The objective of the movement was to help those who are in need or in financial distress to reach out without having to feel ashamed by hanging a white flag in front of their house.
The thought behind the movement was a noble one, but some people saw this as an opportunity to ride the wave and the plight of struggling Malaysians.
From the rakyat to the rakyat
Admin | Saya bersama dalam kempen #benderaputih ini bagi mengenal pasti mereka yang memerlukan bantuan. Tak perlu merayu, tak perlu malu. Kibar saja bendera.?️#KempenBenderaPutih#PEMULIH#ActionBeyondPolitics pic.twitter.com/L3UP1rTYYf
— Zuraida Kamaruddin (@zuraida_my) June 29, 2021
Minister of Housing & Local Government Zuraida Kamaruddin caused quite a stir on social media earlier on Tuesday when she tweeted about the #BenderaPutih movement and repeated what was said about giving help.
She also added that “we cannot afford to see and grief over photos and videos of our friends who committed suicide”.
This caused an outrage amongst netizens, who felt that she was ‘hijacking’ the rakyat’s effort in helping one another:
BENDERA PUTIH SIMBOL KEGAGALAN TOTAL KERAJAAN PERIKATAN NASIONAL
— Shazni Munir (@shazni_munir) June 29, 2021
Kempen kibarkan bendera putih yang tular sejak kelmarin membuktikan bahawa rakyat sudah tidak mampu menanggung dampak pandemik Covid-19 ini dengan mengharapkan bantuan daripada kerajaan.
(Sambung ?) pic.twitter.com/YYS7rTB5dy
Politicising the movement
Amanah Youth Chief Shazni Munir was also called out by netizens for trying to politicise and propagate the hashtag by encouraging others to also wave a white flag to oppose the current government on its failures to run the country, be in solidarity with the ones who are affected, and as an appreciation to the royal family.These recommendations seems unnecessary as it will not only get people confused but also take the focus away from the real issue.
Surely, within a matter of minutes, both Zuraida and Shazni, as well as several other politicians, received the wrath of netizens.
Takde takde, idea bendera putih takde kaitan dengan korang. Duk diam2 dan buat kerja sana, kalau nak rakyat suka side kau jugak, fikirkan better option dan idea, that is the least you should do.
— 浩Beifong (@qilmbyai) June 29, 2021
inilah bangsa mengambil kesempatan atas kesempitan
— Putera Durian ???? (@DurianPutera) June 29, 2021
tak payah nak berpolitik sangatlah
tolak parti ni nanti sembang je lebih
kalau nak bantu ..pi jelah bantu
Please! jgn politikkan isu bendera putih!
— 〰️?️ن (@wan_kamekaze) June 29, 2021
Y’all don’t realise ke #BenderaPutih, #RakyatJagaRakyat and other tags are born from disappointment towards governing bodies? Pastu gi hijack konon faham rakyat. Pui! https://t.co/chovjVbI6A
— Irfan Ajes (@irfan_ajes) June 29, 2021
— Fahmi Reza (@kuasasiswa) June 29, 2021
Booooooooo.. tak malu ke woiii hijack rakyat punya initiative..
— V3.N0M.V7 ?? ? (@V3N0MV7) June 29, 2021
Piiiiirahhhhh mabukk
Punyala tone deaf, muka setebal tapak kaki tak malunya.
— Eli Ben Rahman ??? | #TamatDarurat ✊ (@redrun_) June 29, 2021
HEY POMPUAN!! SEBAB KAU DENGAN RINA HARUN TAK FUNCTION LAH KITORANG TERPAKSA BUAT KEMPEN MACAM NI NAK TOLONG ORANG SUSAH!!
— Aiman (@mistaaimanvevo) June 29, 2021
KAU ADA KUASA UNTUK TOLONG MEREKA YANG KURANG BERNASIB BAIK, DO YOUR WORK NOW!!
Masalah bila orang politik tunggang movement rakyat #benderaputih, objektifnya ni akan lari. Orang PN akan fikir #benderaputih ini semua agenda PH. orang PH fikir pulak ini sokongan kepada PH.
— arman ?? (@armanrogers) June 29, 2021
jadi yang gantung bendera gagal dibantu masyarakat disebabkan puak2 ni?? pic.twitter.com/wQ7LMX08uk
Ahli-ahli PAS yang masih bermaruah tolonglah buang kepala-kepala tak semenggah serupa Nik Abduh ni pemilihan akan datang.
— Mohammad Faeez Harith |? ??????| (@H_Bakkaniy) June 29, 2021
Kalau bukan sebab ayah dia Gemulah TG Nik Aziz, dia ni satu sen tak guna. pic.twitter.com/nsfYqCtFDr
Kimak marah betul aku tengok ahli politik acah acah post pasal #BenderaPutih.
— A Samad Said: (@SamadSaidWhaaat) June 29, 2021
Benda rakyat punya inisiatif untuk tolong rakyat.
Diorang konon nak join tapi tak ada sorang pun offer nak bagi bantuan.
Saya haramkan ahli Politik guna hashtags #BenderaPutih sebab ini adalah bantuan rakyat kepada rakyat. No politik here. Pls https://t.co/QD4L2Uonsw
— ???? ?? (@aishzulkefli) June 29, 2021
You really are a total failure! Rakyat buat #BenderaPutih utk rakyat, korang amik inisiatif ni utk politik. Bodo la ahli politik kat Malaysia ni. Geram tau dapat pemerintah mcm ni. ???? Rasa nak pukul2 je eiiii kang haa https://t.co/dUjoPy6bFk
— alya??? (@aalyamz) June 29, 2021
We hope the politicians can see that this hashtag was created by the people and for the people due to the lack of accountability and responsibility on their part.
Let’s all do our part and check on each other to get through these trying times.