By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Jan 12: Members of Parliament (MPs) and their service centres (Pusat Khidmat Ahli Parlimen) do not automatically have the right to use the federal government logo on their signboards, Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan said today.
In a press statement responding to a public query, Voon said that, to his knowledge, MPs, including those from Democratic Action Party (DAP) serving in the current federal government, cannot use the federal government logo, such as the Jata Persekutuan or other official federal insignia, unless there is explicit authorisation under relevant government policies.
He explained that federal government logos are official symbols belonging to the federal government and are regulated for use only in official government functions, ministries, departments, and by officers acting in an official capacity.
“Using them without permission is prohibited and may constitute an offence under the Akta Lambang dan Nama (Mencegah Penggunaan Tidak Wajar) 1963 and related rules,” he said.
Voon further stressed the distinction between civic representation and political or party branding, noting that an MP’s service centre is not a ministry, department, agency, or officially part of the federal public service.
“It is a facility set up to assist constituents and is often funded through MPs’ allowances and party resources,” he said, adding that service centres therefore do not have inherent legal authority to use federal logos simply because the MP is part of the ruling government or holds a ministerial position.
According to him, official permission is required for federal government logos to be displayed outside formal government offices, with approval subject to existing guidelines and the relevant authorities responsible for government branding and national identity.
“Without such approval, service centres should avoid using official federal government logos on their signboards,” he said.
Voon also pointed out that the use of logos in political contexts is a sensitive matter, noting that Malaysian leaders, including the Prime Minister, have publicly instructed that political party logos should not be used in connection with government assistance or official programmes to prevent misuse of government branding for political gain.
“Similarly, using federal government logos on service centres, which in practice function as both MP offices and party interfaces, could blur the line between government authority and political party identity,” he said.
He said that if an MP service centre intends to use a federal logo or official insignia, it must first apply for permission from the relevant authority and ensure that the usage is strictly for official government purposes and not for political promotion.
Otherwise, he said, signboards should rely on neutral elements such as the MP’s name, constituency name, or other permitted identifiers.
Voon highlighted that MPs and their service centres have no automatic entitlement to use federal government logos, and any such usage requires specific authorisation.
“If any MP service centres are using the government logo on their signboards, they have an obligation to clarify the matter to the public. Otherwise, the signboards should be taken down,” he said. — DayakDaily
