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A Penangite has gone viral after posting a scathing video criticising UMNO Youth chief Akmal Saleh over his handling of the upside-down flag incident in Penang.

The drama began when UMNO Youth leader Dr Akmal Saleh led a demonstration outside a hardware store in Kepala Batas after an elderly Malaysian Chinese man accidentally hung the Malaysian flag upside down.

In a 1-minute, 33-second video that has gained widespread online support, the Malay man directly addressed Akmal.

If there are provocations or fights, who will suffer? It’s us ordinary Penang people. Akmal, do you even care? After your team messes things up, you just go back to Malacca. What about us?

He made several pointed observations:

  • On Forgiveness: “We also treasure our country’s glorious stripes. The old man has already apologised, and the hardware store even hung up a giant flag.”
  • On Human Error: “Everyone makes mistakes in life – wearing clothes backwards, wrong shoes, hats upside down. Even your own team has designed wrong flags before.”
  • On Escalation: “The old man did wrong, but accepting apologies is more noble than endless punishment.”

Why This Tiny State Gets Race Relations Right

The critic went on to emphasise Penang’s delicate racial harmony.

Penang is very small. Racial harmony has always received special attention here. In Penang, everyone lives in harmony – no one dominates anyone.

He questioned whether politicians were truly concerned about national unity or merely seeking political points.

The video has received widespread praise from the public across racial lines, with many agreeing that the incident should have been resolved quietly after the apology was made.

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over racial sensitivity in Malaysia, particularly regarding national symbols and the balance between accountability and forgiveness in multicultural communities.

The hardware store owner had already apologised for the mistake and corrected the flag display, leading many to question whether the political demonstration was necessary or helpful for national unity.