ISKANDAR PUTERI, Aug 20 — The Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) has ordered a factory located at the Southern Industrial and Logistics Clusters (SiLC) Industrial Park here to cease operations after it was found to have displayed a Jalur Gemilang and the Johor state flag upside down.
The city council said the industrial factory was also issued a compound for displaying an unlicensed billboard and did not have a valid license to operate a business.
“As a result of the inspection, which was attended by Kota Iskandar assemblyman Datuk Pandak Ahmad and the police, the premise owner was given a stern warning.
“The owner was instructed to immediately take down and correct the position of the flags,” read the statement issued by MBIP last night.
MBIP said further inspection found that the premises did not have a business license and the premises owner was issued a notice for operating a business without a valid license.
“The MBIP enforcement team also issued a compound to the premise owner for displaying a business advertising board without a license.
The Jalur Gemilang and the Johor state flag were flown upside down at a factory located in the Southern Industrial and Logistics Clusters (SiLC) Industrial Park in Gelang Patah in Iskandar Puteri, August 20, 2026. — Picture courtesy of the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP)
“The factory was then ordered to cease its operations and close for failing to comply with the licensing requirements set by the local authorities,” said the statement.
During the inspection, MBIP verified a total of 14 factory employees, consisting of two local men and 12 foreigners, at the premise.
All 12 foreigners were later detained and taken to the Iskandar Puteri district police headquarters for further investigation in relation to the status of their work permits.
“MBIP takes a serious view of any non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including the licensing aspects of premises as well as the installation procedures for the national and state flags.
“The Jalur Gemilang and the Johor state flags are symbols of sovereignty and identity that must be respected,” it said, adding that MBIP will not compromise with any failure to comply with regulations under its jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, Pandak said that having two flags flown wrongly cannot be excused as a mistake on the premise owner’s part.
“The excuse of not knowing or saying that it was a mistake should not be used to avoid the law, especially when it involves flying the flags that symbolises national and state sovereignty,” he said when contacted today.
Yesterday, Pandak lodged a police report and summoned the authorities to the factory’s location regarding the flag issue.
