Summary

  • The king criticises a Chinese-language daily for publishing an incorrect version of the Jalur Gemilang without the crescent moon.

  • His Majesty says such mistakes are unacceptable and could provoke public sensitivities, stressing the flag's symbolic importance.

  • Sin Chew Daily has apologised, attributing the error to a technical glitch, and has since issued a corrected version.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has chastised a Chinese-language newspaper over its mistake in the Jalur Gemilang flag.

His Majesty said the newspaper’s management and editors should have been more careful in checking its materials before it went to print.

“We as citizens, fly the flag with pride and patriotism in our multiracial society.

“The mistake in displaying the Jalur Gemilang without the crescent moon as done on the front page of a local Chinese-language newspaper can provoke the people’s sensitivities and is unacceptable,” he said in a statement today.

The decree came after Sin Chew Daily’s Tuesday edition carried a front-page illustration of a jong bearing the Malaysian and China flags to coincide with Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the country.

However, the Malaysian flag was missing a crescent moon.

‘Not just a colourful cloth’

The newspaper has since apologised and blamed the mistake on a “technical error”.

It has also corrected the illustration in the digital edition and republished the corrected version in today’s print edition.

Sultan Ibrahim pointed out the flag is more than just a coloured piece of cloth.

The Jalur Gemilang, he said, represents the people’s struggles, history and the meaning of independence.

He emphasised that it is the symbol of a nation’s sovereignty and identity.

Don't use outdated laws against Sin Chew - groups

Don't use outdated laws against Sin Chew - groups

King confident M'sia, China will continue to empower cooperation

King confident M'sia, China will continue to empower cooperation