Universiti Malaya Responds to Backlash For Playing China’s National Anthem Before “Negaraku” at Event

A recent video shared by TikTok user has been making the rounds online after a local university played China’s national anthem during the 2025 Spring Festival Gala held on its campus to celebrate Chinese New Year.

In the video, attendees can be seen standing up when it was announced that China’s national anthem would be played first, followed by Malaysia’s “Negaraku.”

“We only provided the venue for the event”

Universiti Malaya (UM) has since addressed the issue in a statement explaining how the event was organised by the Chinese Embassy in collaboration with several student associations representing Chinese nationals.

They clarified that the event was not organised by the university itself but rather by the Chinese Embassy and several Chinese student associations, with the university simply providing the venue for the occasion.

“Universiti Malaya would like to clarify that the event was organised by the Chinese Embassy and several Chinese student associations. The event was not organised by the university, and Universiti Malaya merely provided the venue for the occasion,” the statement read.

“We’re dedicated to promoting patriotic values”

UM also explained that when the organisers planned to play the national anthem of another country, they made sure to request that the Negaraku be played too, in line with the National Anthem Act 1968.

They pointed out that as the oldest public university in the country, they’re dedicated to maintaining national sovereignty and promoting patriotic values in all university activities.

“At the same time, the university supports the government’s push for internationalisation and embraces the celebration of diverse student cultures.”

The video has since drawn criticism from netizens, with the comment section flooded with reactions.

“Why wasn’t ‘Negaraku’ played first? That should’ve been the priority.”

“Which country’s patriotism is this?”

“In other countries, they’d be arrested already. The military should take action, and PDRM should step in.”

“If I was there at that moment, I would’ve walked out immediately.”

“Wrong protocol. The national anthem, ‘Negaraku,’ should have been played first.”

You can watch the full video down below:

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