MADANI backers have poked fun at Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor with the rationale that the “13-pointed star” Jalur Gemilang blunder on the T-shirt he wore during the state level 69th Merdeka celebration event on Friday (Aug 28) was justified on grounds that “Penang belongs to Kedah”.
Apparently, pro-Pakatan Harapan (PH) keyboard warrior Muhammad Najib (@muhammadnajib79) mocked that “after a check with the Sekretariat Dalil PAS (SEDAP), the 13-pointed star” came about given that “Kedah owns Penang, hence one star was dropped from the supposedly 14 stars on the Malaysian flag”.
Baru dapat maklumat MB Kedah pakai baju ada bintang 13 bucu, kurang satu bucu dari yang sepatutnya.
Sebelum ramai yang kata MB Kedah pelaq, saya dah buat semakan dengan Sekretariat Dalil PAS (SEDAP).
Info diterima ialah bintang bucu 13 sebab ikut fahaman Pulau Pinang hak milik… pic.twitter.com/PG9GZ5OVIW
— Muhammad Najib (@muhammadnajib79) August 29, 2026
Similar theory also made it rounds among PH supporters as evident from these one-liner Facebook posts by Anwar Ibrahim Fans and Kami Viral’s: “Sanusi confirms 13 stars on flag because Penang is not a state but belongs to Kedah”.
The hilarity is such that the PAS/Perikatan Nasional (PN) election director had almost wiggled his way out from the gaffe till printing firm NE Creative Ventures came forward to take responsibility on the T-shirt donned by Sanusi and several dignitaries during the Merdeka Boat Parade programme.
The Ayer Keroh, Melaka-based firm blamed a rushed last-minute order and less thorough quality checks for the incorrect Jalur Gemilang star appearing on attire worn by Sanusi and several dignitaries at the Merdeka celebration event.
Akmal a toothless tiger this year?
The printer further contended that it took the incident as a lesson to tighten standard operating procedures (SOPs), especially involving the production of clothing that has official symbols, state coats of arms or corporate logos.
“Starting today, our company will require customers to sign a final draft confirmation form before any printing process, especially those involving official symbols, state coats of arms or corporate logos,” it asserted in an apology letter addressed to the Kedah MB Office dated yesterday (Aug 29).
At the top of the mocking directed at Sanusi who is also the Jeneri state assemblyman is the muted reaction from UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh who has been very mild in his reaction towards the reported Jalur Gemilang blunders this year given most were attributed to his own ‘gang members”.
For the record, the self-proclaimed staunch defender of race and religion has yet to condemn Sanusi nor express any intention to carry out a protest march to Alor Setar (the Kedah state capital) as opposed to his furore last year over an upside down Jalur Gemilang by an elderly hardware store owner in Kepala Batas, Penang.
At the end of the day, the Merlimau state assemblyman’s “selected extremism” as evident from his latest seemingly toothless reprimand to MCA – a component party of Barisan Nasional (BN) – has only left behind a sour taste.
Below are some remarks from detractors which encapsulate the entire sentiment over gaffe associated with the Jalur Gemilang as they collectively ticked off the moral police on the eve of the nation’s 69th Merdeka. – Aug 30, 2026
