A brief overview of the meaning, history, and key facts about the national flag of Malaysia.
Flag of Malaysia
The national flag of Malaysia consists of 14 alternating red and white horizontal stripes with a blue canton in the upper hoist corner. Inside the blue field is a yellow crescent and a 14-pointed star. The 14 stripes represent the unity of Malaysia’s 13 states and the federal government. The colors also carry symbolic meanings: red represents bravery, white represents purity, blue symbolizes unity, and yellow is the royal color associated with the Malay rulers.
Printable Malaysia Flag (PNG Download)
Interesting facts about Malaysia’s flag
1. Malaysia’s national flag is known as Jalur Gemilang (“Stripes of Glory”), a name officially introduced in 1997.
2. The flag was designed by Mohamed Hamzah, a 29-year-old architect from Johor Bahru.
3. The original flag of the Federation of Malaya had 11 stripes and an 11-pointed star to represent the federation’s member states.
4. The crescent moon and star were used as symbols long before Islam and became widely associated with the Muslim world through the influence of the Ottoman Empire.
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Evolution of Malaysia’s flag
Federation of Malaya (1950–1963)
The original national flag of Malaya featured 11 red and white stripes with a blue canton containing a yellow crescent and an 11-pointed star.
History of Malaysia’s flag
Design competition
In 1949, the Federal Legislative Council of the Federation of Malaya launched a competition to design a national flag. The contest attracted 373 entries, and three designs were selected as finalists for public consideration.
The winning design featured red and white stripes with a blue canton containing a crescent and star. Before final approval, some changes were made, including changing the crescent and star from white to yellow and increasing the star to 11 points.
Adoption of the Malayan flag
The final design of the Federation of Malaya flag was approved by King George VI in 1950 and was first officially raised on 26 May 1950.
It later became an important symbol of Malayan independence when it was raised at Merdeka Square on 31 August 1957.
Modification after the formation of Malaysia
When Malaysia was formed in 1963, the flag was updated to reflect the enlarged federation.
The number of stripes and points on the star was increased from 11 to 14, representing the states of the federation along with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore.
Although Singapore left the federation in 1965, the 14th stripe and point were retained. Today, they are understood to represent the 13 states and the federal government.
Explore more: Asian flags or test your knowledge with our Flags of Asia Quiz.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.