Malaysian football fans take photo with upside-down Singapore flag
Singapore’s Lions secured a spot in the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup semi-finals after drawing with Malaysia last Friday (20 Dec).
While the result sparked celebrations in the Lion City, some fans across the Causeway were far less thrilled about the outcome.
A group of fans — believed to be supporters of Malaysia’s football team — took a photo on Friday night while holding Singapore’s flag upside down.
The photo was later shared across multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, and Reddit, sparking anger among Singaporeans.
Singapore flag held upside down
On TikTok, a photo shows around 30 to 40 people holding two large Singapore flags upside down.
The group is facing the camera, holding the flags wide open, indicating that their actions were intentional.
A zoomed-in version of the same photo, posted on Reddit, shows several men flashing their middle fingers next to the flag.
Malaysian fans pose with the Singapore flag after getting knocked out in the AFF cup last night
byu/throwaway_t19 inSingaporeRaw
In the same image, a banner with “Singapore” written on it can also be seen held upside down beside the flag.
Malaysia’s football team was eliminated from the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup after finishing third in Group A, with their only victory in the tournament coming against Timor-Leste.
Singapore netizens angered by disrespect
In response to the photos, many Singaporeans expressed their outrage at the disrespect shown towards the national flag.
Some emphasised that a national flag should never be disrespected in this manner, calling it a “disgrace” and “totally unacceptable”.
Others highlighted that beyond the disrespect, such actions from Malaysian fans lacked sportsmanship and tarnished their country’s image.
Additionally, some pointed out that Malaysia’s national football team has progressed in previous tournaments, making the outrage and aggression unnecessary.
Singapore will face Vietnam in the first leg of the Mitsubishi Electric Cup semi-final at Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday (26 Dec).
Also read: Long queue forms at Jalan Besar Stadium for tickets to ASEAN Championship semi-final
Long queue forms at Jalan Besar Stadium for tickets to ASEAN Championship semi-final
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Featured image adapted from Facebook and u/throwaway_t19 on Reddit.