CREDIT to Threader @unclemerdeka, it has come as a big relieve that Autotech Automotive Malaysia Sdn Bhd which is in the centre of the latest double whammy of flying the Jalur Gemilang and Johor state flag upside down is not owned by a Chinese Malaysian citizen.
Apparently, the automotive plant at i-Park Indahpura in Kulai, Johor are co-owned by Mohammad Naqib Afnan Khaliludin who holds the majority stake and China citizen Ma Jianguo.
The presumably senior citizen influencer had apparently tagged rightist UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh with evidence of his findings while provoking the self-proclaimed staunch defender of race and religion as to when he “intends to gather his troop to stage a protest gathering”.
One wonders if the fiery Merlimau state assemblyman is aware of the factory ownership given his reaction to the blunder is one of rather toothless slap on the wrist as gauged from his Facebook post in contrast to the fury expressed in last year’s incident involving an elderly hardware shop owner in mainland Penang.
“Congratulations to the Johor state government for acting quickly by seizing the factory. This should have been done not by defending those who deliberately put up the flag upside down.”
Spurting of racist remarks
Apparently, the Kulai Municipal Council (MPKu) together with the police had taken swift action to raid the Autotech Automotive premises with the vehicle parts manufacturer ordered to “close immediately” (pending a formal written explanation and undertaking of a Aku Janji pledge by the management).
The flag was also taken down and re-hoisted correctly with the Johor state government stressing that the excuse of ‘negligence’ or ‘accidental’ would not be accepted for mistakes that affect the sensitivity of national and state sovereignty.
Editor’s Note: The excuse for the gaffe is that both flags were put up by foreign workers which then raised the question as to why no local staff was around during the hoisting process.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 5 of the Coat of Arms and Names Act 1963 and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 aside from a slew of local authority’s by-laws.
Delving further on the latest Johor Jalur Gemiilang blunder, @unclemerdeka was flabbergasted at how “the Johor factory suddenly became a Malaysian Chinese factory”.
“This is why it’s valid to say Malays are the most prone to systemic racism ⬅️ BN’s (Barisan Nasional) 1 party 1 race ⬅️ British’s divide and conquer,” he lamented.
Even one Malay woman was embarrassed “for having to admit that my race is racist” after similarly realising that the factory co-owner is a Malay.
For the better ort worse, even if DAP has been vindicated from the upside flag incident, the party’s veteran Datuk Teng Chang Khim has stepped forward to defend the factory owners against the indefinite suspension of their business operations.
“Even if there is a by-law to punish wrongly hanging of a flag, the penalty should not be so cruel as to the extent of stopping the entire business operations … perhaps just a fine of RM200, RM500 or RM1,000 is enough,” opined the former Selangor State Legislative Assembly speaker (2008-2013).
“The government should not be crueller than a tiger.”
Added the former six-term DAP state assemblyman and SME Corp chairman:
Closing down business operations just to get the management’s commitment to attend the explanatory session? What kind of law enforcement is this? Just a fine is sufficed if an offence has been committed or unwillingness to attend the explanation session.
“But not to shut down business operations is ridiculous. If the bank is at fault, do you want to close down the bank? If the government office is at fault, are we to close down the government office? – Aug 18, 2026
