Brickbats for Sarawak DAP chief over Negaraku rant
Published: Sep 17, 2014 12:00 AM | Updated: Sep 17, 2014 3:23 AM
A Facebook rant over the playing of the national anthem in cinemas has landed Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jien in the bad books of social media users.
A Facebook rant over the playing of the national anthem in cinemas has landed Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jien in the bad books of social media users.
His posting describing the playing of Negaraku before movies as “an absolute disgrace” and “ridiculous” found little support from netizens who instead called him an “embarrassment”.
In the posting, uploaded on Malaysia Day, Chong complained that viewers at a cinema in Kuching last Saturday were left puzzled over the playing of the national anthem before the feature film.
“All the people around me look at each other with the look of puzzle n amusement in their eyes, as if asking aloud "What the hell is going on?" Some actually did. Some even laughed out in disdain.
“The question is exactly "What's going on?" Since when has this playing of national anthem in cinema started?
“Is Malaysia heading towards the Communist Mao era where everywhere you go, you must shout out loud and show that you are a patriot?” he asked.
He wondered how he would explain this to his “foreign friends” and if Malaysians would next be forced to endure the national anthem “before dinner, before bedtime and before S…”.
The Bandar Kuching parliamentarian did not spell out the last word.
Retraction and apology
Chong, who is also DAP national vice-chairperson, removed the post after about five hours and issued a retraction shortly after.
“Though I feel that it is inappropriate to play the national anthem in a place of entertainment like cinema, but the words I used have been inappropriate.
“I hereby retract the posting and apologise for the comment made. I do not mean to demean our national anthem,” he said, adding that he and his family stood for the anthem.
Slamming the MP’s initial posting, which received close to 500 shares within three hours, social media users said Chong’s remark is not fitting of an elected representative.
“I wonder how you could have been elected as an MP. When I was a youth, all cinemas would play the national anthem and I would be so proud to stand and sing.
“It is politicians like you that have helped breed a generation of uncouth people who readily criticise and condemn our own country without thinking. Shame on you!” Cheah Sin Chong said in a top-rated comment.
This was echoed by user Faid Fateh who said Chong’s remark is a “disgrace to the people of Borneo”.
User Fidelis George, who claimed to have watched the same movie at the same cinema as Chong last Saturday, said all viewers stood for the anthem without complain.
“Eh, what are you on about lah? ...Don't embarrass the Sarawakians for f***’s sake,” he said.
Apology not well-received
Others pointed out that this was a well-accepted practice in Thailand, while others said they felt more patriotic singing the anthem with other Malaysians.
Chong’s apology was also not well-received, with many saying it sounded insincere.
The playing of the national anthem in cinemas was re-introduced last year for the months of August and September to coincide with Independence Day and Malaysia Day.
Although the law says it is illegal to not stand in attention during the national anthem, Communications and Multimedia Minister Ahmad Shabery said the government has no plans to station officers in cinemas to nab those who disrespect the anthem.
His posting describing the playing of Negaraku before movies as “an absolute disgrace” and “ridiculous” found little support from netizens who instead called him an “embarrassment”.
In the posting, uploaded on Malaysia Day, Chong complained that viewers at a cinema in Kuching last Saturday were left puzzled over the playing of the national anthem before the feature film.
“All the people around me look at each other with the look of puzzle n amusement in their eyes, as if asking aloud "What the hell is going on?" Some actually did. Some even laughed out in disdain.“The question is exactly "What's going on?" Since when has this playing of national anthem in cinema started?
“Is Malaysia heading towards the Communist Mao era where everywhere you go, you must shout out loud and show that you are a patriot?” he asked.
He wondered how he would explain this to his “foreign friends” and if Malaysians would next be forced to endure the national anthem “before dinner, before bedtime and before S…”.
The Bandar Kuching parliamentarian did not spell out the last word.
Retraction and apology
Chong, who is also DAP national vice-chairperson, removed the post after about five hours and issued a retraction shortly after.
“Though I feel that it is inappropriate to play the national anthem in a place of entertainment like cinema, but the words I used have been inappropriate.
“I hereby retract the posting and apologise for the comment made. I do not mean to demean our national anthem,” he said, adding that he and his family stood for the anthem.
Slamming the MP’s initial posting, which received close to 500 shares within three hours, social media users said Chong’s remark is not fitting of an elected representative.
“I wonder how you could have been elected as an MP. When I was a youth, all cinemas would play the national anthem and I would be so proud to stand and sing.
“It is politicians like you that have helped breed a generation of uncouth people who readily criticise and condemn our own country without thinking. Shame on you!” Cheah Sin Chong said in a top-rated comment.This was echoed by user Faid Fateh who said Chong’s remark is a “disgrace to the people of Borneo”.
User Fidelis George, who claimed to have watched the same movie at the same cinema as Chong last Saturday, said all viewers stood for the anthem without complain.
“Eh, what are you on about lah? ...Don't embarrass the Sarawakians for f***’s sake,” he said.
Apology not well-received
Others pointed out that this was a well-accepted practice in Thailand, while others said they felt more patriotic singing the anthem with other Malaysians.
Chong’s apology was also not well-received, with many saying it sounded insincere.
The playing of the national anthem in cinemas was re-introduced last year for the months of August and September to coincide with Independence Day and Malaysia Day.
Although the law says it is illegal to not stand in attention during the national anthem, Communications and Multimedia Minister Ahmad Shabery said the government has no plans to station officers in cinemas to nab those who disrespect the anthem.
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