The national flag of Malaysia, also known as the Stripe of Glory (, also "Stripe of Excellence"), is composed of a field of 14 alternating red and white stripes along the fly, and a blue canton bearing a crescent and a 14-point star known as the Bintang Persekutuan (Federal Star).
The 14 stripes, of equal width, represent the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states and the federal territories, while the 14 points of the star represent the unity among these entities. The crescent represents Islam, the country's state religion; the blue canton symbolises the unity of the Malaysian people; the yellow of the star and crescent is the royal colour of the Malay rulers; the red stripes represent bravery; and the white stripes represent purity. The red, white and blue also symbolises Malaysia's inclusion within the Commonwealth.
The first flag had a ring of 11 white stars on a blue background, with two red Malay kris (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.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="100" width="180px">
File:1949 Malaya Flag Proposal 1-new.svg| First proposed flag
File:1949 Malaya Flag Proposal 2-new.svg| Second proposed flag
File:1949 Malaya Flag Proposal 3-new.svg| Third proposed flag
</gallery>
In December 1949, the Federal Legislative Council decided to make changes to the winning design. At the suggestion of statesman Onn 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. The final version of the Malayan flag was approved by King George VI on 19 May 1950 and was first raised in front of the Sultan of Selangor's residence on 26 May 1950. On 31 August 1957, it was raised upon independence at Merdeka Square in place of the Union Flag.
Symbolism
As the flag was finalised for official use, the significance of the design were given as follows:
In 1997, when Malaysians were invited to name the flag, then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad picked the name Jalur Gemilang to project the country's onward drive toward continuous growth and success.
Mark of respect
During the National Day celebrations, everyone is encouraged to fly the Jalur Gemilang at 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
The use of Malaysian flag is subject to the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963. Under the Act, the Malaysian flag may not be used for commercial, trade or business purposes without the written permission of a minister. The flag also cannot be used in the registration of patents, trademarks or design. Violators may be punished with up to RM20,000 fine or up to 3 years imprisonment, or both.
Historical flags
<gallery class="center" widths="180" heights="100" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%">
File:Flag of the Kingdom of Sarawak (1870).svg|alt=Flag of the Kingdom of Sarawak.| Flag of the Kingdom of Sarawak from 1870 to 1946.
File:Flag of Sarawak (1947–1963).svg|Flag of the Crown Colony of Sarawak from 1947 to 1963.<!--is there a reason why this entry lacks the present in most others?-->
File:Flag of North Borneo (1882–1902).svg|alt=Flag of North Borneo colony.| Flag of North Borneo from 1882 to 1902.
File:Flag of North Borneo (1902–1946).svg|alt=Flag of North Borneo colony.| Flag of North Borneo from 1902 to 1946.
File:Flag of North Borneo (1948–1963).svg|alt=Flag of North Borneo colony.| Flag of the Crown Colony of North Borneo from 1948 to 1963.
File:Flag of Labuan (1912–1946).svg|alt=Ensign of vessels of administration of the Crown Colony of Labuan 1912–1946.| Flag of the Crown Colony of Labuan from 1912 to 1946.
File:Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg| Flag of the Straits Settlements from 1826 to 1868
File:Flag of the British Straits Settlements (1868–1877).svg| Flag of the Straits Settlements from 1868 to 1877
File:Flag of the British Straits Settlements (1874–1904).svg|alt=Flag of the British Straits Settlements (1874-1904).| Flag of the Straits Settlements from 1874 to 1904.
File:Flag of the British Straits Settlements (1904–1925).svg|alt=Flag of the British Straits Settlements (1904-1925).| Flag of the Straits Settlements from 1904 to 1925.
File:Flag of the British Straits Settlements (1925–1946).svg|alt=Flag of the British Straits Settlements (1925-1946).| Flag of the Straits Settlements from 1925 to 1946.
File:Flag of Penang (1949–1952).svg|Flag of Crown Colony of Penang from 1949 to 1952<!--is there a reason why this entry lacks the present in most others?-->
File:Flag of Penang (1952–1957).svg|Flag of Crown Colony of Penang from 1952 to 1957<!--is there a reason why this entry lacks the present in most others?-->
File:Flag of Malacca (1946-1957).svg|alt=Flag of Malacca (1946-1957).| Flag of Crown Colony of Malacca from 1946 to 1957.
File:Flag of Singapore (1946–1952).svg|alt=Flag of Singapore colony.| Flag of the Crown Colony of Singapore from 1946 to 1952.
File:Flag of Singapore (1952–1959).svg|alt=Flag of Singapore colony.| Flag of the Crown Colony of Singapore from 1952 to 1959.
File:Flag of the Federated Malay States (1895 - 1946).svg|alt=Flag of four stripes along the fly coloured white, red, yellow and black respectively. In the middle is a white oblong circle with a Malayan tiger in it.| Flag of the Federated Malay States from 1896 to 1946; later adopted by the Malayan Union from 1946 until 1948 and the Federation of Malaya from 1948 to 1950.
File:Flag of Malaya.svg|alt=Flag with 11 alternating red and white stripes along the fly and a blue canton (occupying 7 stripes) bearing a crescent and an 11-point star.| Flag of the Federation of Malaya from 1950 to 1963.
File:Flag of Malaysia.svg|alt=Flag with 14 alternating red and white stripes along the fly and a blue canton bearing a crescent and a 14-point star.| Flag of Malaysia in current use since 1963.
</gallery>
Flag anthem
The flag anthem is written as dedication and pride of the Malaysian national flag. It is performed on the nation's independence day, also known as Hari Merdeka or Hari Kemerdekaan in Malay on 31 August every year. The original anthem Benderaku was 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.
{|
|-style="vertical-align:top"
|
{|
| style="width:350px" | Benderaku by Tony Fonseka
|-
| style="width:350px" |
:Benderaku yang gagah perkasa
:Merah putih kuning biru warnanya
:Berkibar megah penuh bercahaya
:Pusaka kita rakyat Malaysia
:Bendera Malaysia, oh benderaku
:Kupertahankan sepenuh ragaku
:Dikaulah lambang negara berpadu
:Di bawah naungan Duli Tuanku
:Berkibar terus oh benderaku
:Kaukan kujunjung sepanjang waktu
:Harumlah nama negara yang tercinta
:Padamu tempat taat dan setia
:Bendera Malaysia, bendera kita
:Kemegahan rakyat kita semua
:Berkibar berkibar di ruang angkasa
:Dirgahayu bendera tercinta!
|}
|
{|
| style="width:350px" | English translation
|-
| style="width:350px" |
:The mighty flag of mine
:Red, White, Yellow and Blue are the colours
:Flying high up in the skies
:The legacy of all of us Malaysians
:O my flag, The Flag of Malaysia
:I will defend it with all of my might
:The Symbol of a unified nation
:Under the patronage of His Royal Highness
:Fly high o my flag
:I will raise it all the time
:O shine up, my beloved nation
:To you, I swear my full allegiance
:The Flag of Malaysia, our flag
:The pride of all of us
:Fly, fly high up in the skies
:Long live our beloved flag!
|}
|- style="vertical-align:top"
|
{|
| style="width:350px" | Jalur Gemilang by Pak Ngah & Siso Kopratasa (Malay)
|-
|
:Merahmu bara semangat waja
:Putihmu bersih budi pekerti
:Kuning berdaulat payung negara
:Biru perpaduan kami semua
:Puncak dunia telah kautawan
:Lautan luas telah kauredah
:Membawa semangat jiwa Merdeka
:Semarak jaya kami warganya
:Empat belas melintang jalurnya
:Semua negeri dalam Malaysia
:Satu suara satu semangat
:Itu sumpah warga berdaulat
:Jalur Gemilang di bawah naunganmu
:Jalur Gemilang kami semua bersatu
:Perpaduan ketaatan
:Amalan murni rakyat Malaysia
:Jalur Gemilang megah kami terasa
:Jalur Gemilang kibarkanlah wawasan
:Merah, putih, biru, kuning
:Jalur semangat kami semua
:(2x)
:Berkibarlah!, berkibarlah!, berkibarlah!,
:Jalur Gemilang!
|}
|
{|
| style="width:350px" | English Translation
|-
| style="width:350px" |
:Your Red represents steely will
:Your White represents clean and kind character
:Yellow of the Sovereign, the country's protector
:Blue for all of us in unity
:You have reached the heights of the world
:You have travelled the wide waters
:Bearing the spirit of independence
:We are members of its successful will
:Fourteen stripes across
:For each of the states of Malaysia
:One voice, one spirit
:So its sovereign citizens solemnly swear
:Stripes of Glory, beneath your care
:Stripes of Glory, we unite
:Unity and loyalty
:Are the noble values of the Malaysian people
:Stripes of Glory, how proud we feel
:Stripes of Glory, proclaim our vision
:Red, white, blue, yellow
:Are the stripes of our resolve
:(2x)
:Flutter-on, flutter-on, flutter-on
:Stripes of Glory!
|}
|}thumb|alt=(vocal)|Jalur gemilang (vocal)
Other ensigns and flags
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.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
|-
!style="width:15%"|Flag
!style="width:20%"|Type
!style="width:85%"|Description
!style="width:15%"|Flag ratio
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| class="noresize" style="text-align:center;"|150px|alt=Civil ensign.|The civil ensign of Malaysia|border
|23px Civil ensign
|The civil ensign of Malaysia used by civilian vessels has a red background with the Jalur Gemilang in a blue-fimbriated canton.
|1:2
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|style="text-align:center;"|border|150px|alt=Government ensign|The ensign of Malaysian Government-registered ships
|23px 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
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|style="text-align:center;"|border|150px|alt=MMEA blue ensign.|The ensign of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
|23px Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency blue ensign
|The flag used by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency has a dark blue background with the Jalur Gemilang in the canton and the logo of the agency in the fly.
|1:2
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|style="text-align:center;"|150px|alt=Army ensign.|The ensign of the Malaysian Army|border
|23px Army ensign
|The flag used by the Malaysian Army has a red background with the Jalur Gemilang in the canton and the army emblem in the fly.
|1:2
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|style="text-align:center;"|border|150px|alt=Air Force ensign.|The ensign of the Royal Malaysian Air Force
|23px Air Force ensign
|The flag used by the Royal Malaysian Air Force has a pale blue background with the Jalur Gemilang in the canton and the Bintang Persekutuan (14-point star) in the fly.
|1:2
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|style="text-align:center;"|border|150px|alt=Naval ensign.|The ensign of the Royal Malaysian Navy
|23px Naval ensign
|The flag used by the Royal Malaysian Navy has a white background with the Jalur Gemilang in a red-fimbriated canton and an emblem consisting of an anchor and two crossed traditional kris (daggers) in the fly. Naval ships of the Royal Malaysian Navy use this flag as the naval ensign.
|1:2
|}
Federal Star (Bintang Persekutuan)
The Federal Star is similar in concept of Australia's Commonwealth Star in 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 the Royal Malaysian Air Force roundel, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and the former United Malayan Banking Corporation (UMBC) logo.
The Patani Malayu National Revolutionary Front, a Southern Thai Malay separatist group involved in the South 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.
<gallery class="center" widths="180" heights="100" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%">
File:Roundel of Malaysia.svg|Royal Malaysian Air Force roundel
File:Flag of the Malaysian Chinese Association.svg|Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) flag
File:Flag of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (Koordinasi).svg|Deprecated Patani Malayu National Revolutionary Front flag, with a crescent and 15-point Federal Star
File: Malaysian flag flying in Malacca.jpg|Malaysian flag flying on a pole
</gallery>
See also
- List of Malaysian flags
- List of Malaysian patriotic songs
- Sang Saka Malaya, an earlier flag proposal