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Needy Malaysians urged to fly white flag

PHOTO: Dr. Tan Yee Kew
BY: CHRISTOPHER FERNANDEZ
Controversy surrounds a move by self-styled welfare and well being organization, #benderaputih, who have asked needy Malaysians to raise a white flag to get aid in the form of food, clothing, free tuition, cash aid among the goodies.
While there was an outpouring of support for the initiative, there were also the detractors and less sanguine critics who contended that this is a role best played by the government of the day and overlapping free aid activity is not needed.
An Islamic mufti joined in the fray and stated that instead of raising a white flag, people should pray. This was met with strong calls by netizens who lambasted the mufti and urged him to be a whole lot more practical.
A person raises a white flag to surrender, explains #benederaputih. The person has lost all hope to the point where he contemplates ending life as is witnessed by the rising number of suicides since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
Well wishers are aplenty as Malaysians are known for being generous, caring and sharing. Even supermarket chain speedmart has jumped on the bandwagon to offer an aid package to those that raised the white flag.
#benederaputih was only launched this week but already white flags are being raised throughout the country and aid has been pouring in to ease the plight and angst and relieve the suffering of the poor and distressed.
While this is a shame to an indifferent government, the acute nature of the suffering and need of Malaysians showed up glaringly when there was a call by the Malaysia Animal Association for pet owners to raise the red flag if they were unable to care for their pets.
This is why all over Malaysia flags of white and red are beginning to be raised to show that man and beast are suffering acutely and have no choice but to appeal to the generosity of the public to care for them.
-THE MALAYSIA VOICE
** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher