Penang Hardware Store Owner Arrested by PDRM Over Upside-Down Jalur Gemilang
Source: Sinar Harian
In an official statement by the PDRM in Penang, police confirmed that the hardware store owner who displayed the upside-down Jalur Gemilang has been arrested.
Police also revealed that they received a total of 16 reports regarding the incident, with four of them lodged outside of Penang.
Source: Facebook | Nazirul Hafiz
The case is currently being investigated under Section 5 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1950, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and Section 14 of the Minor Offenses Act 1955.
The case will be referred to the Deputy Public Prosecutor on Monday (August 11) to determine the next course of action. Dato’ Mohd Alwi Bin Zainal Abidin, the acting Police Chief of Penang, stated that the Deputy Prosecutor is expected to charge the arrested hardware store owner.
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From FB of Lucia Lai:
So true. Very well said here.This is exactly my sentiments but dint know how to put it. Always when reading about the so severe backlash at the upside down flag incidents i wonder is it that necessary?
The Upside-Down Flag and the Right-Side-Up Perspective
If you look closely — and I mean really look — at the photograph of the Penang hardware store owner and his team, you won’t see saboteurs, provocateurs, or nation-humiliators.
You’ll see a handful of simple, hard-working folk who, on a normal day, would be more concerned with the price of cement than the political symbolism of a flag.
Their eyes tell you they are bewildered, maybe even scared, that a moment of inattention could turn into a criminal charge.
In an official statement, PDRM confirmed the store owner has been arrested after displaying an upside-down Jalur Gemilang.
Sixteen police reports have been lodged, some from outside Penang. The investigation now involves not one, not two, but three separate laws — the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1950, the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and the Minor Offenses Act 1955.
The matter will be passed to the Deputy Public Prosecutor who is expected to decide on charges.
All this because a man — by his own admission — was measuring the length of a pole and didn’t notice the flag’s orientation.
Let’s be clear: the Jalur Gemilang deserves respect. It is a unifying symbol, especially in these divisive times. But must respect come in the form of criminal prosecution for an accident?
Is intent no longer relevant?
Must a lapse in attention be met with the full force of the law, just because the social media outrage machine demands it?
We have to ask ourselves — are we protecting the dignity of the flag, or are we using it as a pretext to perform outrage?
The police have already reminded Malaysians to respect the flag and warned of strict action against those who don’t.
Fair enough. But there’s also wisdom in proportionality. A stern warning, a public apology, maybe even a small fine — these would send the same message without crushing the lives of those who meant no harm.
The store owner’s face tells a story: of someone caught in the gears of a machinery far bigger than him, bewildered at how a mistake could spiral into a national scandal.
Also, if we can’t tell the difference between malice and human error, perhaps we risk turning the Jalur Gemilang into a weapon rather than a banner of unity.
Be kind. Patriotism is not measured by how loudly we punish, but by how wisely we show mercy.
Photo credit World of Buzz
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Hope Akmal and cohorts are happy now, and hope DAP is relieved also.
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