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Just days after UMNO Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh launched a fiery crusade against a Malaysian Chinese hardware store owner for accidentally hanging the Malaysian flag upside down, his own Terengganu division managed to botch the Jalur Gemilang – posting an image with only 12 stripes instead of the official 14.
The timing couldn’t be more perfect for a masterclass in political hypocrisy.
While Akmal was busy threatening to storm the Penang shop, demanding prosecutions and whipping up racial tensions over an honest mistake that was quickly corrected, his own team also made a mistake.
Terengganu UMNO Youth chief Tengku Haphiz Tengku Putera admitted the “unintentional” error in a Facebook statement, taking full responsibility for the design blunder.
“We will not defend the designer although he did it for free,” he said – a luxury not extended to the 59-year-old shopkeeper who faced threats of protests and prosecution.
Akmal’s Damage Control: Trying to Have It Both Ways
When confronted with his own team’s flag blunder, Akmal posted a defensive response on Facebook.
He began by dismissing his critics as idiots who hadn’t watched his previous video completely, then claimed he would demand the same investigation and heavy punishment for the UMNO Youth Terengganu poster creator as he had for the Chinese shopkeeper.
He insisted that regardless of the person being from UMNO Youth, Malay, and Muslim, wrong was still wrong, and the same action should be taken.
He concluded by declaring that he wasn’t a hypocrite like “their gang”, but his attempt at appearing consistent fell flat.
While he claimed to demand “the same action,” there were no actual threats of storming the Terengganu UMNO office, no calls for criminal prosecution, and no mobilisation of protesters.
Setting the Record Straight
The hardware store owner, Pang Chin Tiang, has since apologised and corrected his display, even expressing his continued love for the country despite the trauma of being targeted.
Addressing the misunderstanding, he clarified that it was merely due to measuring the pole length during the setup.
His dignified response turned what could have been a divisive incident into an unexpected display of Malaysian unity.
With a dedication spanning over 10 years, Pang has never missed raising the national flag at his hardware shop, indicating his deep-rooted commitment to his country.
Political Leaders Weigh In: A Call for Dignity
The controversy drew attention from DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke, who criticised attempts to pressure authorities into prosecuting the shopkeeper.
Loke, who is also Transport Minister, called the threats to protest at the elderly man’s shop “blatant bullying” that was utterly unacceptable.
He argued that the Attorney General should make decisions without being influenced by political pressure.
DAP Penang chief Steven Sim said the right way to handle this was not through violence or racial arguments, but by all Malaysians working together peacefully, regardless of their background.
DAP also announced they would sponsor a giant Malaysian flag for the shop and distribute 831 free flags to anyone who tried to cause trouble there.
READ MORE: Sin Chew Daily Apologises For Printing Jalur Gemilang Without Crescent Moon
READ MORE: Mohamed Hamzah: The Visionary Behind Malaysia’s Jalur Gemilang
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