Penang BN has criticised the local municipal council’s (MPPP) action of lodging a police report against its party flags as a sign of insecurity over Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s four-year administration.

NONE The MPPP, however, found the criticism to be “arrogant and lacking of manners” on the part of BN leaders for not complying with existing laws, especially when it involved hoisting the flags above the Jalur Gemilang .

MPPP councillor Ong Ah Teong ( left ) said BN leaders seem to be unfazed about the matter when the act in question went against the sovereignty of the Agong and country.

He described BN leaders as "rude" for hanging two flags on a nine-foot pole above the Jalur Gemilang at a shopping mall.

About 100 others were fixed on top of nine metre-high lampposts along Jalan Bagan Jermal, Jalan Gottlieb and Jalan Tanjong Tokong, Ong added.

Ong explained that a police report was lodged over the incident on Sunday night as a safety measure as the flags posed a danger to the lives of motorists as it was placed high on the poles.

“Yet all a BN leader could ask was whether the MPPP knows how to do their job? Don’t they care about people’s safety and lives. What if a fatal accident occurs, who will be responsible? BN or its psywar chief Loga Bala Mohan?” asked Ong.

BN did not apply permit

He further condemned the BN leader for saying that their application for a permit to hang the flags have often been rejected by the MPPP.

NONE "How do they know that the application has been rejected? They had never applied," Ong told Malaysiakini.

"It's not respectful at all to place flags above the Jalur Gemilang. Are the BN leaders not afraid to offend the king and country?" he asked.

"Is it alright to be rude to our sovereign? Which comes first, the Agong or the flags?" he queried.

He was responding to state People’s Progressive Party chief Loga Bala questioning of the MPPP duties when dealing with illegal flags, while the latter had also chided the local council for not issuing permit to put up the BN flags.

dr m loga bala mohan ppp penang chief 251108 03 Loga Bala ( left ) had added that Lim’s administration was “insecure” that BN would garner more support by displaying many flags, adding "be professional and not act like a bully”.

The comment prompted Ong to lash out at the BN for not complying with the law despite having governed the state and local council for 18 years prior to 2008.

"We hope the people are now aware of those they wish to vote for. Would you vote someone or a party that does not respect the law and even the Agong or the country?" asked the assistant to  Dato Keramat assemblyperson Jagdeep Singh Deo.

Why so many flags?

On the issue of "insecurity" in Lim's government and whether the DAP was afraid that too many BN flags would attract support of the public, Ong said it was "rubbish".

"If BN does not think that they can get the people's support by putting up the flags, why put up so many?" He asked.

"Isn't it a waste of time and funds to do so? Everytime we in the council take them down because they are illegally placed, the BN would put them up again," lamented Ong.

"Who is behind the production and distribution of these flag? Looks like someone may be benefiting from this scheme," he added.