A police report was lodged on Aug 9 at the Seberang Perai Utara district police headquarters following an incident where a Malaysian flag was displayed upside down by a hardware shop at Jalan Bertam.
Bertam state assemblyman Reezal Merican Naina Merican said in his report that he saw a video posting on Facebook at around 1.30pm showing a man raising the Malaysian flag upside down, while another man was recording it.
“I regret that this incident occurred in the constituency I represent and consider this action unacceptable,” he said.
Reezal said that the action constitutes an offence under the law and is a violation of Section 3 of Act 414, the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act.
“I am making this report so that this matter will not happen again and that investigation and legal action can be taken appropriately,” he said.
Reezal said that while the issue is serious and cannot be overlooked, it is important to approach it with level-headedness and avoid stoking ethnic or political tensions.
“I called Mr Lai, the liaison officer of DAP in Kepala Batas, to join me because this incident is always perceived from the perspective that it was done by one particular race only. But not all of them are bad people. We want to bring down the temperature and avoid inflaming sentiments,” he said.
According to Reezal, it is nearly impossible to install it upside down by accident, as it has only one hole for mounting the strap. This raises concerns about whether the act was a deliberate affront or an unacceptable display of carelessness.
“I am not authorised to investigate, but either it was done deliberately, or the mistake is hard to explain. The law must be respected regardless of who is involved,” he said.
He also urged that any investigation be conducted properly and fairly, warning against rushing to conclusions that could worsen communal sentiments.
“The law doesn’t recognise skin colour, creed, or social status. We must work as Malaysians and condemn wrongdoings no matter who commits them. If the roles were reversed, I would do the same,” he said.
Reezal also feels sorry for the person responsible, describing them as an elderly individual, but stressed that pity cannot override the need to uphold the law.
He also called on Malaysians to avoid racial stereotypes and political partisanship when discussing sensitive issues.
“We must think progressively and fairly, not from a Malay-centric or Chinese-centric viewpoint,” he said.
Meanwhile, Seberang Perai Utara district police chief Anuar Abd Rahman said in a statement that the case is being investigated under Section 5 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963, Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988.
“The police are still in the process of preliminary investigation by recording the statements of the complainant as well as the suspect involved in the incident.”
This incident marks the sixth flag-related incident since Jan 2025, and the second case of improper handling of flags within August. On Aug 1, SJKC Chung Hua in Port Dickson apologised for mistakenly flying the Jalur Gemilang upside-down.
Education minister Fahdlina Sidek said on Aug 3 that stern action will be taken against the school following a full investigation.
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