M'sia, Thailand, Vietnam flags present too, Kerk tells parade critic
After the controversy surrounding the International Guan Gong Cultural Festival procession in Teluk Intan, Perak, the event’s critics now zoom in on a DAP leader’s presence at a similar event held earlier in Johor Bahru.
As before, the controversy centred on China’s flag being flown at the event and allegations of communist influence in Malaysia.
After the controversy surrounding the International Guan Gong Cultural Festival procession in Teluk Intan, Perak, the event’s critics now zoom in on a DAP leader’s presence at a similar event held earlier in Johor Bahru.
As before, the controversy centred on China’s flag being flown at the event and allegations of communist influence in Malaysia.
However, DAP’s Ayer Keroh assemblyperson Kerk Chee Yee countered that the procession in Johor Bahru also featured national flags of other countries, including Malaysia, which were flown by their respective representatives.
“At the procession in Johor Bahru that I was invited to attend, there were delegates from China, Vietnam, and Thailand who flew their respective national flags.
“This can be seen in my (social media) posts and reels. Perhaps there were also flags of other countries with I didn’t notice,” Kerk (above) said in a Facebook post today.
He said he was told by organisers that the festival includes hundreds of delegates from countries and territories such as China, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Indonesia, and more.
“The Malaysian flag was there too. It’s just that the pictures in my posts didn’t fully show the true number of Malaysian flags because I didn’t think it would become an issue.
“What is wrong if delegates from other countries who are invited to this cultural event fly their own flag?
“And why the flags of Vietnam and Thailand, as shown in my posts, didn’t become an issue for those who raise it?” he questioned.
‘Communist flag’
Guan Gong, also known as Guan Yu, was a famed general in Chinese history during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period (around 160-220 AD). His legendary skills and moral character earned him great respect and a prominent place in Chinese folklore.
Over centuries, Guan Yu became deified and transformed into a figure of cultural and spiritual significance, often worshipped as “Guan Gong”, the god of war, protection, and loyalty.
Last week, footage of Chinese nationals waving their national flag during a procession in Teluk Intan on Oct 24, in conjunction with the 10th International Guan Gong Cultural Festival, went viral and drew the ire of Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria.
Earlier today, Bersatu information committee member Badrul Hisham Shaharin (also known as Chegubard) took aim at a similar procession in Johor Bahru and cited Kerk’s Facebook posts about the event as proof of communist influence in DAP.
“When Chegubard linked UMDAP to the procession flying the China communist flag, they denied it. Please go to Kerk’s Facebook. Clearly, he was present to celebrate the flying of the China communist flag and uploaded it on his own Facebook,” he said.
Checks found that the photos featured the Five-star Red Flag, which is China’s national flag; not the flag of the Chinese Communist Party, which features a yellow hammer-and-sickle emblem in place of the five stars.
