A private dental clinic in Pontian, Johor, has been ordered to shut for 30 days by the local council for displaying the Jalur Gemilang upside down, in violation of a 2019 by-law governing the use of the national flag.
Pontian Municipal Council president Abdul Azim Shamsuddin confirmed that the closure notice was issued to the clinic at approximately 8:20 a.m. According to Sinar Harian, Azim stated that the council’s by-laws empower him to order the closure of businesses that breach licensing conditions or local regulations. He added that the clinic’s owner has the option to submit a written appeal.
The incident gained attention after a 33-second viral video showed the national flag flown upside down on the second floor of a three-storey shophouse, adjacent to a correctly displayed Johor state flag. The video also captured several members of the public and police officers gathered outside the building. A police investigation into the matter is underway.
Pontian Member of Parliament and federal deputy minister Ahmad Maslan urged the public to remain calm, noting that the flag’s orientation has since been corrected.
Last week, the Attorney-General’s Chambers issued a reminder against vigilante actions in cases of protocol breaches involving the Jalur Gemilang. This followed an incident in Kepala Batas, Penang, where over 200 individuals, led by Umno Youth chief Akmal Saleh, gathered outside a hardware shop under investigation for similarly displaying the national flag upside down.
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