IT is an utter disgrace that the police over-reacted by detaining the chief editor and deputy chief sub-editor of the Sin Chew Daily over the inadvertent omission of the crescent moon in the national flag Jalur Gemilang.
This action came on top of their suspension by the newspaper itself – a move that already demonstrated internal accountability and responsibility.
The incident was further addressed by a formal apology from the management which should have sufficed without any further punitive measures.
Unfortunately, the police – far too often acting on sensational headlines rather than sound judgment – deemed it necessary to arrest the editorial team.
This heavy-handed approach only underscores a lack of proportionality in dealing with what was clearly a genuine oversight.
Yes, the omission of the crescent moon on the national flag is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. Symbols of national identity carry weight.
However, the seriousness of the error must be weighed against the context: it was a genuine mistake, promptly acknowledged and followed by a sincere and public apology.
So, one must ask: what more do the police and relevant authorities want?
Cops’ action beyond comprehension
Human beings are fallible. Mistakes are inevitable in any field, including journalism. What matters most is how those mistakes are addressed – and in this case, the response by Sin Chew Daily was both responsible and remorseful.
If the police cannot accept a clear and public apology, one can begin to question their understanding of justice and their actual role in society.
It appears that our police force is more invested in pursuing editorial missteps than in tackling the more pressing and visible law-and-order issues plaguing the nation.
Meanwhile, our ever-elusive Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim seems more preoccupied with brokering influence in Myanmar – a nation where the military junta barely controls 30% of the country – than in defending fundamental freedoms at home.
It seems the recent priority was re-locating a 130-year-old Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur to make way for a new Masjid Madani rather than addressing the overreach of state power.
It makes me sick to think that the police would go to such unnecessary lengths in detaining two media professionals over an honest mistake.
It is shameful that in our so-called democracy, freedom of the press remains a fragile illusion – Ia myth continually shattered by state interference.
What’s next? Will the Home Ministry step in to revoke Sin Chew Daily’s publication license? In Bolehland, anything is possible. – April 18, 2025
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
