Sunday, September 18, 2011

Jalur Gemilang will be changed if the Pakatan Rakyat comes to power.

Below is the full extract taken from The Star Online Sunday September 18, 2011. “DAP distances itself from Mano.”


PETALING JAYA: DAP has dissociated itself from a statement by state assemblyman M. Manoharan who continues to get flak over his remarks to change the Jalur Gemilang if the Pakatan Rakyat comes to power.

Adopted 26 May 1950 (original 11-point star and 11 stripes)
16 September 1963 (current 14-point star and 14 stripes)
Design Fourteen horizontal stripes alternating red and white; in the canton, a yellow crescent and 14-point star on a blue field


Calling the suggestion “stupid”, DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said the Kota Alam Shah assemblyman's statement did not reflect the stand of the party or the Opposition coalition.

“It is something completely stupid. He does not speak for DAP nor the Pakatan Rakyat.
“We have no plans to change it (the Jalur Gemilang),” he said.

Selangor executive councillor and state PKR leader Elizabeth Wong said Manoharan was entitled to his own opinions, but she disagreed with his statement.

“It is not the agenda of the Pakatan Rakyat to change the Malaysian flag.

“Our focus is on reforms outlined in our Buku Jingga,” she said.

Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad of PAS said it was not a priority for the Opposition to make any change to the national flag.

“It is not an issue at all. What we are focusing on is how to better manage the economy to benefit the rakyat,” he added.

On Friday, Manoharan was reported to have said the Jalur Gemilang should be modified as its current design resembled Barisan Nasional's flag and did not reflect Malaysia.

He added that he had distributed DAP flags in his constituency on Malaysia Day as “he did not have the heart” to wave the national flag.

Manoharan later posted an apology on his Facebook account and took down his earlier posting.

Meanwhile, social media users have lambasted Manoharan for his unpatriotic remarks about changing the national flag.

Facebook user MatRasip Manap said Manoharan should not have uttered negative statements about the Malaysian flag.

“You shouldn't have done what you did. Fellow graduates of UM like me aren't proud of you,” he said.

Arasu Malaysia said as a lawyer and assemblyman, Manoharan should think before making such statements.

Another Facebook user Ili Liyana Mokhtar said his statement was uncalled for.

“Pick your battles wisely. It looks like you are running out of ideas. Shame on you,” she said.

Faizalharedz posted on his Twitter account that the DAP leader was sowing hatred to gain political mileage.

“It shows that he is politically immature.

“He should be proud to wave the national flag,” he said.

Source of the above article: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/9/18/nation/9


However he had posted an apology on his Facebook.

“I am a Malaysian. Very patriotic. I apologise if my comment on the Malaysian flag has caused any inconvenience to you all. Thank you,” he wrote.

When contacted by The Star earlier, he said Jalur Gemilang should be modified as its current design resembled Barisan Nasional's flag and did not reflect all Malaysians.

Manoharan, who distributed DAP flags in his constituency on Malaysia Day yesterday, said he “did not have the heart” to wave the national flag.

He also said Jalur Gemilang bore similarity to the American flag as well, which confused many tourists at first glance.

Manoharan had posted on his Facebook wall that he “refused to fly the Malaysian flag because it looks more (like a) BN (flag) than Malaysian,” according to a report by the newly-launched portal The Mole.

He later wrote on the same Facebook posting: “We don't have a world class flag. Americans are laughing. Please go to America with our flag. Before that make sure the American Embassy grants you a visa to enter.”

He voiced concern for Malaysians working in non-govermental aid organisations overseas who might be hurt as they could be mistaken for Americans as the two flags look similar.

Insisting the national flag needed modifications, he said he might propose for changes to be made if Pakatan Rakyat came to power.

Source of the above article: http://thestar.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/9/17/nation/9521485&sec=nation 

Yes the one thing I am proud of about the Malaysian Flag is it's similarity to the American flag. So what's wrong with that folks? When you are living outside the country the sight of the Jalur Gemilang flying high in TV (National Geographic, Discovery, CNA, CNN, History, Al Jazeera, and other channels) gives you a sense of pride. You can see it, you can feel it! The later is a symbol of superiority and if the Malaysian flag is associated to superiority that's fine.

Quote: "Manoharan, who distributed DAP flags in his constituency on Malaysia Day yesterday, said he “did not have the heart” to wave the national flag."

This is where ISA comes in handy... Oppps sorry I didn't mean EO.

 

4 comments:

  1. Mr M do not deserve citizenship status in this country since he "did not have the heart to wave the national flag". I may not like some of the things the ruling govt is doing now but I am certainly proud to be a Malaysian.

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  2. hi. i am wondering how true is this,--- the shooting in Somali that one malaysian was shot was due to the " mistaken malaysian flag that looks like the American"

    And also . luckly the Malaysian Group were not wearing bulletful vest, if not the fighters will just "bomb" them thinking they are there for war. ???

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  3. All kinds of clever explanations, excuses and consoling statements will be intelligently offered by the "know-alls".... AFTER an unpleasant incident [or death] occurs. This seem to be the typical mentality of those who screwed up due to their lack of knowledge or inefficiency. It was always external faults and situations beyond their control... and never their own shotcomings.

    They just do not understand that there are preliminery steps to take, contigency plans, preparations and training, RECCE, etc., before embarking into unknown territorities..........sigh!!!!!

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  4. garlic bro, your 1st comment may be true. I was in Pakistan doing th GH hospital project on 31st August 2006 [Merdeka day]. I had brought along a Malaysian flag [the small rolled-up type they fix on cars].

    After work on the eve I unruoled the flag and asked my local friends to set up the flag on a long pole. I was really surprised when he said to me.."Mr Tomas, better not put up flag". I asked why and he replied "look like Amerika flag..". It suddenly dawned on me that they hate the Americans.

    They hate the Americans for "invading" their country but love everything American.....

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