Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the upside-down image of the Indonesia flag in the souvenir book for the ongoing SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur (KL2017) was an error that was unintentional.

"We need to be open-minded about this matter. I believe it was not deliberately done," he told reporters after opening the Teluk Intan UMNO division delegates' conference today.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has already issued an apology over the error to his counterpart from Indonesia, Imam Nahrawi and the people of the republic, stressing that it was unintentional.

"There was no malice intended. I deeply regret this error. I apologise," he had tweeted last night, in reply to Imam who had earlier tweeted about the mistake.

The opening ceremony of the 29th biennial SEA Games was held with pomp and pageantry at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur last night.

-- BERNAMA