Cool it, says minister after overreaction, prolonged criticism of flag issue

Cool it, says minister after overreaction, prolonged criticism of flag issue

PETALING JAYA: The overreaction to an incident involving Chinese nationals waving their national flag at a parade in Perak may hurt Malaysia’s tourism industry, a federal minister said.

Tourism, arts and culture minister Tiong King Sing said the prolonged criticisms of the event would scare off potential visitors to the country.

“I urge every party to stop prolonging the issue to prevent unnecessary anxiety. Let’s find ways to resolve the issue amicably,” he said in a Facebook post.

Tiong said there was nothing wrong with foreigners waving the flags of their respective countries.

Tiong also said the harsh criticisms against the event reeked of a double standard. He said previous events held in the country had displayed foreign flags without attracting brickbats.

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He accused some quarters of attempting to exploit the incident by making a mountain of a molehill.

The controversy arose after a video was shared online showing a group of people waving China’s national flag near the Leaning Tower in Teluk Intan during a temple festival and parade.

The temple’s chairman, Soon Boon Hua, later apologised, saying the flags were displayed by Chinese nationals attending the festival and had not been planned by the organisers.

The incident however led to Perak PAS chief Razman Zakaria criticising the event, allegedly making racial remarks at a counter-demonstration last night.

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Salleh has also criticised the festival organiser for failing to include the Malaysian flag in the event and dismissed their subsequent apology.

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Tiong said further escalation of the incident would spark concern among tourists keen on visiting Malaysia, especially those who want to participate in cultural events.

Perak police are currently investigating the incident, with statements recorded from the 16 Chinese citizens who took part in the parade. Statements are also to be taken from those who took part in a counter demonstration yesterday.