Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar told FMT: “Yes, definitely we will be using the federal government’s logo and theme.”
He said the state government had already geared up for the celebrations and would stick with its earlier decision to use the logo and theme that was decided by Putrajaya.
Samsuri tonight said Perikatan Nasional’s Youth wing might have their own reason for suggesting a different theme and logo for use by states run by PN governments.
His decision to use the federal theme and logo comes in the wake of the Perlis menteri besar Shukri Ramli saying that the state would use the federal theme, but not the logo because it contained the words Malaysia Madani.
Malaysia Madani is the motto of Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government which has been applied to its policies, statements and stationery.
Shukri said he has yet to receive any response from the top PN leadership, Sinar Daily reported. “So we must wait and see first, and this matter will be discussed with the PN leadership first,” he was quoted as saying.
The federal government announced in May that this year’s National Day theme would be Malaysia Madani: Tekad Perpaduan, Penuhi Harapan with the Malaysia Madani logo.
Yesterday, PN Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari unveiled a proposed alternative for use by Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
He suggested the theme Teguh Muafakat Malaysia Sejahtera and a logo resembling a hibiscus, the national flower.
The proposal drew criticisms from the government and NGOs alike, saying it would only cause disunity and that it went against the principles of federalism.
Gerakan president Dominic Lau, whose party is a PN component member, said the celebrations should not be politicised and the opposition coalition should not be seen by the rakyat as trying to do so.
Shukri said Anwar Ibrahim had in 2012 defended the use of different logos and themes for National Day when he was opposition leader as head of Pakatan Rakyat.
The coalition had used “Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa” for the 2012 Merdeka celebrations, while the federal government’s theme was “55 Years of Independence: Promises Fulfilled”.