Speaking at an event at the Royal Chulan Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Rosmah lamented that many of the younger generation did not respect the Malaysian flag and the Malaysian national anthem as much as they did before.

“Lately, I’ve noticed that the youth do not respect the Negaraku or any patriotic songs. When the Negaraku is being played, I see them chit-chatting among themselves, not caring, and some are even reluctant to stand up. They do this without any shame.

“We need to remember that the Negaraku is our national anthem. It is the one song that belongs to all Malaysians regardless of race, religion and even politics. It is very important to instil love and passion for the country,” said Rosmah.

Citing an example at a recent event, Rosmah said several youths were caught chit-chatting and laughing among themselves while the Negaraku was being played.

“Imagine what the foreigners would think. How can we expect foreigners to respect our flag when we do not do so ourselves?”

Early this week, nine Australian men created a stir during a Formula 1 race in Sepang by stripping down to their underwear, that bore the print of the Jalur Gemilang.

Sepang police chief Abdul Aziz Ali said on Monday that the case would be investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code for “intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace” and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act for insulting behaviour.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, in an interview this morning on the 9News network, said the Australian government would not interfere in the case.

“The Australian Government can provide consular support, but as I constantly remind people, we can’t bail you out if you get into trouble with the laws of another country,” Bishop told 9News.