Flying Jalur Gemilang : Gramong urges caution on proposed law

KANOWIT: The government has been urged to study very carefully the suggestion to introduce a law to make it compulsory for every premises to fly the Jalur Gemilang throughout the Independence Month.

Assistant Minister of Land Development Datuk Gramong Juna said the law to be introduced must be agreed by all quarters and the government should not be hasty in its implementation lest the existing policies be affected.

“Basically it is a good thing to introduce such a law to get full cooperation from the people and to inculcate patriotic spirit.

“But it is better if the desire to fly the national flag is done voluntarily without involving any element of coercion,” he told reporters after officiating at Kanowit district-level ‘Jalur Gemilang Merdeka’ convoy at Rumah Benjamin Angki in Rantau Kemiding here yesterday.

On Aug 24, Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said his ministry would study the need to introduce such law.

He said such a law was necessary because many premises and buildings, especially those owned by private organisations “do not understand the need or importance of flying the ‘Jalur Gemilang’ to show their love for the nation”.

“Currently we have not reached a stage to enforce any law on such premises or buildings whether they are private or government … now it is voluntary.

“However, I have seen many private buildings not responding to the call to fly the ‘Jalur Gemilang’,” Shabery told reporters at the ‘Pocket Show 2013’ programme at Uptown Danau Kota in Kuala Lumpur.

On a similar matter, Gramong, who is Machan assemblyman, hoped the campaign to fly the Jalur Gemilang could be intensified.

He said this was because patriotic messages delivered through activities and other publicity methods were still not encouraging and failed to reach the rural population.

“It is time for relevant government agencies and departments to play their part to get more involvement of rural people,” he said.

A total of 33 people participated in the convoy.

Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Maurice Giri and State Information Department assistant director Helmi Abdul Hamid were among those present.