For years, incidents of misprinting or displaying the national flag wrongly have recurred. This year, my colleagues and I became the first “casualties.”

Three enforcement agencies took turns questioning us as if we were criminals in a major case. We nearly ended up spending a night at the police station. Then came suspension from duty, followed by anxious waiting to see if charges would be filed.

Although we eventually received a notice of no further action and returned to work, the dark cloud over the flag issue did not lift. Instead, it intensified into a full-blown storm months later—especially during the national day season, when “patriotism” dominates public discourse.

In the north, political muscle-flexing took centre stage. In the south, some local governments went so far as to shut down businesses for 30 days over flag-related mistakes.

Let me be clear: our mistake was genuine, and we apologised publicly in three languages. Privately, we repeated “sorry” many times and accepted the ridicule circulating online. We stood firm because a mistake is still a mistake. This is basic professionalism—quite different from the top ministry officials or politicians who made similar errors without the same accountability.

During that time, we also witnessed the theatrics of so-called “patriotic artistes”—storming in with fiery gestures and dramatic speeches. Watching them, one couldn’t help but sigh and feel embarrassed for the nation.

Thankfully, many readers and organisations sent messages of moral support—so many that our phones overheated. Others quietly reached out to help us.

When the SPM results report misprinted the flags, the heat shifted away from us. The error then travelled to PAS in Terengganu, and later to another ministry. Yet I remain convinced that all these mistakes—including ours—were unintentional. Anyone with common sense knows there is no benefit in deliberately misprinting the flag.

For their sake, I’m glad they didn’t endure what we did: handcuffs, detention threats, or near-overnight lockups.

At our darkest moment, most mainstream media remained rational—reporting responsibly, upholding ethics, and protecting harmony. I could not help but give my fellow journalists a thumbs-up. It reminded me of last year’s KK Mart sock incident, after which Sin Chew Daily and many organisations launched the #MZB365 campaign (Maaf Zahir Batin – Wholehearted Forgiveness) to counter hatred with compassion. This remains our strongest armour against bullies.

That is why I firmly believe that as long as mistakes are not deliberate, they should be met with tolerance. Those who shout “shut them down” or “strip citizenship” are beyond foolish. Even police stations have hung flags upside down before and badminton star Lee Zii Jia once wore a jersey with a wrongly printed flag. By their logic, wouldn’t punishments in those cases be absurd?

At the height of the storm, information department held two briefings on how to display the flag correctly. But alongside practical advice came a long list of “don’ts”—effectively giving political bullies a magnifying glass for nitpicking. This crushed the spirit of National Day. Today, spotting a vehicle proudly flying the Jalur Gemilang feels like finding a needle in a haystack.

Now in our newsroom, everyone is on edge. Whenever a flag appears in a photo—whether a star or a crescent—colleagues scrutinise it like antique appraisers, counting every stripe and angle to ensure accuracy. Still, as long as the flag continues to appear in Sin Chew Daily, you can be assured we remain both vigilant and bold. Inspired by veteran journalist Rocky, we place the flag daily in our front-page masthead—as a statement of patriotism in the face of absurdity.

Because no matter how toxic the climate may seem, the best response to negativity is always to stand tall and constructive.

P.S. On August 24, we noticed that a digital poster for a flag design competition organised by the Terengganu Science and Creativity Centre contained a serious flag error. While public criticism was about to erupt, I repeatedly reminded colleagues not to mock—just state the facts. After Sin Chew issued a kind reminder, the organisers discovered that AI had “gone rogue,” producing an 11-stripe, 16-pointed star flag. They quickly withdrew the image and apologised. The matter was resolved gracefully.

The nation has already endured enough—from Akmal’s rhetoric to a former education official who shouted for punishment only when it suited him. If we join the mob, we only empower saboteurs, disappoint ordinary citizens, and ultimately let Malaysia lose.

To borrow from cultural icon Lim Lian Geok: “Being constructive is the best answer to sabotage.”

So next time a flag mistake occurs, let us help one another—correct it quickly, respond with goodwill and let the Jalur Gemilang fly with dignity during National Day month.

As for political thugs who deliberately sabotage racial unity, let God handle forgiveness. Our duty is to stay constructive.

The day will come when enforcement moves against these thugs, the judiciary removes them from politics, and voters teach them a lesson at the ballot box. That will be the true fruit of being constructive—a day worth nationwide celebration.

Until then, I wish everyone a Happy National Day!