In anticipation of the forthcoming Merdeka Day festivities, PN has introduced a distinct logo and theme divergent from that of the federal government, a move that has subsequently ignited a contentious debate within the digital sphere.

Insight:

• The conversations on Merdeka Logo & Theme garnered around 6.9K with 197.4K social interactions that potentially reached 4.6M users.
• The overall sentiment was mixed, as some social media users disagreed with the need for the opposition to produce a different logo for their party. They stressed that it could undermine unity, as the Merdeka celebration should be a day when all Malaysians unite to foster harmony. Despite differing political views, the Rakyat hoped that the Merdeka celebration could serve as a platform to promote unity.
• Netizens also commented on the design of the logos produced by both the government and the opposition. Many believed that the logo produced by the federal government was overly politicised. They criticised the government for leveraging the Merdeka celebration to gain political advantage. They also pointed out that it was unsurprising for the opposition to create a different logo, as it was unfeasible for them to endorse a Merdeka logo that clearly contained the government’s tagline. Moreover, some mentioned that in previous years, both the government and the opposition had a history of using different Merdeka logos, and no one objected to it.
• Despite this, the logo produced by the opposition also attracted criticism as the colours depicted in the logo did not adhere to the national colours. The tagline used was also perceived as politically charged.
• Last but not least, the majority asserted that the Merdeka celebration should be a time when all Malaysians unite to celebrate the country’s achievements and heritage. They expressed hope that the celebration would not be misused as a political tool by either the government or the opposition.