Does Pak Samad think himself a ‘big shot’ to resist cops, asks minister
(MM) – Wanted by the police, national poet Datuk A. Samad Said should voluntarily turn himself in for questioning unless he thinks he is a “big shot”, minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said today.
The minister of tourism and culture said being a national laureate did not exempt A. Samad from the law, after the police sought the latter’s cooperation in the public display of the controversial Sang Saka Malaya flag during a street celebration here on the eve of Malaysia’s National Day last week.
Two activists were detained yesterday in relation to the pre-independence flag.
“Everybody is the same… even if we’re ministers, if we did something wrong and the police called us up, then we should’ve come,” Nazri told reporters after a ministry event here.
“Who does A. Samad Said think he is?… Does he think he is some kind of a big shot?” he asked.
The police have been hunting for A. Samad (picture), popularly known as Pak Samad, for his purported role in flying the Sang Saka flag in the countdown to the country’s 56th independence anniversary on August 30.
But A. Samad was quoted by the Astro Awani news portal earlier today to have denied he was running away from the police or that he was in hiding.
He insisted that he had not received any formal notification, the news portal reported.
The Malay Mail Online was not able to reach A. Samad for verification.
State news wire Bernama had earlier today reported the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, calling A. Samad to surrender so to help the authorities with their investigation on the purportedly seditious act.
Police reportedly detained student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim and activist Hishamuddin Rais over the same August 30 incident last night but have since released the duo.
The Sang Saka Malaya is a two-striped red-and-white flag with a crescent moon and an 11-pointed star in the top left corner.
It was used by the first Malay party, Kesatuan Melayu Malaya (KMM) formed in 1938, that had fought against the colonial British for the country’s independence.
This is the second time in two years where authorities have taken action under the Sedition Act 1948, on those caught holding up the Sang Saka Malaya flag.
Last September, the police arrested two youths for allegedly flying the Sang Saka Malaya flag during the countdown to the 55th National Day on August 30.
