PERHAPS firebrand UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh should self-reflect after the calmness and maturity displayed by Duyong state assemblyman Datuk Mohd Noor Helmy Abdul Halem in finding answers to an upside down Jalur Gemilang flown at the Texas Instruments plant in Batu Berendam, Melaka.
Instead of sparking another uproar, the Melaka deputy state EXCO of Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Communication resorted to verify the matter via CCTV footage instead of relying solely on the so-called viral video of the gaffe.
And his verdict? Even a flag that was hung properly could still become upside-down due to strong winds or even heavy downpour
“I’ve already watched the CCTV footage from Melaka Texas Instruments. It was initially hung property bit became loose, got caught and flipped over,” he penned on his Facebook page which has since amassed 10K likes, 1.3K comments, 726 shares and 607K views at the tie time of writing.
“Good thing there was CCTV although it required effort to examine it.” Added the 44-year-old politician who was the former Kota Melaka UMNO Youth chief:
“The person who hung the flag has been distressed by the entire incident. At any rate, wait for the factory’s official statement later. This is just a statement from a village rep before something crazy happens.”
For the record, the flag was flown on Friday (Aug 15), according to a WhatsApp exchange between Helmy and the Texas Instruments’ staff who put up the flag. Stating that the police are currently investigating the matter, the staff further claimed that he had hung the flag correctly despite criticism levelled at him.
Helmy’s swift action has earned all-round praises with some commenters taking a swipe at the individual who uploaded the viral video.
This was when some commenters expressed relief that Helmy was quick to address the matter before Akmal capitalised it to further sow the seeds of racial discord.
Interestingly, there were those who still defended Akmal by insinuating that while the Texas Instruments’ flag gaffe “wasn’t done on purpose” that by the mainland Penang hardware store owner was a clear-cut genuine mistake.
This promoted tit-for-tat reactions from some purportedly non-Malay commenters. – Aug 19, 2025
