KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia said the mistake of displaying the Jalur Gemilang without the crescent moon, as published on the front page of a local Chinese newspaper, could trigger public sensitivities and is unacceptable.

In a post on the official Facebook page of Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar today, His Majesty said the newspaper’s management and editorial department should have been more vigilant and checked the content thoroughly before it was printed and published.

Sultan Ibrahim emphasised that the national flag is a symbol of sovereignty and the identity of the country.

“A flag is not just a colourful piece of cloth, but it represents the struggle, history, meaning of independence, and the spirit of the people.

“We, as citizens, fly the flag with pride and patriotic spirit within our multiracial society,” he said.

Earlier, the Malaysian daily issued an apology for the error in its front-page illustration.