I am completely confounded this Merdeka, because our homeland has been messed up by irresponsible politicians eager to hype up issues and instigate intercommunity confrontation and suspicion.

I am utterly terrified this Merdeka, because fear has become the common poison forced into our society. A simple flag-hanging action out of pure patriotism could become a subject of political bullying, facing potential police summoning or even lawsuit just because of the slightest oversight.

I am exceedingly dejected this Merdeka, because a once acceptable patriotic act of draping a national flag around the body is now perceived as a heinous crime.

I am immensely infuriated this Merdeka, because our sanctified banner has been hijacked by our politicians, who or their parties might have themselves committed the same blunder but are readily justified.

I am rendered completely helpless this Merdeka, because being patriotic is now a smothering, and almost unbearable luxury.

When Jalur Gemilang is repeatedly exploited by politicians, conscience muted, righteousness infinitely deferred, and the rakyat polarized—Merdeka has lost its meaning.

Right now I am emotionally thoroughly overwhelmed, and that feeling is downright devastating!

Jalur Gemilang is a veritable symbol of the nation’s sovereignty. It is beyond question that all Malaysians must hang and display the flag right.

Many Chinese Malaysians would take the initiative to hang the national flag around Merdeka and Malaysia Day. Their loyalty and love for this country must never be questioned by anyone.

Unfortunately, the local Chinese community has become increasingly nervous, unsettled, and helpless these days. We have seen a couple of incidents involving misplacement or misprinting of Jalur Gemilang since the KK Mart sock incident, not just among the local Chinese but also government departments or Malay parties.

Nevertheless, those involving the Chinese are magnified and unfairly interpreted as intentional and unpatriotic.

This has further deepened the existing prejudice towards the Chinese community among some Malays, accentuating intercommunity conflict and confrontation.

For fear of possibly incurring trouble, many Chinese Malaysians have learned to be exceptionally wary lest they become the next to be victimized.

Sadly our government has failed to mollify the heightened temperature. As a consequence, the rashness of Umno Youth chief Muhamad Akmal Saleh has tensed up society.

I can’t understand why PM Anwar Ibrahim refuses to take prompt action.

If Anwar had taken prompt action and his ministers not jumped into bandwagon censuring and urging immediate summoning and investigation of those involved, this whole thing should have come to a close by now.

Even though Akmal is now being charged, his action could very likely be the last straw that breaks the camel’s back, accelerating the departure of BN from the Unity Government!

Umno Youth under Akmal Saleh is exploiting this action as persecution of a patriot, which will very readily incense communal sentiment.

Many Chinese and Malays are equally unhappy with the way the Unity Government handles the issue, and this puts the government in a dilemma, which the PN-led opposition is more than happy to exploit.

Against such a backdrop, the government may have no choice but to sternly punish the perpetrators in a bid to placate the Malay society.

Akmal is labeling himself a “persecuted patriot in defense of the dignity of our flag,” obstinately arguing that he will not back down and will continue to fight for “righteousness.”

As a matter of fact, someone fanning public emotion in the name of safeguarding the dignity of Jalur Gemilang should never be seen as a patriot.

A patriot is one that will not tear up our society by galvanizing the public into incriminating an unintentional negligent misdeed, just like we would patiently guide an erring child and not send him straight to the police station.

When the Jalur Gemilang issue is repeatedly exploited by politicians, conscience muted, righteousness infinitely deferred, and the rakyat polarized—Merdeka has lost its meaning.

Perhaps we should take cue from how the Indonesian authorities handled a similar incident recently.

The mayor of Surabaya in East Java was not instantly enraged by a careless misplacement of the national flag during a flag-raising ceremony in conjunction with the country’s 80th anniversary of independence. In its stead, he gave his approval to the staff’s attitude to rectify the mistake.

The Malaysian government’s strict enforcement has not only hurt the feelings of the local Chinese community, but has also emboldened many self-proclaimed “enforcers of law” to go round hunting down perpetrators of such minor misdeeds.

This has prompted some to start digging up old wrongdoings by government institutions for counter-attack purposes, tearing up society further.

A private dental clinic in Pontian, Johor, has been suspended for 30 days for hanging the national flag wrongly. Would the government also suspend a private hospital for a month if it had committed a similar mistake?

Some local businesses might precariously consider not flying the national flag again for fear the flag could be sabotaged, landing them in deep trouble later on.

As for those insisting to display the flag this year, please make sure your staff do it properly and snap a picture as soon as this is done for your own protection, just in case.

Such endless confrontation and negative sentiment is poised to water down the mood for unity expected in the Merdeka month.

Meanwhile, if the government is so engrossed with passing down instructions and investigations over the flying of the national flag, how is it going to focus on much bigger things such as educational reform and the country’s economic development?

A responsible and understanding government should realize that no one will be so dumb as to shoot himself in the foot. So, why waste the time on such honest mistakes?

The government’s unbending attitude in enforcement is not promoting patriotism in the Merdeka month but is abetting extremism.

It is unfortunate that this issue has gloomed society mood. Patriotism will never be fostered through superficial enforcement of rules on respecting the national flag.

As such, I totally disagree with the way the government is reinforcing the rakyat to respect the national flag in a rigid and inflexible manner.

When Jalur Gemilang can only be displayed inside a flashy showcase blanketed in layer after layer of rules and regulations, it no longer takes on the symbol of patriotism, but is reduced to nothing more than just a piece of cloth devoid of soul.

We must allow Jalur Gemilang to be more accommodating, forgiving, and capable of inspiring patriotism from the bottom of the hearts of every Malaysian—a symbol of sovereignty that effectively unites our culturally diverse nation.

Please do not kill the spontaneous, sincere and powerful creativity of Malaysians. When the rakyat show their unreserved love for the nation, they will naturally express such sentiment in the most creative and colorful ways possible, and this is what makes Malaysia truly fascinating.

Lastly, allow me to reiterate that fear must not become the common poison forced into our society. The many Jalur Gemilangs inside the hearts of each and every one of us, as well as those outwardly held in our hands, will only fly proudly to exhibit true unity and patriotism when we are no longer overcome by fear!