IT IS NOT SO MUCH the fine of RM100 and a month imprisonment for disrespecting our national anthem, Negaraku. It is about patriotism, our love for this country, more so perhaps for the descendants of immigrants in Sarawak. The despicable behaviour was recorded and posted deliberately by one of them on the 29thOctober 2019.
The video quickly became viral in the social media and smartphones. Anyone who watched the video saw and heard Negaraku was sang loudly and proudly by those present except for eight Chinese adults according to Malaysia Today. They deliberately and gleefully recorded their actions to show their disrespect by remaining sitting down and smiling. Viewers were angry and disgusted.
The citizens of this country must be relieved when our police called them to the Simpang Tiga Police Station, Kuching, Sarawak the following day, 1st October 2019. We should congratulate the police for its swift action in identifying the ring leader, one Shaow Tung Leong as reported by Borneo Post. Apparently, they were members of the unregistered organization called S4S, Sarawak for Sarawakians which is supported by a certain political party according to a reliable source.
This Shaow Tung Leong argued that they were angry that the Federal Government of Pakatan Harapan would not be able to give 20% oil and gas royalty to Sarawak as promised in its GE14 manifesto.
They sounded like intelligent persons, Leong and his 8 friends, should not take the law into their own hands. However, they were ignorant of the National Anthem Act 1968 (Akta Lagu Kebangsaan 1968). Whatever grievances one has as a citizen against the government of the day, presently the new Pakatan Harapan, should be challenged within the ambit of the laws and the constitution. One can use the court anytime. Alternatively, one can participate in the general election and debate it in the parliament, if one won that is.
However, the love of the nation is a matter of the heart, our patriotism, more so for the descendants of the immigrants in order to avoid distrust from the indigenous citizens. Our founding fathers and the founding generation had agreed to adopt Negaraku as the National Anthem of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.
The present generation as true blue citizens should stand for Negaraku and stand up for our nation, Malaysia. Those who do not are deemed to be traitors.
