Sad when ‘Palestinian flag’ is raised when Negaraku echoes at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium

 

EITHER the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), the Bukit Jalil National Stadium management team or even the Youth and Sports Ministry – or all three – must take the rap for allowing the Selangor fan club a.k.a. Ultras Selangor (UltraSel) to raise a “Free Palestinian”-themed tifo when national anthem Negaraku was played.

Human rights activist and lawyer Siti Kasim speaks for enraged Malaysians when she lambasted on a Facebook (FB) post: “This is so wrong … these people have no respect to our country and King! Some Malaysians have gone bonkers! Disgusting! ”

Even a check on the original TikTok video displayed on Siti Kasim’s FB post by sukanzcom (aSukanz) showed that quite a number of commenters were displeased with the action of  UltrasSel to hoist the tifo alongside Negaraku which was played prior to the FA Cup final match between Selangor and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT).

This is regardless of the excuse that the Malaysian flag was already displayed on giant screens around the National Stadium or that its “No Surrender” tagline encapsulates fans’ rivalry between UltraSel and Boys of Straits a.k.a. the JDT’s fan club.

“This is strange. How can an (alien) flag be raised when Negaraku is played  … getting worse by the day,” berated Sweet Snowflake  “Ever since my school days, only Jalur Gemilang has been hoisted when the country’s national anthem is played, not tifo. ”

As another commenter rightly pointed out, the Malaysian flag should be prioritised given August is deemed a Merdeka month.

Over at Siti Kasim’s FB post, a commenter struck the chord by implying that the country has set its priorities wrong by leveraging the Palestinian cause for political mileage more than anything else.

Others blame the authorities for closing one eye or quietly condoning the act. 

- focus malaysia