Missing crescent, and a lack of compassion and integrity

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From Mustafa K Anuar

The criticism of a newspaper’s mistake of publishing an image of the Jalur Gemilang without its crescent moon has reached a new level, much to the chagrin of especially those who have wished for critics not to go overboard.

It is disturbing that the patriotism of individuals who called for a level-headed reaction to the issue has been questioned. As if this isn’t enough, such people were urged to renounce their citizenship.

In the heat of the flawed flag controversy involving Sin Chew Daily, along came UCSI University academic Tajuddin Rasdi to express his deep concern and dismay over the public reaction to the daily’s blunder, prompting him to declare his shame in being Malaysian.

The Umno Veterans’ Club took exception to the professor’s remarks, which it deemed unpatriotic and contrary to public sentiments condemning the Chinese newspaper. Tajuddin was challenged to give up his citizenship.

Like some other concerned Malaysians, Tajuddin argued that the daily’s apology should have been sufficient and duly accepted, given that it had taken action against the relevant editors and corrected the mistake in its following day’s edition. It’s a human and technical error, said the paper.

Worrying ethnic twist

One would think that the call for severe punitive action against the newspaper, such as the revocation of its publishing permit, should have ceased.

What is also concerning is that comments on this controversy have somehow been given an ethnic twist, particularly those that emerged on social media platforms.

That is why it has caused some Malaysians to wonder whether the journalistic mis-step has been made out to be too grave to be excused simply because it was committed by a Chinese newspaper. Such suspicion exists.

Political opportunism

In a society where the toxic politics of race and religion is part of a playbook of divisive politicians, this issue cannot be left to linger, for the sake of inter-ethnic harmony and national progress.

Moreover, it should be of concern to us if right-wing political outfits, especially those who have been in the political wilderness all this while, wade into this matter so as to give themselves some much-needed public visibility and relevance. This political development may be harmful to national cohesion.

This issue, to be sure, essentially concerns journalistic professionalism and ethics; it should be addressed accordingly. Let this be a lesson to other media outlets in the absence of an independent media council.

To suggest, as a few did, that such journalistic oversight was underpinned by a lack of patriotism among the journalists or at the daily would be off the mark at best or mischievous at worst.

Merchants of slander

The sentiments expressed by Tajuddin should remind us that there were moments in our nation’s history when it was indeed embarrassing to be Malaysian.

For instance, many Malaysians felt ashamed when they were jolted by the fact that their beloved country was associated with the largest instance of kleptocracy that the world has ever known.

There are, of course, other cases of corruption and abuse of power committed by government leaders and officers to the extent that the young in our midst might be misled into thinking that stealing from public coffers is the patriotic thing to do.

Then, there are politicians acting as merchants of slander, selling lies as truths for political gain, to the detriment of our supposed national image of God-fearing people.

While the national flag is to be honoured, we should also embrace certain values it represents, such as moral courage, compassion, justice, intellectual integrity, mutual respect, understanding, and unity.

Mustafa K Anuar is an Aliran executive committee member and an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.

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