KUALA LUMPUR – The national flag should be designed manually and not left to artificial intelligence (AI), said Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, following the Education Ministry’s (MoE) blunder that saw an inaccurate Jalur Gemilang appear in the SPM results analysis report.
“Why use AI? It is our national flag, make it yourself. Even when using AI, the results can be inaccurate. Sometimes the stripes appear wider in the middle, and that’s just not right.
“Love our flag, love our country,” he told reporters at a roundtable on the national good governance agenda last night, Bernama reported.
Shamsul Azri emphasised that any design involving national symbols must be created with care and a personal understanding of what they represent, rather than relying on automated systems.
“When we design the flag, it must be done correctly and with a full understanding of its essence. Issues arise when we attempt it without truly grasping the spirit it represents,” he said.
He also stressed the need for thorough human review, especially for materials meant for public distribution or media use.
“Anything we produce for public release, especially for media use, must go through a thorough review. Mistakes like these should never happen.”
In response to the incident, Shamsul Azri said MoE secretary-general Datuk Aminuddin Hassim has been directed to prepare a comprehensive report on the error.
“Appropriate action will be taken once the full report is received,” he added.
He noted that although official guidelines exist for the use of the Jalur Gemilang, errors still occur due to a lack of awareness or complacency.
According to Bernama, also present at the roundtable were Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki and Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai.
The mistake in the SPM report, which showed a distorted version of the national flag, has triggered a strong public reaction, prompting the Education Ministry to launch an investigation.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had earlier warned that there would be no double standards in handling the case, stressing that all materials involving national symbols must be vetted carefully and not rely solely on AI.
He also said that investigations will be carried out against all parties involved.
This follows a series of recent flag blunders, including one by Sin Chew Daily and another by a Singaporean exhibitor at a baby expo in Mid Valley Megamall. – April 25.