriotic, at the cost of many innocent victims like SJKC Chung Hua’s board, its Parent Teacher Association, etc.
“How demoralising and devastating for the school staff, parents, and the children themselves to be subjected to this barrage of attacks. Do they (politicians) realise they are scaring ordinary people?” Latheefa questioned in an X post today.
Besides condemning Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek’s “threat” of stern action upon the school involved in the incident, the former MACC chief commissioner also chided other government figures for their silence amid brickbats against the school.
“As the education minister, (Fadhlina) should have defended the school from all the opportunistic politicians jumping on the ‘flag’ bandwagon.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek
“(To) all those government leaders, MPs and ‘reformist’ politicians who have been watching this, but not speaking up on behalf of the poor school - you should be ashamed of yourselves. You know who you are,” she said.
Latheefa asserted that the incident should not have warranted a departmental inquiry or police probe, saying: “Just drop it and let the school as well as its students carry on the important work of education in peace. Look for political mileage elsewhere. Leave our schools alone.”
“This is not a case where someone had deliberately defaced or insulted the national flag. It doesn’t deserve this kind of extreme reaction, which is becoming the norm in this country,” she lamented.
She warned that such overreactions could discourage people from displaying the Jalur Gemilang, as even the slightest mistake now risks triggering a nationwide uproar and police investigation.
Previously, Lukut assemblyperson Choo Ken Hwa revealed that the upside-down flag incident at the school was the result of a mistake by a disabled worker, and that the flag was immediately brought down after the school realised the mistake.
While the school issued a public apology over the Aug 1 incident, backlash persisted, with Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh demanding punitive measures, asserting that apologies are no remedy for perceived disrespect.
The Merlimau assemblyperson also hit back at DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, who earlier alleged that certain quarters are attempting to politicise the incident.
Petty, pointless issue
Meanwhile, Johor DAP vice-president Sheikh Omar Ali said the “war of words” between Akmal and DAP has “gone overboard”, to the point where barbs traded between both quarters have “no substance”.
“It’s simple - let the authorities conduct investigations and take action. But, sadly, this is our politics.
“Akmal has to insult DAP, and DAP replies. (As long as) that side plays it up again, this side keeps hitting back… At first, it looks like an important issue, but over time it drifts off into nowhere,” Sheikh Omar said in a Facebook post today.
“(To) all those government leaders, MPs and ‘reformist’ politicians who have been watching this, but not speaking up on behalf of the poor school - you should be ashamed of yourselves. You know who you are,” she said.
Latheefa asserted that the incident should not have warranted a departmental inquiry or police probe, saying: “Just drop it and let the school as well as its students carry on the important work of education in peace. Look for political mileage elsewhere. Leave our schools alone.”
“This is not a case where someone had deliberately defaced or insulted the national flag. It doesn’t deserve this kind of extreme reaction, which is becoming the norm in this country,” she lamented.
She warned that such overreactions could discourage people from displaying the Jalur Gemilang, as even the slightest mistake now risks triggering a nationwide uproar and police investigation.
Previously, Lukut assemblyperson Choo Ken Hwa revealed that the upside-down flag incident at the school was the result of a mistake by a disabled worker, and that the flag was immediately brought down after the school realised the mistake.
While the school issued a public apology over the Aug 1 incident, backlash persisted, with Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh demanding punitive measures, asserting that apologies are no remedy for perceived disrespect.
The Merlimau assemblyperson also hit back at DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, who earlier alleged that certain quarters are attempting to politicise the incident.
Petty, pointless issue
Meanwhile, Johor DAP vice-president Sheikh Omar Ali said the “war of words” between Akmal and DAP has “gone overboard”, to the point where barbs traded between both quarters have “no substance”.
“It’s simple - let the authorities conduct investigations and take action. But, sadly, this is our politics.
“Akmal has to insult DAP, and DAP replies. (As long as) that side plays it up again, this side keeps hitting back… At first, it looks like an important issue, but over time it drifts off into nowhere,” Sheikh Omar said in a Facebook post today.
Johor DAP vice-president Sheikh Omar Ali
The ongoing spat between Akmal and DAP Youth first erupted after the party’s youth wing criticised the former for repeatedly harping on the upside-down flag issue at the school.
The situation, however, has since spiralled into Akmal suggesting that disabled person cards be given to DAP Youth while mocking their leaders for allegedly not understanding Bahasa Malaysia.
DAP Youth organising secretary Lim Zheng Han has since called for Akmal’s resignation as a Malacca state executive councillor.
Lim claimed the Umno Youth leader’s statements not only demonstrated his “profound contempt for disabled persons” but also showed his leadership style was weak and immature.
The ongoing spat between Akmal and DAP Youth first erupted after the party’s youth wing criticised the former for repeatedly harping on the upside-down flag issue at the school.
The situation, however, has since spiralled into Akmal suggesting that disabled person cards be given to DAP Youth while mocking their leaders for allegedly not understanding Bahasa Malaysia.
DAP Youth organising secretary Lim Zheng Han has since called for Akmal’s resignation as a Malacca state executive councillor.
Lim claimed the Umno Youth leader’s statements not only demonstrated his “profound contempt for disabled persons” but also showed his leadership style was weak and immature.
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