SG brand under fire for Malaysian flag error, issues apology

Singapore brand Singapore Lactation Bakes has found itself in controversy after it showed the Malaysia national flag - the Jalur Gemilang - without the crescent moon at a baby products trade show at the Mid Valley exhibition centre in Kuala Lumpur. 

The brand was involved in a promotional video that was played on a screen at the TCE Baby Expo. The video reportedly received at least five police reports, said communications minister Fahmi Fadzil. The incident will be investigated, and strict action will be taken if necessary. According to Fahmi, the Jalur Gemilang is a symbol of Malaysia's national pride and sovereignty and should not be taken lightly.  

Following the controversy, Singapore Lactation Bakes vacated its booth at the baby expo. 

Don't miss: Sin Chew Daily suspends two editors over national flag mistake 

Singapore Lactation Bakes has since put out a statement addressed to Malaysian citizens apologising for the error in its launch video where the displayed flag is incomplete. 

Acknowledging how important Jalur Gemilang is as a symbol of Malaysian identity, heritage and unity, Singapore Lactation Bakes said it was not its intention to disrespect or degrade the national symbol. It expressed its deep regret for the unintentional mistake and said it takes full responsibility. 

"We are very grateful to those who have reached out to us. Your feedback is important, and we're committed to learning from this incident and to be more careful in the future," said Singapore Lactation Bakes. 

"Singapore Lactation Bakes is committed to supporting mothers across all communities. We are always ready to provide service to our customers in Malaysia, and are very disappointed that our mistakes may have caused dissatisfaction among Malaysians. Once again, we apologise and would like to thank you for your understanding and continued support as we strive to do better," it added. 

This incident comes mere days following local Chinese paper Sin Chew's misprint of the national flag. Similarly, the image featured on its front-page included the Malaysia and China flag. However, the flag was missing the crescent moon too. 

The publication said in its apology, that the mistake was due to a "technical error" that was accidental. It added that the digital version of its newspapers has been amended with the corrected image. It added that it will be taking disciplinary action against the staff who was found to be responsible for the mistake. 

Not long after, the newspaper's editor-in-chief Chan Aun Kuang, and deputy chief sub-editor Tsai Shwu San were suspended with immediate effect based on the principle of accountability. 

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