JUST days after the display of China flags on the body of a giant dragon replica during a cultural parade in Muar, Johor evoked the fury of the deemed “more patriotic than thou” Malaysians, some sore points have been raised with regard to the playing of the Chinese national anthem.
The polemic was sparked when the playing of March of the Volunteers superseded the Malaysian national anthem, Negaraku, at the Spring Festival Gala 2025 organised solely by the Chinese Embassy at Universiti Malaya (UM) over the weekend (Jan 19).
This has eventually prompted UM to reiterate that it was “merely a location for the event” which was jointly managed by a few student associations of China nationals.
“Therefore, when the organiser planned to play its country’s national anthem, UM had asked them to also play Negaraku in line with provisions of the National Anthem Act 1968,” the university pointed out in a media statement issued late yesterday (Jan 21).
“As the oldest public university in the country, UM always maintains the sovereignty of the country by instilling patriotic values in all its students. UM also welcomed the government’s policy of internationalisation by welcoming and celebrating students.”
Earlier, opposition-slant blogger/digital creator Ratu Naga has slammed the high learning institution for belittling Negaraku by allowing the event organiser to play it after the Chinese national anthem.
“It cannot be that the organiser lacks knowledge for the event’s venue is supposedly a place where knowledge thrives … This issue may be deemed petty by some but it has somehow undermined our country’s sovereignty,” she asserted in a Facebook video.
Ratu Naga had earlier substantiated her criticism with the Malaysian official protocol guidelines which, among others, stated that the national anthem of the host nation must be played ahead of that of the guest nation as a mark of respect to the former.
“Moreover, the protocol states that the host nation should be accorded priority in determining the event’s itinerary as symbolic of its sovereignty,” justified the political commentator whose real name is Syarul Ema Rena Abu Samah.
“Such order is not intended to belittle other nations but to instill etiquette of the said protocol. Such is the norm followed by other countries when they become the host nation in the name of preserving international harmony.” – Jan 22, 2025
Main image credit: Universiti Malaya/Facebook
