Flag of Malaysian - Description of the Malaysian Flag
As the
above picture of the Malaysian Flag indicates the background is
tri-color - Red, white and blue
According to
Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated
with colors. The colors on the Malaysian flag represent the
following:
White -
peace and honesty
Red -
hardiness, bravery, strength & valour
Blue -
vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance & justice. The
blue field also symbolizes the unity of the Malaysian people
Yellow -
the yellow seen on the crescent and star is the color of the
royal family
The
basic style shown in the picture of the Malaysian flag is
described as Canton reflecting the
central design of the flag pattern, highly influenced by the USA
There are 14
equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white
(bottom)
All Flag
pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view,
from left to right
The shape and flag ratio of the Malaysian flag is described as 1:2 ( length twice the height )
The upper
left quarter of the flag is called the Canton and pictures
a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow
crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star
The
emblem on the Malaysian flag pictures a yellow crescent and a
yellow 14-pointed star both being the traditional symbols of
Islam
The Meaning
& History of the Malaysian Flag - The Malaysian 14 stripes
stand for the fourteen states of Malaysia. The Malaysian star also has
fourteen points, for the same reason
Flag
Terminology - Did you Know ?
The design and description
uses specific flag terminology based on Heraldic principles
Animal blazons should always appear
with the heads facing the flag - staff side
The Study of the Flags is called
Vexillology
Your interest in flags makes you a
Vexillologist!
Increase your knowledge - Play the
Flag Quiz
Flag History &
Evolution:
The idea of
flying a flag grew from the requirements of ancient warfare and
the battlefield
Shields were
painted with emblems to identify Friend or Foe
Warriors
needed to know where their leaders were - the custom of carrying
a pole was adopted
An emblem
such as a shield, animal or religious device was attached to the
pole for identification
The emblems
were also used for identity and to cover suits of armour - Coats
of Arms were born
These
emblems were the forerunners of modern flags
The Romans
were the first to use a cloth flag - they were square and
fastened to cross bars at the end of spears - the idea of
fastening a flag to the side of a pole soon followed
The strict
rules of Heraldry are still used when designing an emblem and
creating a modern flag
Malaysian
Flag Etiquette
Malaysian Flag etiquette is very strict and is is
essential that Flag protocols and rules are followed correctly
Basic Flag
Etiquette applies to all nations, including Malaysian as follows:
Etiquette relating to the order of
precedence for the flag
National Flag of
Malaysian
State Flag of
Malaysian
Military Flag of
Malaysian (in order of creation date)
Other Flag of
Malaysian
The United Nations uses alphabetical order
when presenting a national flag including the Malaysian Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures
that no one country's flag has precedence over another country's
flag
The National flag of
Malaysian should never be flown
above another national flag on the same staff as this would
suggest superiority, or conversely, inferiority of one flag, or
Nation, over another
The Malaysian flag should never be allowed to drag
along the ground
A tattered or faded flag of
Malaysian should be removed
and replaced with a new flag
Due care and
consideration must be taken to ensure that the Malaysian flag is
always
flown the correct way up
A Flag of Malaysian, when in such
condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display,
should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning in
private with all due care and respect
Terminology & Etiquette in Malaysian Flag display
Hoist - the
act or function of raising the Malaysian flag, as on a rope
Half Staff
or Half Mast - the Malaysian flag is hoisted to half of the potential
height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
Performed
by first raising the Malaysian flag to the top, then lowering the
Malaysian Flag halfway
Distress -
denoted by flying the Malaysian flag upside-down
Manner of
hoisting - The Malaysian flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered
ceremoniously
No
disrespect should be shown to the Malaysian flag
The Malaysian flag
should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a
manner as to permit the Flag to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in
any way
The Malaysian
flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it,
nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure,
design, picture, or drawing on the flag of any nature
The
Malaysian flag should be hoisted first and lowered last
International Flag relating to
Malaysian
Flag usage forbids the
display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation
in time of peace
We hope that the presentation of facts and
information regarding Malaysian Flag Etiquette has provided a useful
resource
Malaysia
Location:
South-eastern Asia, peninsula bordering
Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering
Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Malaysian Land Size : 329,750 sq km
Malaysian Climate / Weather : 329,750 sq km
Population of
Malaysia : 23,522,482 (July 2004 est.)
Former Name(s) :
Federation of Malaysia
Capital City of
Malaysia : Kuala Lumpur
GDP of Malaysia :
$207.2 billion (2003 est.)
Malaysian Main Industries :
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and
manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin
mining and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah -
logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing,
petroleum production and refining, logging
Main Colors of
Malaysian Flag : Red, white and blue
Concise History of
Malaysia & its Flag
35,000 BC -
100 BC Ancient Malaysia - stone age tools and implements from
about 10,000 BC have been found
The first
ancestors were believed to be Negrito aborigines and a Chinese
tribe called the Proto-Malays
Chinese,
Siamese, Arabs, Indonesians Proto-Malays and finally Indians
formed the racial basis for the group which are now called the
Malay
Indian
traders arrived in search of gold and spices and introduced
Hinduism and Buddhism
In the
1400's and 1500's traders from Southeast Asia brought Islam
In 1511 the
Portuguese arrived, led by Alfonso de Albuquerque, and it became
a Portuguese colony
The Straits
and port of Malacca was strategically important giving access to
the spice trade
Captured by
the Dutch in 1641
The Dutch
government agreed to let England temporarily oversee the port
and this was handed back in 1808
The Dutch
passed control back to the British in a trade for Bencoleen,
Sumatra
In 1819
Britain sent Sir William Raffles to establish a trading post in
Singapore and the three British colonies of Penang, Malacca, and
Singapore came to be known as the Straits Settlements
1914 - 1918
WW1
Britain
ruled over, what was then called Malaya, until the Japanese
invaded in 1942
August 1945
The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
W.W.II ended
in 1945 and Britain resumed control again
Independence
was achieved for the Malayan peninsula in 1957 under the name of
the Federation of Malaya
In 1961 the
term "Malaysia" came into effect when Singapore, Sabah, and
Sarawak joined Malaya in a federal union
In 1965
Singapore opted out of the union
"Around the World in 80
minutes!"
A combination of information
regarding a Nation's flag, History, Geography and Current Events
provides an accurate snapshot of the evolution of each country
In just a short period of time this
concise information with specific facts will improve your
overall understanding of the great countries of the World
A useful Educational Resource
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The
Malaysian Flag and Nation
We hope that the presentation of facts
and information regarding the Malaysian Flag and Country has
provided a useful educational resource. To improve your knowledge
of Flags and Vexillology still further check out the Flag and Nations
Index and test your knowledge with our
interactive, multi-choice, picture-based Flag Trivia Quiz Game - it's fast and
it's fun! If you answer all questions correctly you will earn the
right to enter the Vexillologist Hall of Fame!
