Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh was slapped with a charge of allegedly causing public fear on Friday.

About 300 Umno youth members and supporters from Penang, Kedah, Selangor, Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur were present to show support, turning the court proceedings into a political show.

Dr Akmal, who pleaded not guilty, told the media outside the magistrate’s court that the crowd at the Bukit Mertajam court was not there to support him personally, but to defend the dignity of Jalur Gemilang.

He said he would face the charges, take full responsibility, and have no fear whatsoever. He warned “that person” not to think he could be intimidated by legal action.

Shortly after returning from Mecca at midnight, Dr Akmal posted a video on Facebook showing a large group of supporters welcoming him at the airport, vowing that he would never back down. It was clear he regarded this case as a “glorious chapter” in his political journey.

Although no heavyweight Umno leaders appeared in court to support him—possibly to avoid being seen as defying the Umno supreme council’s decision—former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s son, Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin, showed up, signaling a special relationship between Najib and Dr Akmal.

Unfortunately, on the eve of Dr Akmal’s court appearance, a private dental clinic in Pontian, Johor, was ordered by the Pontian Municipal Council to close for 30 days after staff mistakenly hung the national flag upside down.

This incident further fueled Dr Akmal’s cause.

Pontian police’s initial probe found the mistake was due to negligence with no malice, yet the local council took harsh action to send a message.

Johor is governed by Barisan Nasional with Umno at the helm, MCA as a partner and Pakatan Harapan to ensure checks and balances. Some Johor Umno leaders sided with Dr Akmal in the flag incident.

For instance, Umno supreme council member and Johor state assembly speaker Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said Dr Akmal’s protest against the inverted flag was driven by patriotism, not racism.

He urged Umno members and fair-minded citizens to back Dr Akmal, claiming DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke had already achieved his goal, since he had earlier instructed DAP youth to lodge police reports under Section 503 of the Penal Code (criminal intimidation).

Johor Umno Veterans’ Club president Datuk Othman Jais also condemned DAP’s “rude remarks,” stressing that the flag incident concerned national dignity and sovereignty.

He said the rules were clear where negligence or deliberate inversion must face legal consequences. Some Johor Umno youth divisions also stood by Dr Akmal when MCA youth lodged a police report against him.

Without instruction, it is unlikely the Pontian Municipal Council would have acted so harshly. An inverted flag case should have been left to the police for investigation, with the Attorney-General’s Chambers deciding on prosecution.

Local authorities should not abuse administrative power, as this sets a bad precedent and undermines the business environment. Ordering the dental clinic to shut down for 30 days was excessive, disproportionate to the mistake, and caused heavy financial losses.

Public reaction has been divided. Most Umno supporters favor strict punishment, while many Chinese see it as an innocent mistake that should be forgiven.

Thus, Umno, DAP and MCA have taken conflicting positions. DAP youth and MCA deputy president  Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon both issued statements warning that such measures would discourage people from displaying the national flag.

The question now is: who can rein in Johor’s overzealous local council? Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is unlikely to defy grassroots sentiment, especially with possible state elections next year.

 If similar flag mishaps occur in Melaka, Perak or Pahang, will Umno-led state governments follow Pontian’s example?

Grassroots might be angry with lenient punishment. However, harsh penalties could divide the state government, particularly since Pakatan Harapan must consider its supporters’ views.

The Johor precedent has now complicated matters for Umno-led administrations in other states. If they follow Penang’s earlier approach of leaving such cases to law enforcement, Umno youth may pressure them.

In conjunction with the Merdeka month, Zahid, as deputy prime minister, led cabinet ministers, deputies and MPs from both government and opposition in waving the national flag and singing patriotic songs at Parliament.

As a government leader, Zahid must prioritize social harmony. He had earlier advised Dr Akmal not to exploit the issue in ways that strain ties among government coalition leaders and grassroots. But the mood on the ground may differ, especially after Dr Akmal’s prosecution and Johor’s harsh penalty.

Umno faces a test: how to adjust itself to align with the Madani government’s ideals while also strategizing against Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) for Malay votes. This will test Zahid’s leadership and the wisdom of Umno.

If Umno continues without a clear direction, it risks losing not only non-Malay votes but also part of the Malay support that had begun to return, with voters shifting back to Perikatan Nasional—leaving Umno stranded in the middle.