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Flying historical flag not unpatriotic

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Soo (right) and S4S activist Lucas Chin installing Sarawak’s historical flag bearing the crown at Padungan.

KUCHING: Flying the state’s historical flag is not an unpatriotic move, asserts Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) president Lina Soo.

She explained that the historical flag was registered under the Flag and Emblem Ordinance, and it was Sarawak’s identity flown from July 1, 1946 to Aug 30, 1973, making it a total of 27 years that the flag was flown proudly over the state.

Hence, branding Sarawakians who flew the state’s historical flag bearing the crown as “unpatriotic” was an attempt at blotting out the state’s history and legacy of former chief minister, the late Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan.

Soo pointed out that when Ningkan was appointed as the first chief minister of Sarawak on July 22, 1963, it paved the way for the dawn of Sarawak administrative self-government, and the flag was Sarawak’s identity then.

She said this in response to Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah’s comment in branding Sarawakians who flew Sarawak’s historical flag as unpatriotic.

Soo advised Karim to read and understand Sarawak’s flag history before questioning the loyalty and patriotism of Sarawakians.

“Does it mean that Sarawak was unpatriotic and disloyal for 10 years from 1963 to 1973?” she asked.

Soo admitted that it was her and Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) members who went around Padungan to install the flags for the July 22 Sarawak Day this year.

“I went to Padungan police station to seek clarification from the police if there is any prohibition on possession and display of the historical flag, and was assured that there is no law to prohibit the display of any of Sarawak’s registered flags and no offence has been committed,” she said.

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