IPOH: Police have received three reports against a political influencer for allegedly sharing a video claiming that the national anthem, Negaraku, was sung in a language other than the national language at a school in the Hilir Perak district.
Hilir Perak district police chief ACP Dr Bakri Zainal Abidin said the three-minute-and-40-second video shows a group of children from a Teluk Intan school singing the Perak state anthem, followed by comments from the political influencer that sparked controversy.
“The political influencer alleged that Negaraku was sung in a language other than Malay and claimed that the video breached the National Anthem protocol.
“The individual also cited Section 2 of the National Anthem Act 1968, which prohibits changes to the lyrics or the singing of the anthem in another language,” he said in a statement tonight.
Bakri said initial investigations found that the viral video was recorded on June 6, 2024 during the launch ceremony of the school's Dragon Dance Club.
Bakri clarified that the song sung by the children was not the national anthem but the Perak state anthem.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
“Police would like to remind the public to refrain from spreading false information that could disrupt national harmony.
“Sharing unverified information can lead to legal action, including fines or imprisonment. Therefore, it is important to verify the accuracy of any information before sharing it, for the collective good and the nation’s stability,” he said.
Earlier, a video went viral on social media, including TikTok, purportedly showing a school choir singing a song alleged to be Negaraku in Chinese.
