Counsel flag offender, don’t throw them in jail

Pengerang MP, Azalina opines that offenders who desecrate the national flag should be counselled instead of being jailed.

UPDATED

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno backbencher Azalina Othman Said today expressed her disagreement with the mandatory jail term for those who are found guilty desecrating the national flag.

The Pengerang MP disagreed with the jail term and instead proposed for the offenders to be given mandatory counselling.

“They are just kids with wayward ways and some are a bit off in the head. If they had the heart to burn the flag, then they are considered as a bit insane (tidak siuman).

“So let them be counselled instead, let them know the national anthem and the country’s history properly,” she said, during the debate session on the government’s bill to amend the Penal Code.

The bill is seeking to bar the use and promotion of any flag that purports to represent Malaysia other than the Jalur Gemilang and the state flags.

The bill seems to target the Sang Saka Malaya, a flag designed by the left-wing politicians in the 1940s; and has recently returned to public spotlight after it was used by social activists Adam Adli and Hishamuddin Rais on Merdeka day.

The same section also seeks to introduce stiffer penalty for those who destroy, deface or trample on the Jalur Gemilang.

Under the new Section of 121E, whoever uses, recognises or promotes the use of any flag that purports to represent Malaysia will, face a jail term of between five to 15 years. The offender will also be liable to a fine.

Azalina seem to hit home a point as she reasoned on how the situation could worsen if these youngsters were to be jailed.

“Let’s say they are imprisoned for five years and in the prison they mix around with hardcore criminals such as rapists and murderers, it is certain they will come out even worse,” she said.

Malaysia will become a prison
BN’s veteran lawmaker, Kinabatangan MP Bung Mokhtar Radin also expressed his disagreement with the provisions in the amendments.

“If the law is good, we will support it. However, I do not support this  Act as it does not bring any benefit to the rakyat.

“There is no need to debate the bill, just revoke it entirely,” he said, further commenting that the country will turn into a prison if the amendments are passed.

He added that the bill was probably tabled without the minister dwelling into it diligently  beforehand, alluding to Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

MPs today debated against the amendments due to the extensive mandatory jail sentences on several offences. They claimed that it has far reaching consequences.

Putting up posters without permission, harbouring criminals and domestic violence will lead to offenders getting a mandatory jail sentence.