It happened again. The Jalur Gemilang, our proud national flag, displayed upside down.

A mistake? An oversight? Or something deeper? A symptom of lapses in discipline, attention, and respect for what should be among our most sacred national symbols?

This is not the first time. We’ve seen it before on public buildings during National Day celebrations, printed incorrectly on banners, reversed on promotional merchandise, even displayed wrongly at official events attended by leaders. And each time, the script repeats itself:

Outrage on social media.

■ A quick apology or explanation.
■ Pledges to “be more careful next time.”
■ Then silence… until the next incident.
■ The problem? The “lesson” never sticks.

More than just a piece of cloth

In my book Charactaire, under the chapter on discipline, I explain how small lapses can reveal bigger truths about our values.

Discipline is not only about following rules, it’s about caring enough to get it right, even when no one is watching.

When a flag is hoisted upside down, it is not just a physical inversion, It’s a symbolic one. It signals that either:

1. The person responsible didn’t know the correct way (a knowledge gap).
2. They knew, but didn’t check (a care gap).
3. They checked, but didn’t care enough to fix it (a pride gap).
4. None of these are good for a nation that wants to be respected globally.

Lessons from here and elsewhere

We’re hardly alone in flag blunders. In 2012, London Olympics organizers mistakenly showed South Korea’s flag for North Korea’s women’s team, delaying the match until a formal apology was issued.

And in 2010, the Philippine flag was displayed upside down at a US-ASEAN event, prompting an official apology.

The difference? In those cases, procedures tightened immediately; here, we tend to forget until the next outrage.

Not just upside-down flags but upside-down priorities

This is where the symbolism cuts deep. If we cannot consistently get something as visible and symbolic as our national flag right, what does that say about the invisible systems that keep the country running?

It’s the same lack of discipline that allows pothole-laced roads to stay unrepaired for months.

Also, public facilities to fall into disrepair and tattered flags hoisted year after year, weather-beaten and faded at prominent spots.

If our flag could talk, it might say: “You wave me proudly on Merdeka Day, but where is your pride the other 364 days?”

A suggestion and a counterpoint

Some have suggested that our flag should be simplified, like Japan’s hinomaru. A design so straightforward that it’s almost impossible to display incorrectly. This could prevent technical errors, yes.

But the real issue isn’t complexity, It’s discipline. If we can’t manage the details of what we have, simplifying the design won’t fix the mindset.

The FLAG we really need to raise

If we are serious about change, maybe we should raise another kind of FLAG: Fix Lapses, Apply Grit

■ Fix what’s wrong, no excuses.
■ Learn from every slip.
■ Apply consistent discipline.
■ Grit to keep standards high, always.

Because a nation’s greatness is not measured by the grandeur of its celebrations, but by the everyday care it takes with its symbols, spaces, and systems.

Two weeks to reflect

So, the next time you see the Jalur Gemilang flying proudly, sadly tattered, or worse, upside down, remember FLAG: Fix Lapses, Apply Grit.

Ask yourself:

1 What does this say about us?
2. What will I do about it?

We will be celebrating our 68th Merdeka just two weeks from now. Let’s make sure that when we raise the Jalur Gemilang this year, we’re not just lifting a piece of cloth.

Let’s lift our standards. Let’s lift our discipline. Let’s lift our pride and keep it upright.

Because if the flag could talk, it might say: “I will fly high for you, if you will stand tall for me.”

(Asohan Satkunasingham is an Author, Character Quotient Pioneer, Corporate Educator and Global HR Strategist.)