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Historical Flags (Malaysia)

Last modified: 2006-08-26 by ian macdonald
Keywords: malaysia | malay | star: 14 points (yellow) | tiger | stripes: 11 |
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Introduction

A brief history:

Xuess Wee York Ting, 24 September 1996

Federation of Malaya 1950-1963

[Malaya (1950)] image by Rob Raeside

In 1950 a new flag was introduced: the basic design is that preserved in the modern flag, but 11 stripes and an 11-pointed star, representing the number of constituent states. In 1963 three more states (Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) joined the federation and country's name changed to Malaysia. The common explanation for the addition of the 's' in the name is that all three new states start with this letter. The number of stripes on the flag was increased to 14 as was the numbers of points on the star.

The flag of Malaysia is a combination of traditional Islamic symbols and the Stars and Stripes. The 14 stripes and the 14 points of the star represents the 14 member states and the crescent and star represents the dominant religion Islam. The blue canton stands for affiliation to the Commonwealth. The dimension of the flag is 1:2.
Jan Oskar Engene, 24 June 1996

The old Malayan (for the Federation of Malaya) flag was similar to the present day Malaysian flag except that the star and the stripes were 11 for the 11 states of Peninsular (or West) Malaysia. The flag was changed with the creation of Malaysia.
Thomas W. Koh, 14 May 1997

[Translated from the Malaysian flags official URL:]

History of the Flag
The flag was chosen by a body established in 1949 to choose a flag for the Federation of Malaya. A competition was held by the Federal Legislative Assembly, in which 373 entries were submitted of which 3 made it to the final stage. The first design was a badge of crossed kris circled with 11 five-pointed stars. The second design was similar to the first, except that the 11 stars were arranged in two circles around the crossed kris. The third design was 11 blue and white stripes with a yellow moon and star at the hoist.

The Malay Mail surveyed public opinion, and on 28/11/49 published the result, i.e. a majority for the third design, the creation of a government architect from Johore, En. Mohd b. Hamzah.

With a few amendments the flag attained the support of the Council of Rulers on 22/2/50 and on 19/4/50 the Federal LegCo passed a motion That in the opinion of this Council the Flag of the Federation of Malaya should be as follows:- Eleven horizontal stripes alternately red and white in colour, the uppermost stripe being red, having a blue quarter with a crescent and eleven-pointed star in yellow superimposed, the standard size of the flag to be six feet by three feet.

The design was approved by HM King George VI on 19/5/50, and the flag was first flown at a flag-raising ceremony held by the British High Commisisoner on 26/5/50 in the compound of the Sultan of Selangor's palace, attended by TH the Rulers of the Malay States and British officials.

Andrew Yong, 15 August 1999

Federation of Malaysia 1963

[Malaysia] 1:2 image by António Martins
Flag adopted 16th September 1963

In 1963 three more states (Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) joined the federation and the country's name changed to Malaysia. The common explanation for the addition of the 's' in the name is that all three new states start with this letter. The number of stripes on the flag was increased to 14 as was the numbers of points on the star.
Jan Oskar Engene, 24 June 1996

Same as today's [flag]. Two years later Singapore left the federation, but the Malaysian flag remained unchanged. It was said that the 14th stripe and point symbolizes Malaysia waiting for Singapore to come back some day. Subsequently a new state was made out of the state of Selangor (Kuala Lumpur federal territory), and the 14th stripe now officially stands for the federal territories (now two).
Jan Oskar Engene, 24 June 1996
Andrew Elliot, 19 January 1998

I one saw in an atlas edited in 1966 a version of the flag with 13 stripes (after Singapore left), but this was not confirmed as ever being officially done by Malaysia.
Jaume Ollé, 21 June 1996

Actually when Malaysia was first created, the 14th point of the star and the 14th stripe was Singapore. With the secession of Singapore from Malaysia, the flag was not changed but the interpretation was changed to the 14th component being the Federal Territory. Now that there are two Federal Territories (with the possibility of a third one) I think the interpretation of the 14th point and stripe has changed again.
Thomas W. Koh, 14 May 1997

[Translated from the Malaysian flags official URL:]

History of the Flag
(...) The Council of Rulers, when the Federation of Malaya merged with Sarawak, Singapore and North Borneo to form Malaysia on 16/9/63, decided that the flag should be altered to 14 stripes and 14 points. Though Singapore left the Federation on 9/8/65, the 14th point and stripe was kept, and now represents the relationship between the states and the federation.

Andrew Yong, 15 August 1999