By Ida Lim
PETALING JAYA, Sept 1 ― PKR today said it is strongly against replacing the national flag, the Jalur Gemilang, following the appearance of alternate flag designs during a rally on the eve of National Day.
On August 30, a group of individuals were spotted waving flags that bore similarities to the Singapore and Indonesian national flags during the “Janji Demokrasi” (Democracy’s promise) rally at Dataran Merdeka.
“I must stress that it is not something [should] be done by Malaysians,” said PKR deputy president Azmin Ali today.
He described the act as “impolite and irresponsible”, saying that PKR will not support such “rude” actions.
The federal lawmaker later said: “Of course, in such a big rally, there are individuals who will take advantage”.
“Whatever actions that try to give impressions that are not positive, we will certainly not give any encouragement, and strongly reject.”
The Janji Demokrasi rally was organised by a coalition of 47 non-governmental organisations to remind the federal government of the call for clean and fair elections.
Maria Chin Abdullah, one of the rally’s organisers, distanced the coalition from those who had called for the changing of the Jalur Gemilang.
“Because many (people) attended (the rally) to celebrate Merdeka, I don’t know who they actually are,” she was quoted as saying by Malay daily Sinar Harian.
“They can’t do so because we need to respect Merdeka Day,” she added.
The rally was reportedly attended by more than 5,000 people, many of them dressed in yellow T-shirts in support of the Bersih movement for electoral reform.