Malaysia

3×5' nylon national flag of Malaysia.

Malaysians call their flag Jalur Gemilang, the "Stripes of Glory." Its red and white stripes and blue canton invite comparison with the American flag, but every element has a Malaysian meaning.

Design

Fourteen horizontal stripes alternating red and white, with a dark blue canton bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star.

History & Symbolism

The design was created by Mohamed Hamzah and adopted for the Federation of Malaya in 1950 with eleven stripes. When Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963 the stripes and star points were raised to fourteen. They stand for the member states and the federal government. Blue stands for unity, yellow for the Malay rulers, and the crescent for Islam, the official religion.

Flag Specifications

• Adopted: 16 September 1963 (first version 1950)
• Official proportions: 1:2
• Colors: red, white, dark blue, yellow
• Emblem: crescent and fourteen-pointed star

Vexillographer's Note

Singapore left the federation in 1965, but the fourteen stripes were kept. Today they are read as the thirteen states and the federal territories.

Humphrys Flag Company · Old City Philadelphia · Est. 1864