KUALA LUMPUR – “Don’t go after the athletes; go after the sponsors and the National Sports Associations (NSAs) instead,” sports analyst Sadek Mustaffa said in response to a fresh controversy involving a top badminton player.
Sadek, a senior sports science lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara, made this remark after Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh announced the drafting of an ethical dress code based on the National Sports Council (NSC)’s suggestion for national athletes.
This came after the Jalur Gemilang emblem appeared upside down on Lee Zii Jia’s jersey during the World Tour Finals in Hangzhou.
The world number eight was seen on television wearing the jersey during his match against Taiwan’s Chou Tien Chen when they played yesterday.
Zii Jia’s sponsor, Victor, the maker of the jersey, issued an apology for the oversight in an official statement. The sports equipment company also promised that such an incident would not be repeated in the future.
Speaking to Scoop, Sadek said that the government should instead use the existing Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963 rather than creating a new code specifically for athletes.
According to the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963, actions that insult the Jalur Gemilang, such as displaying the flag upside down, can be punished with a maximum fine of RM 20,000, a maximum imprisonment of three years, or both.
“Creating a new code of conduct for athletes is redundant since we already have an act that addresses such actions, and it should be applied to everyone in the country.
“It’s not fair to go after the athletes, as the fault does not lie with them,” Sadek said when contacted. He added that the minister should be targeting the NSAs and the sponsors for their mistakes.
“The minister should have been more specific in her statement and consulted the Sports Commissioner’s Office for advice instead of the NSC, which is more focused on administrative matters.”
At the same time, Sadek emphasised that stern actions should be taken against those who damage the country’s image by misrepresenting the Jalur Gemilang.
Earlier this year, there was an uproar among netizens when the color scheme for athletes’ attire, featuring the Jalur Gemilang-colored badge (red, white, blue, and yellow), was altered to gold in designs by Yonex ahead of the Paris Olympics.
“Such things need to stop, and the government cannot allow this to continue. Corporations should be held accountable.
“The government needs to be bold and take necessary actions, even if it risks losing business or sponsorship deals,” Sadek added.
Sadek reiterated that the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963 must be applied immediately and consistently to everyone, without favoritism.
It was reported in August this year that an elderly man was arrested to assist in an investigation into the hoisting of the Jalur Gemilang upside down at a building in the Kuala Kangsar district.
The case was investigated under Section 5 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963, as well as Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act.
Under the same act, a Bangladeshi man was fined RM 3,500 by the Magistrate Court earlier this year for intentionally hoisting the Jalur Gemilang upside down. – December 12, 2024