Maybe try to hide your political stripes a little bit, Selangor?
The state, which will be hosting next year’s Malaysia Games, or Sukma 2016, though it was a good idea to use as the sporting event’s official slogan the incendiary and politically divisive #KitaLawan hashtag, prompting many pundits to rag on Azmin Ali’s state government.
“The slogan has political connotations and should not be used.
“The Selangor state should keep politics of out sports as it is not an appropriate slogan,” The Star Online quotes Deputy Youth and Sports Minister M Saravanan as saying on the issue.
The #KitaLawan hashtag has been appropriated by Opposition politicians and social activists to be a rallying call for recent street protests and gatherings, aimed at calling for the release of jailed Federal Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, the resignations of Prime Minister Najib Razak and Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar, and the cancellation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Saravanan warned that the continued use of #KitaLawan for next year’s Sukma could drive some athletes to not participate in the games entirely.
This hearkens back to Barisan Nasional’s use of “Janji Ditepati” as the official slogan of 2012’s Merdeka Day celebrations – the same catchphrase the ruling coalition used as its campaign slogan for the 13th General Elections a year later.
Hire more copywriters, guys!
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