Patriotism starts young

GEORGE TOWN: “I know that it has 14 lines, and the first line is red. Now, I know the colours and will remember these details,” the little girl said excitedly.

Doris Yee is just six and she and her kindergarten mates, all dressed in colourful traditional attire, had just learnt the significance of National Day and the symbolism behind the Jalur Gemilang.

The children all aged between four and six – also identified its vivid colours and counted the 14 red and white stripes on the flag.

As part of the celebration, the children were also taught to stand “as straight as a bamboo” while singing the national anthem, Negaraku, followed by the state anthem.

“We must respect the flag and stand straight when singing the song,” said Doris.

Her friend Jenisha Suba Narayanan, also six, said she was excited to sing with her friends although she could not remember all the lyrics of the two anthems.

“I stood straight and sang along. I learnt the colours on the flag and will remember what colours to use when colouring it,” she said.

The children were taught that the flag, which was officially adopted on May 26, 1950, has a blue canton in the top left corner signifying unity among the people.

The flag has 14 stripes and points on the star, representing the 13 states and federal territories.

The crescent and star represent Islam as the official religion and the unity of the states, respectively.

The yellow colour of the crescent and star signifies royal sovereignty.

On Aug 31, 1997, the flag was officially named Jalur Gemilang – meaning Stripes of Glory – by then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Melody Kindyland Island Park principal Emily Choong said the activities aimed to teach children about patriotism, pride and respect for national symbols.

“I want them to understand the significance of Aug 31, but it has to be fun and child-friendly.

“Every year, we come up with different activities, but the essence remains the same – we focus on the flag, its colours and details,” she said, adding that both children and teachers were encouraged to dress in traditional costumes to celebrate Malaysia’s cultural diversity.

Choong said the kindergarten is decorated with patriotic and Malaysian-themed elements for over a month to mark National Day and Malaysia Day.

“This year, we included large cutouts of native wildlife such as the Malayan tiger, orangutan, tapir and hornbill.

“We even have a replica of the Rafflesia flower so the children know about the local biodiversity,” she said.