Not small matter but don't go overboard, says Anwar on flag issue

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the incorrect flag Sin Chew Daily published is not a small issue, but warned against going overboard.

He told a press conference in Thailand today that the legal process must take priority.

“This is not a trivial matter, and we must follow the legal process.

“But I must also say that we must not be seen to go overboard,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Chinese language newspaper published an “incomplete” illustration of the Jalur Gemilang on its front page in conjunction with coverage of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Malaysia.

However, the Malaysian flag was missing its crescent moon, which led to backlash.

Sin Chew had since apologised for the blunder and published a corrected version of the illustration in the next day’s edition. It blamed the mistake on a technical error.

Sin Chew Daily office

Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain confirmed that Sin Chew’s chief editor and deputy chief sub-editor were investigated, briefly detained, and released on police bail.

Sin Chew has also suspended the chief editor responsible for approving the publication of the illustration, and the deputy chief sub-editor, as the graphic designer behind the image.

A protest was held this morning outside of Sin Chew’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, where several Malay-rights activists called on the publication to sack the pair responsible.

Perkasa Youth chief Zool Amali Hussin and eight others insisted they rejected Sin Chew’s apology, saying that if the duo were not sacked, the Home Ministry should suspend the newspaper’s licence. -Mkini