Malaysia Apologizes for Sea Games’s Indonesian Flag Blunder

Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi sit together after a meeting at the Shangri la Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Sunday (20/8)

The Malaysian Government has apologized for inadvertent error in printing Indonesian flag upside down in the official souvenir booklet of the Opening Ceremony of the 2017 SEA Games.

The apology was expressed by Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin after conducting a meeting with Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi at the Shangri la Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday (20/8).

The meeting was held following an error made by Malaysia (as the host of the 2017 SEA Games) in the official souvenir booklet distributed to the guests on Saturday (19/8). In that booklet, the Indonesian flag was printed upside down. “This was a big mistake. I, on behalf of the host, have conveyed our apologies to Pak Imam as the Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister and to the people of Indonesia,” Khairy said.

Khairy asserted that the mistake was unintentional and that is a big negligence which affected the image of the Republic of Indonesia. “I have ordered (the Committee) to withdraw and reprint the booklet. It would be corrected and a new booklet will be sent to the guests attending the opening ceremony,” Khairy added.

The official apology will be released by the Malaysian Government, including the spoken and written apologies of Khairy Jamaluddin to Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi. “With the spirit of friendship and cognate culture identity, we hope the people can accept our apology. And, we hope both countries can continue building good ties and we will ensure that bilateral friendship between Indonesia and Malaysia can be strengthened during the SEA Games,” Khairy firmly said.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi said that Khairy Jamaluddin is a good friend of him and he always seeks to strengthen our relationships. “We admitted that the SEA Games serves as a momentum to forge friendship among Asean countries,” Imam added.

He also acknowledged Khairy’s apology and he will deliver it to President Joko Widodo. “I hope the incident will not be repeated because a flag is a symbol of a state that must be respected, and SEA Games is an event that must be respected,” Imam said, adding that the incident will be an important lesson.

“We should give our best and be sincere in strengthening our friendship,” Imam added.

“Red and white flag is a symbol of Indonesia, (the mistake) must be corrected immediately. Hopefully, it will not affect the friendship between Indonesia and Malaysia,” the Minister concluded.

 (RMI/Humas Kemenpora/ES) (RA/EP/YM/Naster)