Page 213 - (DK) Complete Flags of the World

Asia

Malaysia

Ratio: 1:2 Adopted: September 16, 1963 Usage: National and Civil

The crescent The 14 red
and star of and white
Islam stripes for the
14 states of
the Federation

The blue canton represents unity
of the Malaysian people

Asia
4HAILAND Malaya became independent of Britain in 1957.
"RUNEI
In 1963, the Federation of Malaysia was formed,
-!,!93)! ! ! !
)NDONESIAA A A although Singapore seceded in 1965.
D
D
ND
The first flag of independent Malaya seceded in 1965, the flag remained
was based on the Stars and Stripes unaltered. The fourteenth stripe is
of the United States of America, now said to stand for the federal
combined with Islamic symbolism. district of Kuala Lumpur.
It had 11 red and white stripes and
a blue canton, like the US flag, with THE SYMBOLISM OF THE COLORS
a gold crescent and an eleven-pointed The blue canton represents the unity
star, traditionally associated with of the Malaysian people. The crescent
Islam. Both the number of stripes is for Islam, the dominant religion.
and points on the star denoted the The 14 points of the star are for unity
11 states of the Federation. among the states of the country.
Yellow is the traditional color of the
T
THREE NEW STATES rulers of the Malay states. Red and
T
In 1963 three new states—Singapore, white are also traditional colors in
Sabah and Sarawak—joined the Southeast Asia.
Federation to form Malaysia. To The national motto appears on a
reflect this the flag was amended to scroll in the coat of arms. It is
14 red and white stripes representing repeated in both Jawi and Roman
the 14 states. When Singapore script and means “Unity is Strength.”

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