Fly the Jalur Gemilang for this year’s National Day celebrations or get slapped with a fine.

True, this is “only” for Ipoh in Perak. Just Ipoh, not even the whole of Perak. This is “only” for business premises. And the fine is “only” RM250. Therefore, the rest of us in other parts of this beloved nation should not be unduly worried.

Somehow, something is not right, even if it’s “only” for Ipoh. Why impose and force? “Fly the flag or else..” sort of a stance.

Compulsion is not patriotism if being patriotic is indeed the reason for the ruling. Objective if you like.

We fly the national flag because we want to. Not because we have to. Worse still forced to.

Perhaps the Ipoh City Council knows something we don’t? Perhaps they know without such an imposing stance businesses in their city will not be flying the flag?

Is this true in the first place? Personally I don’t think so.

For years business premises nationwide, not only in Ipoh, have been proudly flying the flag even without the “threat” of being fined. And they do this the whole year round, not only for National Day.

For the sake of argument, lets’ say, or rather assume, the Ipoh City Council has obtained “intel” that this time owners (maybe some owners) of business premises will not or do not want to fly the Jalur Gemilang. If this is really so, then why?

I know that there were times when fellow Malaysians, angry at the government of the day alleging corruption and what not, refused to fly the flag, especially for National Day.

To them, expressing their inner or real feelings in a “personal manner” was their right. In fact, they felt they were being patriotic that way.

In a way they were right. I’m sure they knew the line between the country and the people running the country. They could differentiate the country and the government. Therefore, flying the flag does not mean love for the government. However, admittedly it could be both!

We can have a distinct dislike for the government. Hate them even. But love the nation all the time. I’m sure Malaysians feel that way.

Back to Ipoh. Apparently the city council’s “fly the flag or get fined” ruling does not apply to private residences. But according to Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin, to enliven the National Day celebrations, this time “we have issued 6,000 flag installation notices to private premises in Ipoh.”

Well, I think the mayor ought to know that not flying the flag does not mean not loving the country.

I do not fly the Jalur Gemilang at my house. Not during National Day nor any time of the year. Never hoisted the flag actually. But I love this country.

Like all Malaysians. There is no denying Malaysians love Malaysia. That would put us as patriotic in our own way, style and manner.

Are we united? We get asked this question frequently, especially during Merdeka month.

My answer would be “yes,” especially in times of hardship, when facing calamity or when the national sports teams win something big (sadly they do not do it anymore of late).

No explanation needed, as we know how we stood together in times of trouble.

Like the pandemic. Remember the white flag campaign?. How we rally and support one another!

Are we color blind? No. Are we race-centric? Yes. We still talk about “ us and them, you and I.”

Not flying the flag does not mean not loving the country. I never fly the Jalur Gemilang at my house. Not during National Day nor any time of the year. But I love this country!

True, it is natural for one to help one’s own community, but this can result in, or has created a vicious cycle.

The government is dominantly Malay. Its policies are pro-Malay. The non-Malays are not happy. This has always been the situation. Until now. After 65 years of Merdeka (even this is debatable considering Malaysia was formed in 1963 and the country which achieved independence in 1957 was Malaya).

Recently, the issue of civil service was brought up. Of race-based policy in recruitment and promotion.

I do not intend to repeat the polemic which followed. Let’s face it. The civil service is overwhelmingly Malay no matter what reason and justification given by the powers that be and the folks supporting them.

The Malays, on their part, point to the big Chinese corporations which are overwhelmingly Chinese. The Chinese in turn say when the government, GLCs and big Malay businesses are helping Malays, why shouldn’t the Chinese well-to-do help the Chinese?

It’s the same with Indian companies which help members of their community.

Hence, I say it is a vicious cycle. It is “us against them because you started it.”

Then there is the issue of action (or should it be inaction) by the authorities (read Malay-Muslim dominated government) against people (Malay-Muslim) who insult minority faiths.

The Global Human Rights Federation has alleged that there had been inaction in cases of insult to faiths other than Islam.

Aizat Shamsuddin, founder of NGO Komuniti Muslim Universal or KMU, wants the Attorney-General’s Chambers to take heed, saying failure to protect the religious freedoms of minorities could be a factor in emigration.

In short, the brain drain from Malaysia will worsen if the authorities are not serious in taking actions.

We have lost many brilliant Malaysians to other countries. Malaysians who felt disillusioned, neglected and discriminated due to the many lopsided policies in place, are forced to emigrate. This country can do without any more brain drain.

Now jokes against the Malays are deemed “sinful.” Ask stand-up comedian Rizal van Geyzel.

Government policies apart, there are the so-called “social contract” and unwritten “laws,” like the prime minister must be a Malay-Muslim. No “buts” or “ifs.”

Meanwhile, the Malay population is growing while the non-Malay numbers are dwindling. Political parties, in particular Malay-based, are playing “identity politics” to the hilt.

Keluarga Malaysia, like 1Malaysia before it, is just a slogan. It will remain so as long as the unwritten “laws” are intact.

Hence, there will always be unhappy Malaysians in our midst. Need I specify who they are?

Yes, we are tolerant towards one another. We are not at one another’s throats, so to speak.

As an old man who says it happened, I say the May 13 tragedy will not recur, but there will always be mistrust among us, the rakyat of this beautiful country.

The unity and solidarity in most part seem to be “superficial.” And there will always be racists among us – Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Dayaks, Kadazans, you name it.

But stories like the one of Rohana Abdullah, who since two months old was single-handedly raised by Chee Hoi Lan, warms the heart.

Rohana is 22 now. Hoi Lan is 83. Both continue to practice their respective religions. And their love is as strong as ever!

There is yet hope for us. There will be light at the end of the tunnel. But, will lopsided policies a thing of the past? Yes, it will be one day. We will fly the Jalur Gemilang proudly out of our own free will.

Selamat menyambut Hari Kebangsaan Malaysia!

(Mohsin Abdullah is a veteran journalist and now a freelancer who writes about this, that and everything else.)