Flag of Malaysia
Jalur Gemilang('Stripes of Glory') | |
Use | National flag |
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Proportion | 1:2 |
Adopted | 26 May 1950 16 September 1963 (current 14-point star and 14 stripes) | (original 11-point star and 11 stripes)
Design | Fourteen horizontal stripes alternating red and white; in the canton, a yellow crescent and fourteen-point star on a blue field |
Designed by | Mohamed Hamzah[a] |
Thenational flagofMalaysia,also known as theStripes of Glory(Jalur Gemilang),[1]is composed of a field of 14 alternating red and white stripes along theflyand a bluecantonbearing acrescent and a 14-point starknown as theBintang Persekutuan(Federal Star). The 14 stripes, of equal width, represent the equal status in the federation of the13 member statesand the federal territories, while the 14 points of the star represent the unity among these entities.[2]ThecrescentrepresentsIslam,the country'sstate religion;the blue canton symbolises the unity of the Malaysian people; the yellow of the star and crescent is the royal colour of theMalay rulers,[3]the red stripes represent bravery and the white stripes represent purity.[4][5]It is in thestars and stripesfamily of flags.
Construction sheet
[edit]History
[edit]Selection
[edit]In 1949, a year after theFederation of Malayawas created, theFederal Legislative Councilcalled for a contest to design a new national flag. The competition attracted 373 entries, three of which were put forward to the public in a poll held byThe Malay Mail.[6]
The first flag had a ring of 11 white stars on a blue background, with two red Malaykris(daggers) in the middle. The second was the same as the first but with two concentric rings of 5 and 6 stars. The third had 11 blue and white stripes, and a red field in the top-left corner with a white crescent and five-pointed star on it. This last design was chosen as the winner.
In December 1949, the Federal Legislative Council decided to make changes to the winning design. At the suggestion of statesmanOnn Jaafar,the red and blue colours were swapped, the crescent and star were changed from white to yellow, and the star was given eleven points.[7][8]The final version of the Malayan flag was approved by kingGeorge VIon 19 May 1950 and was first raised in front ofthe Sultan of Selangor's residenceon 26 May 1950.[9]On 31 August 1957, it was raised upon independence atMerdeka Squarein place of the British Union Flag.
Symbolism
[edit]As the flag was finalised for official use, the significance of the design were given as follows:[10]
- Red, white and blue – represents Malaysia as a country belonging in theCommonwealth.
- Crescent and star – represents Islam as theofficial religionfor theFederation,asyellowsymbolises sovereignty of the Malay Rulers and their roles as leader of the faith in theconstituent states.The eleven-pointed star itself symbolises the "unity and co-operation" of said member states.
The designer
[edit]The Malayan flag was designed byMohamed Hamzah,a 29-year-old architect working for thePublic Works Department(JKR) inJohor Bahru,in the state ofJohor.He entered the national flag design competition with two designs that he had completed in two weeks. The first was a green flag with bluekrisin the middle, surrounded by 15 white stars. The second, which became one of the three finalists, was said to be inspired by the flag of Johor, but with five white stripes added to the blue field.[8]
Mohamed Hamzah died just short of his 75th birthday on 19 February 1993 in Jalan Stulang Baru,Kampung Melayu Majidee,Johor.[11]
Modifications
[edit]Following the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, the design of the Malayan flag was modified to reflect and honour the new states in the federation.
Three additional stripes were added to the existing flag to make it 14 and the star was given 14 points to reflect the federation of the 11 states in the Malay peninsula plusSabah,Sarawak,andSingapore;the design remained the same even after Singapore'sexpulsionfrom the federation two years later. WhenKuala Lumpurwas designated aFederal Territoryon 1 February 1974, the additional stripe and the point in the star were appropriated to represent this new addition to the federation. Eventually, with the addition of two other federal territories,Labuanin 1984 andPutrajayain 2001, the fourteenth stripe and point in the star came to be associated with the federal territories in general.[12]
In 1997, when Malaysians were invited to name the flag, then Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamadpicked the nameJalur Gemilangto project the country's onward drive toward continuous growth and success.
Mark of respect
[edit]During the National Day celebrations, everyone is encouraged to fly theJalur Gemilangat their homes, office buildings, shops and corporate premises.
- If the flag is fixed at home, it is to be raised pointing toward the road.
- If the flag is put in a group of flags with state and private company flags, the Malaysian flag must be raised in between two flags and its pole placed higher than the rest.
Inappropriate use
[edit]The Malaysian flag is subject to the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963; any act that insults the flag such as waving the flag upside down can be punished with a maximum fine of RM20,000 or a maximum imprisonment of three years or both.
Historical flags
[edit]-
Flag of theKingdom of Sarawakfrom 1870 to 1946.
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Flag of theCrown Colony of Sarawakfrom 1947 to 1963.
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Flag ofNorth Borneofrom 1882 to 1902.
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Flag ofNorth Borneofrom 1902 to 1946.
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Flag of theCrown Colony of North Borneofrom 1948 to 1963.
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Flag of theCrown Colony of Labuanfrom 1912 to 1946.
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Flag of theStraits Settlementsfrom 1874 to 1904.
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Flag of theStraits Settlementsfrom 1904 to 1925.
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Flag of theStraits Settlementsfrom 1925 to 1946.
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Flag ofCrown Colony of Penangfrom 1949 to 1952
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Flag ofCrown Colony of Penangfrom 1952 to 1957
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Flag ofCrown Colony of Malaccafrom 1946 to 1957.
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Flag of theCrown Colony of Singaporefrom 1946 to 1952.
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Flag of theCrown Colony of Singaporefrom 1952 to 1959.
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Flag of the Federated Malay Statesfrom 1896 to 1946; later adopted by theMalayan Unionfrom 1946 until 1948 and theFederation of Malayafrom 1948 to 1950.
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Flag of theFederation of Malayafrom 1950 to 1963.
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Flag ofMalaysiain current use since 1964.
Flag anthem
[edit]Theflag anthemis written as dedication and pride of the Malaysian national flag. It is performed onHari Merdeka,the nation's independence day on 31 August every year. The original anthemBenderakuwas written by Malaysian songwriter Tony Fonseka. After the flag was given the name Jalur Gemilang, the flag anthem was updated in 1997 to reflect this change. This was then followed by an introduction of a new flag anthem, with arrangements by Malaysian songwriter Pak Ngah and lyrics by Malaysian songwriter Siso Kopratasa.
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Other ensigns and flags
[edit]Government vessels use the Jalur Gemilang as the state ensign. The following is a table of the other ensigns used in Malaysia with the national flag inside.
Flag | Type | Description | Flag ratio |
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Civil ensign | The civil ensign of Malaysia used by civilian vessels has a red background with the Jalur Gemilang in a blue-fimbriatedcanton. | 1:2 | |
Malaysian Government blue ensign | The flag used by the Malaysian Government has a dark blue background with the Jalur Gemilang in the canton. | 1:2 | |
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency blue ensign | The flag used by theMalaysian Maritime Enforcement Agencyhas a dark blue background with the Jalur Gemilang in the canton and the logo of the agency in the fly. | 1:2 | |
Army ensign | The flag used by theMalaysian Armyhas a red background with the Jalur Gemilang in the canton and the army emblem in the fly. | 1:2 | |
Air Force ensign | The flag used by theRoyal Malaysian Air Forcehas a pale blue background with the Jalur Gemilang in the canton and theBintang Persekutuan(14-point star) in the fly. | 1:2 | |
Naval ensign | The flag used by theRoyal Malaysian Navyhas a white background with the Jalur Gemilang in a red-fimbriated canton and an emblem consisting of an anchor and two crossed traditionalkris(daggers) in the fly. Naval ships of the Royal Malaysian Navy use this flag as the naval ensign. | 1:2 |
Federal Star (Bintang Persekutuan)
[edit]The Federal Star is similar in concept ofAustralia'sCommonwealth Starin that it symbolises the unity of states in the Malaysian federation and its Federal government, featuring 14 points to represent the federation's 13 states and the federal territories. It is also used on theRoyal Malaysian Air Forceroundel,theMalaysian Chinese Association(MCA)flag and the formerUnited Malayan Banking Corporation(UMBC) logo.
ThePatani Malayu National Revolutionary Front,aSouthern ThaiMalayseparatist group involved in theSouth Thailand insurgency,originally adopted an independence flag that incorporated a crescent and 15-point variation of the Federal Star on its flag to represent the southernmost Thai provinces' closer tie to Malay and Muslim-majority Malaysia over that of Thailand.
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Malaysian Chinese Association(MCA) flag.
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DeprecatedPatani Malayu National Revolutionary Frontflag, with a crescent and 15-point Federal Star.
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Malaysian flag flying on a pole
See also
[edit]Related flags
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^Mohamed Hamzah designed the flag of Malaya. The current flag is an adaptation of Hamzah's original design.
References
[edit]- ^"Malaysian Flag and Coat of Arms".myGovernment Malaysian Government's official portal. Archived fromthe originalon 22 October 2013.Retrieved7 September2011.
- ^"Malaysia Flag".TalkMalaysia.com. Archived fromthe originalon 15 October 2010.Retrieved15 September2009.
- ^Flags Of The WorldMalaysia: DescriptionArchived20 December 2022 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Flag of Malaysia".MyGOV.Retrieved4 September2024.
- ^"Bendera Malaysia – Maksud Warna, Lambang, Muat Turun Gambar"(in Malay). eCentral. 2 August 2023.Retrieved4 September2024.
- ^Sonia Ramachandran.Golden Merdeka Memories: National flag chosen by people in one of country's first public polls.New Straits Times.18 August 2006.
- ^"Federal Flag".The Straits Times.6 March 1950. p. 5.Archivedfrom the original on 20 December 2022.Retrieved25 May2018.,via"The History and Design Chronology of Jalur Gemilang"(PDF).Malaysia Design Archive.2012. p. 16.Retrieved25 May2018.
- ^abAlan Teh Leam Seng (20 September 2021)."Birth of the flag that unites us".New Straits Times.Archivedfrom the original on 4 September 2022.Retrieved3 September2022.
- ^"Federation Flag Hoisted at Istana".The Malay Mail.27 May 1950.
- ^Muhamad Razif Nasruddin; Zarul Nazli bin Zulkhurnain (2012)."The History and Design Chronology of Jalur Gemilang"(PDF).Malaysia Design Archive.Make Condition Design. p. 23.
- ^"Sejarah Bendera Malaysia".Malay Text.29 August 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 14 July 2010.Retrieved8 April2010.
- ^"MyGOV - The Government of Malaysia's Official Portal".www.malaysia.gov.my.Archivedfrom the original on 4 March 2024.Retrieved4 March2024.
Further reading
[edit]- Muhamad Razif Nasruddin; Zarul Nazli bin Zulkhurnain (2012)."The History and Design Chronology of Jalur Gemilang"(PDF).Malaysia Design Archive.Make Condition Design.
External links
[edit]- Media related toNational flag of Malaysiaat Wikimedia Commons
- MalaysiaatFlags of the World