AFTER a spate of Jalur Gemilang gaffes – stars with the wrong number of points, stripes gone missing, or flags flipped upside down – Malaysia now has another emblematic embarrassment to add to the list.
This time, it’s Sarawak’s turn, and the hornbill has taken flight straight into a controversy. Affin Bank’s well-meaning but ornithologically inaccurate depiction of the state’s beloved burung kenyalang has ruffled feathers across Borneo.
In April 2024, Affin Bank introduced the Kenyalang savings account, complete with a debit card designed exclusively for Sarawakians.
The card features a hornbill motif – a thoughtful nod, perhaps, to Sarawak’s beloved “Burung Kenyalang”, the Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros), which is not only the state bird but appears in the state’s Coat of Arms and even graces the RM5 banknote. Its presence runs deep in Dayak folklore and cultural memory.
Unfortunately, someone at Affin Bank may have missed bird-watching classes. The bird illustrated on the card isn’t the Rhinoceros Hornbill but rather the Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) – a species more commonly found in mainland Asia.
This ornithological oversight ruffled feathers – especially those of Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong, who publicly criticised the bank, calling the image a “cultural misrepresentation.”
She demanded that the cards be recalled and reissued with the correct species of hornbill.
“The bank should have been more careful and respectful in its representation. The Rhinoceros Hornbill, or Burung Kenyalang, is deeply significant to Sarawakians and even appears on our RM5 banknote,” Yong said.
As someone who spent years working as a copywriter alongside creative directors – crafting logos and justifying them with sound rationale – I couldn’t agree more. Attention to detail matters, not for some arty-farty reason, but because being truthful and accurate is fundamental.
A logo is more than just design, it is identity rendered in line and colour.
Whether it’s prose, photography, or a simple graphic, truth must always be carried – faithfully and respectfully.
Yong also raised an eyebrow at why no one from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), the ruling state coalition and part-owner of Affin Bank through its 31.25% stake, had spotted the blunder.
One wonders if the oversight was buried beneath boardroom niceties or passed off as “close enough”.
Finally, a minister speaks
Sarawak’s Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah brushed off the criticism as a case of overreaction, calling it petty and unnecessary. He defended the design, saying any hornbill would suffice as a symbol of Sarawak, and that the card’s designers had good intentions.
“Does the mascot need to look exactly like a real hornbill? The moment someone sees it, it’s recognisable as a ‘kenyalang’, which is synonymous with Sarawak,” he said.
He added that whether the hornbill horn (casque) is “going up or going down, that’s not an issue,” and compared the hornbill variety to the many kinds of burung pipit – small sparrow-like birds Malaysians are familiar with.
With all due respect, the minister is very, very wrong. This kind of reasoning smacks of what we Malaysians call cincai – slapdash, careless, and simply not becoming of a minister speaking on matters of cultural identity. Symbols matter.
They’re not interchangeable clip art. Especially not when it comes to something as iconic, sacred, and specific as the Rhinoceros Hornbill. This isn’t just about beak angles or feathers. It’s about respecting heritage and conveying accuracy – visually and culturally.
Over in Kuching South, Mayor Wee Hong Seng, who is with the Sarawak United People’s Party, defended the bank and took aim at Yong, accusing her of stirring controversy for political mileage, especially in front of Peninsular Malaysian guests at a DAP fundraising dinner.
“If you ask me whether it resembles the Rhinoceros Hornbill, I’d say it is quite close,” he said, calling the card’s bird a conceptual design with an upward-curving casque, which is ‘similar enough’ in his view.
But no Sir! Mayor Wee, I beg to differ.
Being “quite close” isn’t the same as being “accurate and right.” You seem to be leaning to the left, sir! When your state bird is part of your official Coat of Arms, part of your tourism identity, and emblazoned on your currency, “close enough” is not good enough.
Sure, Malaysia has bigger problems. But the small things are often proxies for larger truths – about how much we pay attention, how we honour identity, and how institutions treat the people they’re meant to represent.
This gaffe perfectly showcases our national idiocy – the ability to glide past accountability with a straight face, serving up explanations instead of apologies, all in the grand tradition of the tidak apa shrug.
So, was this a malicious blunder? Most likely not. But cultural carelessness is still carelessness. Sarawakians – from tattooed longhouse elders to logo-aware creatives – will not wing it. I salute Violet Yong for having “that” eye for detail. – May 21, 2025
Joseph Masilamany is a seasoned journalist and Scoop’s contributing writer