Flag of Malaysia
Jalur Gemilang ("Stripes of Glory")
Malaysia's flag has 14 red and white stripes and a dark blue corner with a yellow crescent moon and a yellow 14-pointed star.
At a glance
- Adopted
- September 16, 1963the 11-stripe flag of the Federation of Malaya dates from 1950; the 14-stripe version came with the formation of Malaysia in 1963; named Jalur Gemilang in 1997
- Shape (height : width)
- 1:2
- Capital
- Kuala Lumpur
- Continent
- Asia
- Colours
- red
- white
- dark blue
- yellow
What it means
- 14 stripes: the equal status of the 13 states and the federal territories
- 14-pointed star: the unity of the states and the federal government; it is called the Federal Star
- Crescent: Islam, the official religion
- Blue: the unity of the Malaysian people
- Yellow: the royal colour of the Malay rulers
Where it came from
In 1949 a national competition for a flag of the Federation of Malaya drew 373 entries. According to Wikipedia, the winning idea came from Mohamed Hamzah, a 29-year-old architect in Johor Bahru; some other sources mention only the selection committee. The design was then changed a little, and King George VI approved it in 1950.
History
The first version had 11 stripes and an 11-pointed star, one for each state of Malaya. It flew at independence on 31 August 1957.
When Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963 with Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore, the stripes and star points went up to 14. Singapore left in 1965, but the number stayed: the 14th stripe and point now stand for the federal territories. In 1997 Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad gave the flag its name, Jalur Gemilang.
Fun facts
- The flag still has 14 stripes even though Malaysia has 13 states.
- Its name, Jalur Gemilang, was given on the 40th anniversary of independence in 1997.
- The design was picked from 373 entries in a 1949 contest.
- People often compare it with the US flag, but whether that was the idea is not known.
Easy to mix up with
United States: The USA also has red and white stripes with a blue corner, but it has 13 stripes and 50 white stars
Liberia: Liberia has 11 stripes and one large white star in its blue corner
Questions
What does the flag of Malaysia look like?
Malaysia's flag has 14 red and white stripes and a dark blue corner with a yellow crescent moon and a yellow 14-pointed star.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Malaysia mean?
14 stripes: the equal status of the 13 states and the federal territories; 14-pointed star: the unity of the states and the federal government; it is called the Federal Star; Crescent: Islam, the official religion; Blue: the unity of the Malaysian people; Yellow: the royal colour of the Malay rulers.
When was the flag of Malaysia adopted?
The current flag of Malaysia was adopted on September 16, 1963. (the 11-stripe flag of the Federation of Malaya dates from 1950; the 14-stripe version came with the formation of Malaysia in 1963; named Jalur Gemilang in 1997)
What colours are on the flag of Malaysia?
The flag of Malaysia uses red, white, dark blue and yellow.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Malaysia?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of United States. The USA also has red and white stripes with a blue corner, but it has 13 stripes and 50 white stars
Famous landmarks in Malaysia
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)