Furore over flag: Much ado about nothing

YOURSAY 'Many others struggled for independence, but they have been erased from our consciousness because they are not mentioned in our history books.'

Flag duo denies wanting to change Jalur Gemilang

Kee Thuan Chye: We must reclaim our true history, and not be misled by the official history written by the victors, i.e. Umno.

Many others struggled for independence, but they have been erased from our consciousness because they are not mentioned in our school history textbooks. This must change.

The leftists were in the forefront of the struggle for independence, long before Umno came into the picture. And let's not forget the communists either.

These two youths did the right thing in wanting Malaysians to remember the struggles of all, not just those of Umno.

Ferdtan: Thanks to the young blogger Serigala Selatan and Zairi Shafai who brought back a part of history that we are not aware of.

Who had suppressed and obliterated the memory of that period of struggle for independence? Who were the victors in the independence struggle - Umno alone?

We really don't know, nor have we ever read or were allowed to learn in our history books about 'Sang Saka Malaya'.

We are definitely surprised that the flag was the symbol of the struggle by a group of freedom fighters in demanding independence for Malaya. We salute these thinking youths for bringing up a part of true history that we had lost.

They are smarter than the highly qualified BN 'kangkong professors' who once said Malaya was never colonised by the British Empire and had merely been a protectorate.

Keep on explaining your reasons so that the BN government cannot spin it into something else.

Conmen: Accusing the opposition and government dissidents of all manner of political treachery, like trying to convert the country to republicanism, changing the national flag, overthrowing the constitution and Christianisation, is all Umno fearmongering for a catch-two-birds-with-one-stone reason.

Firstly, to demonise the opposition in the eyes of the kampung Malays in the hinterland and whip them into an Umno-supporting frenzy. Secondly, to work Umno itself to a self-hypnotised mode where another round of Ops Lallang will be imposed and all the top guns of Pakatan Rakyat are thrown behind bars until after GE13 is over.

The above modus operandi will assure that Umno remain in power and stay in control forever more.

Dr Jag#04496187: Malaysians are now struggling for independence from the Umnoputras. This is the real struggle.

Pre-Merdeka was a please-exploit-us Malayan mindset after the divide-and-conquer (Umno/MIC/MCA) mindset was sold and accepted wholesale.

Artchan: Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Noh Omar claimed that the opposition wants to change the flag. Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein also parroted this, but the worst was PM Najib Razak.

How can a PM accuse blindly? Whether blogger Serigala Selatan is right or wrong, I salute his courage to take responsibility for his act.

Satgunam TuitionTeacher: Mr PM and Minister Hishammuddin, don't jump to conclusions.

Just like you would say Perkasa's statements are not reflective of BN's views, the views of some individuals who are opposed to BN does not reflect the views of the opposition.

BN must be mature enough to recognise this and not spew worthless remarks to claim the opposition wants to change the flag and make Malaysia a republic.

Please don't resort to frightening people into voting for BN just because you are scared of losing.

Telur Dua: When one is desperate, anything and everything would be used against one's opponents. Incidentally, this clearly shows how shallow and irresponsible our cabinet members are.

Ikatan chief backs police action against flag duo

Zainal: Ikatan chief Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, are you going to speak up against the un-Bangsa Malaysia culture of throwing shoes at a masjid, as done by the Perkasa group in Kedah?

Do you also wonder where these ugly traits come from? Surely the youngsters at the Merdeka eve celebrations had copied it from the older ‘kurang ajar' folks?

Disgusted: It looks like your soul is still with Umno, Abdul Kadir. What about all the attacks on Pakatan Rakyat, especially at their ceramahs, the bus desecration, the Perkasa mob storming the mosque and even throwing a slipper into it, the hooliganism against Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng like sending shit, coffins to his house, having a funeral ceremony in front of his home and stepping and spitting on his photo.

Is Lim as chief minister not another elected leader, or is it because he is a Chinese so the actions are not considered as stupid and unforgivable?

The butt showing and making of beef burgers at Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga's home - are these part and parcel of Malay Muslim culture too?

Conmen: The country is in internal disarray because of burgeoning social unrest with the Umno government's inept and incompetent handling of civil society's grouses and grievances and all Abdul Kadir can do is add fuel to fire by dwelling on a trifling issue of flag waving.

If not for this Merdeka eve rally, many people in our country would not have come to know that the Sang Saka Malaya was part of our pre-Merdeka birth pangs. I believe instead of belittling the nation, the flag waving by these kids raised our public awareness and consciousness of how our independence was achieved.

It told us plenty of hardships were experienced by many quarters, not just by Umno as they claimed, in the struggle for Merdeka. Indeed, Umno had no right to hijack the past achievements of the many, who were part of the collective effort, solely as their own.

Out in the cold is getting him nowhere in life so Abdul Kadir must endear himself with Umno all over again. There can no life for him without Umno.

Vgeorgemy: Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, you are wrong. These are the younger generation born after the fall of the Berlin wall and China became a trading nation with a huge foreign currency reserve.

Are you willing to discuss with the younger generation on their aspirations? If not, just enjoy your wealth and health. Let them decide on the future of this nation as we failed them through our silence.

Onyourtoes: Sure, sure, sure, the kids were uncultured and uncouth; but did I hear from you anything regarding disruption of Pakatan ceramah, the PKR bus windscreen being broken and sprayed with red paint, rally goers being manhandled and labelled with all kinds of racist remarks, etc?

Monkey see, monkey do. Please don't talk about culture and decorum in Malaysia any more. The youngsters you see today are the mirror image of depraved old braggarts like you. - Malaysiakini