KUALA LUMPUR: Police have submitted investigation papers to the Attorney-General’s Chambers after a widely circulated Chinese-language daily published an incomplete version of the national flag – Jalur Gemilang – on its front page.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said 54 individuals had been questioned as of Friday, with further witness statements expected as investigations continue.
“Preliminary findings suggest the newspaper cited a technical error in the publication of the article,” he said when contacted today.
On Thursday, the newspaper’s chief editor and deputy chief sub-editor were detained for questioning at the Bukit Aman Classified Criminal Investigation Unit (USJT).
Razarudin previously said that the chief editor was believed to be responsible for approving the publication of the illustration, while the deputy chief sub-editor was responsible for designing the graphic.
The case is being investigated under Section 3(1)(c) of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963 and Section 4(1)(b) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
The illustration, published by Sin Chew Daily on Tuesday to accompany coverage of Chinese president Xi Jinping’s state visit to Malaysia, appeared to depict the Malaysian flag without all its proper elements.
The omission was quickly noticed, prompting sharp criticism from various quarters, including His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, who urged media organisations to exercise greater care and scrutiny in matters involving national symbols.
In the wake of public backlash, Sin Chew Daily issued a formal apology, attributing the error to an unintentional technical oversight.
