List of Malaysian flags
National flags
Flag | Date (century) | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1963 onwards | Flag of Malaysia (Jalur Gemilang) | Fourteen horizontal stripes alternating red and white; in the canton, a yellow crescent and 14-point star on a blue field. | |
Flag of Malaysia (Banner display) | Fourteen vertical stripes alternating red and white; in the canton, a yellow crescent and 14-point star pointing upward on a blue field. | ||
Civil Ensign of Malaysia | A red field with the Flag of Malaysia in a blue-fimbriated canton. | ||
Government Ensign of Malaysia | A blue field with the Flag of Malaysia in the canton. Example: used by the Marine Police of Royal Malaysian Police. |
Monarch
Flag | Date (century) | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1957–Present | Standard of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong | The Jata Negara, the coat of arms of Malaysia, enwreathed by two sheaves of paddy on a yellow field. | |
Standard of the Raja Permaisuri Agong | The coat of arms of Malaysia enwreathed by two sheaves of paddy on a light green field. | ||
Standard of the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Deputy King) | The Jata Negara, the coat of arms of Malaysia, on two equal horizontal bands of yellow and blue. | ||
Standard of the Sultan of Johor | A white field defaced with a blue crescent and nine-pointed star. | ||
Standard of the Permaisuri of Johor | A blue field with white diagonal edges defaced with a white crescent and seven-pointed star. | ||
Standard of the Sultan of Kedah | The Kedah Coat of Arms enwreathed by two sheaves of paddy on a yellow field. | ||
2010–present | Standard of the Sultan of Kelantan | The Arms of the Sultan of Kelantan on two equal horizontal bands of white and red. | |
?–2010 | Standard of the Sultan of Kelantan(Older) | A white flag with the royal arms in blue (a blue star and upward pointing crescent surmounted by a coronet similar to that from the arms, surrounded by a blue wreath) charged on the centre; an older, more intricate variant of the flag features a yellow star and crescent, a yellow crown, and a blue wreath; | |
Standard of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan | A keris(kris) on the center inside a black circle which is surrounded by a red diamond shape and a yellow background. | ||
Standard of the Sultan of Pahang | The Pahang State Arms enwreathed by two sheaves of paddy on a white field. | ||
Present | Standard of the Sultan of Perak | The Arms of the Sultan of Perak enwreathed by two sheaves of paddy on a white field. The flag ratio 2:3 is used by official residence with the presence of the Sultan, while the flag ratio 1:2 is used by official residences the Sultan will reside. | |
?–Before Present | Standard of the Sultan of Perak,1985. | The Arms of the Sultan of Perak on a white field with the Flag of Perak in the canton. | |
Standard of the Raja of Perlis | The Perlis Coat of Arms on a yellow field. | ||
Standard of the Raja Permaisuri Perlis | A yellow field with the yellow Perlis Coat of Arms in a blue canton. | ||
Standard of the Sultan of Selangor | A red field defaced with the Arms of the Sultan of Selangor, with the yellow crescent and five-pointed stars in a red canton. | ||
Standard of the Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor | A yellow crescent and five-pointed stars in a yellow flag with a red hoist stripe. | ||
Standard of the Sultan of Terengganu | The Arms of the Sultan of Terengganu enwreathed by two sheaves of paddy on a white field, surrounded by a brown border. | ||
Standard of the Sultanah of Terengganu | The Arms of the Sultanah of Terengganu enwreathed by two sheaves of paddy on a yellow field. |
Military
Flag | Date (century) | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Standard of the Commander-in-chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces | Three equal horizontal bands of sky blue, red and blue, encircled by five gold five-pointed stars. | ||
Standard of the Malaysian Chief of Defence Forces | Three equal horizontal bands of sky blue, red and blue, with four gold five-pointed stars. | ||
Flag of the Malaysian Armed Forces | Three equal horizontal bands of sky blue, red and blue, with the crest of the Malaysian Armed Forces. | ||
Flag of the Malaysian Army | A red field defaced with the crest of the Malaysian Army, with the Malaysian flag with black fimbriation in the canton. | ||
Non-Ceremonial Flag of Malaysian Army | A red field defaced with the crest of the Malaysian Army | ||
Air force ensign of the Royal Malaysian Air Force | A sky blue field defaced with the Federal Star, with the Malaysian flag in the canton. | ||
Standard of the Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force | A sky blue field defaced with the Crest of the Air Force and four stars, with the Malaysian flag in the canton. | ||
1968 onwards | Naval ensign of the Royal Malaysian Navy | A white field defaced with blue crossed kris and anchor, with the Malaysian flag in the canton. | |
Standard of the Chief of Royal Malaysian Navy | A white field defaced with blue crossed kris and anchor at the centre with four blue stars at each edge. | ||
1963 – 1968 | Naval ensign of the Royal Malaysian Navy | St. George's cross on a white field with the Malaysian flag in the canton. | |
1957 – 1963 | Naval ensign of the Royal Malayan Navy | St. George's cross on a white field with the Malayan flag in the canton. | |
1963 onwards | Commissioning pennant of the Malaysian Navy |
Law Enforcement Flags
Flag | Date (century) | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1948 – present | Flag of the Royal Malaysian Police | Dark blue field with the crest of the Royal Malaysian Police. | |
2005–present | Ensign of the Malaysian Coast Guard | A blue field defaced with the Crest of the Malaysian Coast Guard, with the Malaysian flag in the canton. |
Administrative divisions
States
Flag | Date (century) | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1870 on | Flag of the state of Perlis. | Two equal horizontal bands of yellow and blue. | |
1912 on | Flag of the state of Kedah. | A red field with the state coat of arms in the canton. | |
1965 on | Flag of the state of Penang. | A blue, white and yellow vertical tri-colour defaced with a betel nut tree. | |
1869 on | Flag of the state of Perak. | A white, yellow and black horizontal tri-colour. | |
1923 on | Flag of the state of Kelantan. | A red field defaced with a white crescent and star and two white kris and spears. | |
1953 on | Flag of the state of Terengganu. | A black field defaced with a white crescent and five-pointed star, with white at the edge. | |
1903 on | Flag of the state of Pahang. | Two equal horizontal bands of white and black. | |
1965 on | Flag of the state of Selangor. | Red and yellow quartered, with a white crescent and five-pointed stars in the canton. | |
1895 on | Flag of the state of Negeri Sembilan. | A yellow field with two diagonal bands of red and black in the canton. | |
1957 on | Flag of the state of Malacca. | Two equal bands of red and white, with a crescent and five-pointed star in a blue canton. | |
1871 on | Flag of the state of Johor. | A blue field with an arranged crescent and five-pointed stars in a red canton. | |
1988 on | Flag of the state of Sarawak. | A yellow field with two diagonal bands of red (top) and black, defaced with a nine-pointed star. | |
1988 on | Flag of the state of Sabah. | A blue (top), white, and red tri-colour, with the silhouette of Mount Kinabalu on a light blue canton. |
Federal territories
A common flag for the three federal territories was adopted by the Ministry of the Federal Territories on 20 August 2006. The flag is to be used and flown on matters and ceremonies that involve all the federal territories as a whole. An example is in national sporting events; the unified contingent of the territories would be under this common flag. However, the usage of the individual territorial flags would be given preference in events relating to individual territories.[1]
Flag | Date (year) | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
2006 onwards | Flag of the Federal Territories | Three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the Malaysian coat of arms in the blue band. | |
1965 onwards | Flag of Kuala Lumpur | Three equal bands of white, blue and white with three equal horizontal stripes of red on both white bands. There is a yellow crescent and yellow fourteen-pointed stars on the left within the blue band. Before 2006, this flag was used to represent the entire Federal Territories. | |
1984 onwards | Flag of Labuan | Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue, there is a yellow crescent and yellow fourteen-pointed stars in the white band. | |
2001 onwards | Flag of Putrajaya | Three vertical bands of blue, yellow (double width), and blue with the Malaysian coat of arms in the yellow band. |
City, district, provincial and municipal
For flags of districts, towns, and cities in Malaysia, look for the article for each state's flag where said location is in. Below is a gallery of the flags of several Malaysian state capitals.
Order of precedence
Per government protocol, if a display contains the Jalur Gemilang and all the state flags of Malaysia:[2]
- The Jalur Gemilang shall take precedence before the state flags;
- The state flags shall be ordered by the date the state's incumbent ruler takes the throne;
- The Federal Territory flag comes last
State | Current ruler | Taken office |
---|---|---|
Terengganu | Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin | 15 May 1998 |
Perlis | Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin | 17 April 2000 |
Selangor | Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah | 22 November 2001 |
Negeri Sembilan | Tuanku Muhriz | 29 December 2008 |
Johor | Sultan Ibrahim Ismail | 23 January 2010 |
Kelantan | Sultan Muhammad V | 13 September 2010 |
Perak | Sultan Nazrin Shah | 29 May 2014 |
Kedah | Sultan Sallehuddin | 12 September 2017 |
Pahang | Al-Sultan Abdullah | 31 January 2019 |
Sabah | TYT Juhar Mahiruddin | 1 January 2011 |
Sarawak | TYT Abdul Taib Mahmud | 1 March 2014 |
Malacca | TYT Mohd Ali Rustam | 4 June 2020 |
Penang | TYT Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak | 1 May 2021 |
Political flags
University flags
1962–present | Flag of the University of Malaya | Public university established in 1905, serves as the banner of arms of the university but with the ratio of 2:1 | |
1984–present | Flag of the Northern University of Malaysia | Public university established in 1984. | |
2006–present | Flag of the National Defence University of Malaysia | Public university established in 2006. Similar to the tricolour of the Armed Forces of Malaysia but with the university seal on top. |
Historical
Sultanate flags
Flag | Date (century) | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
15th century – 1500 | Flag of the Malacca Sultanate | A red swallowtailed field with a black crescent.
The design is recorded to represent Malaqua in the Cantino Planisphere, though its authenticity is not verified with inaccurate designs for known flags, often replacing white for black, and omitting certain symbols such as stars. | |
15th century – 1888 | Flag of the Bruneian Empire, once rule most of the island of Borneo until Seludong (present-day Manila) and Banjarmasin in Kalimantan | Yellow flag represented the Sultanate of Brunei. | |
16th – 18th centuries | Flag of the Sultanate of Sulu.
Sulu once rule the eastern part of Sabah after the territory been given by the Sultanate of Brunei after they sending help to settling a civil war in Brunei, although this was denied as supported by a number of old resources.[3] |
Centre emblem represented the Sultanate of Sulu identity. | |
17th century | Flag of the Sultanate of Mataram, once rule the southern part of Sarawak | ||
17th century | Flag of the Sultanate of Aceh, once rule the northern part of the island of Sumatra and certain parts of the Malay Peninsula. | Represented the Acehnese identity. | |
18th century – 1821 | Flag of the Sultanate of Kedah | Red flag represented the Sultanate of Kedah. | |
1821 – 1912 | Flag of the Sultanate of Kedah | Red flag charged with a pouncing tiger represented the Sultanate of Kedah. | |
1731–1881 | Flag of the Sultanate of Bulungan, during the area of Tawau in Sabah was under the influence of this Sultanate | Represented the Bulungan identity. | |
1853–1887 | The flag of the Pahang Kingdom under Bendahara dynasty | Black flag represented the colour of Bendahara. | |
1887–1903 | The flag of the Sultanate of Pahang under Bendahara dynasty | Black flag represented the colour of Bendahara, with a small vertical white stripe on the left side, represented the ruling Sultan . | |
1699
18th century – 1912 |
Flag of the Sultanate of Johor Flag of the Sultanate of Kelantan Flag of the Sultanate of Perak | White flag of several Malay Sultanates. | |
1699–1865 | Flag of the Sultanate of Johor from 1855 to 1865 | Black flag with a small white rectangle in the upleft. | |
1865–1871 | Flag of the Sultanate of Johor from 1865 to 1871 | Black flag with a red canton charged with a white saltire. | |
1859–1965 | Flag of the Sultanate of Selangor | Quite similar with the current flag except for the yellow crescent and star. | |
1912–1923 | Flag of the Sultanate of Kelantan from 1912 to 1923 | Encompasses a white flag with a blue border enveloping the top, fly, and hoist of the flag, and Jawi scriptures stylised as a feline. The tip of the tail is interpreted as "Kerajaan Kelantan" (denoting the Kelantanese government), while the main body of the animal-based scripture contains two passages from the Qur'an, an excerpt of the 13th ayat of the 61st surah, the Al-Saf. | |
1912–1933 | Flag of the Sultanate of Terengganu from 1912 to 1933 | Black and white flag. | |
1933–1953 | Flag of the Sultanate of Terengganu from 1933 to 1953 | Similar with the first flag but added with a crescent and star. |
Colonial and national flags
Flag | Date (century) | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
4th and 5th centuries | Flag of The Pallava Dynasty | The Pallava royal insignia was the (lion) and (bull) which was changeable. Narashimavarman used the lion as his emblem and Nandivarman preferred the Nandi. Under the reign of Parameswaravarman was Khatvanga (Skull mace) added to Pallava emblem. | |
1025-1070 | Flag of The Chola Dynasty | The tiger flag of Chola as mentioned in Periya Puranam. | |
1351-1499 | Flag of The Majapahit Empire | Nine horizontal stripes alternating red and white. | |
1511–1521 | Flag of Portuguese Malacca, a colony in the Portuguese Empire | White rectangle centrally charged with the coat of arms, bearing five escutcheons on a white field and seven castles on an ogival or heater-shaped shield, and surmounted by a royal crown. | |
1521–1578 | Flag of Portuguese Malacca, a colony in the Portuguese Empire | White rectangle centrally charged with the coat of arms, bearing five escutcheons on a white field and seven castles on an ogival or heater-shaped shield, and surmounted by a royal crown. | |
1573-1636 | Flag of The Aceh Sultanate as a protectorate of the Ottoman Empire | Red field with a Green Disc in the center and 3 golden crescent moons inside the disc. | |
1578–1640 | Flag of Portuguese Malacca, a colony in the Portuguese Empire | White rectangle centrally charged with the coat of arms, bearing five escutcheons on a white field and seven castles on an ogival or heater-shaped shield, and surmounted by a royal crown. | |
1580–1640 | Flag of Portuguese Malacca, a colony in the Iberian Union | A red saltire resembling two crossed, roughly-pruned (knotted) branches, on a white field. | |
1580–1640 | Banner of Arms of Portuguese Malacca, a colony in the Iberian Union | the heraldry of the House of Austria (with the arms of Portugal). | |
1580–1640 | Royal Flag of Portuguese Malacca, a colony in the Iberian Union | A red field with the royal arms in the center. | |
1616–1640 | Putative Flag of Portuguese Malacca, a colony in the Portuguese Empire | White rectangle centrally charged with the coat of arms, bearing five escutcheons on a white field and seven castles on an ogival or heater-shaped shield, and surmounted by a royal crown. | |
1640–1641 | Flag of Portuguese Malacca, a colony in the Portuguese Empire | White rectangle centrally charged with the coat of arms, bearing five escutcheons on a white field and seven castles on an ogival or heater-shaped shield, and surmounted by a royal crown. | |
1641–1795 | Flag of the VOC in Dutch Malacca | Three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white and blue (bottom), with a small logo of the VOC in the centre. | |
1641–1663 | Flag of the VOC in Dutch Malacca | Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white and blue (bottom), with a small logo of the VOC in the centre. | |
1641–1795 | Prince's Flag of the Dutch Republic | A horizontal triband of orange, white and blue. | |
1652–1663 | State Flag of the Dutch Republic | Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white and blue (bottom). | |
1680–1782 | Flag of Siam. Restored Unfederated Malay States Under Siamese sovereignty. | a simple Red field. | |
1777–1862 | Flag of the Plain Yellow Banner of the Eight Banners | a yellow banner with a Chinese Dragon, used during the Lanfang Republic as a tributary state of China. | |
1777–1884 | Flag of the Lanfang Republic in Borneo | a yellow banner with Chinese Characters that translates into "Great Lanfang System" | |
1782–1817 | Flag of Siam. Restored Unfederated Malay States Under Siamese sovereignty. | Red field with a white chakra. | |
1795–1801 | Flag of the Kingdom of Great Britain. Used by British Forces during the intermittent British occupation during the Napoleonic Wars | The flags of England and Scotland superimposed. | |
1795–1806 | Flag of the Batavian Republic | A horizontal triband of red, white and blue with the Republic's emblem in the canton. | |
1801–1818, 1858–1874 | Flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | A superimposition of the flags of England and Scotland with Saint Patrick's saltire. | |
1817–1832 | Flag of Siam. The Great Of Siam | Red field with a white elephant inside the chakra. | |
1818–1825 | Flag of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. After the occupation and restoration of Dutch rule in Malacca the VOC had since gone bankrupt and all assets had transferred to the Batavian Republic which in turn turned into the United Kingdom of the Netherlands at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Resulting in the use of the plain Dutch flag in Dutch Malacca | A horizontal tricolour of red (Bright Vermilion), white, and blue (Cobalt Blue). | |
1826–1858 | Flag of the East India Company. With the establishment of the Straits Settlement, the East India Company ruled Malaya until it was designated a Crown Colony in 1867. Its design elements of the Union Jack in the canton and the red and white stripes is purportedly the reference behind the current Flag of Malaysia | Numerous white and red stripes with the Union Flag of the United Kingdom in the canton. | |
1832–1916 | Flag of Siam. Restored Unfederated Malay States Under Siamese sovereignty. | Red flag with a white elephant. | |
1858–1867 | Flag of the Bengal Presidency | A Blue Ensign with the Union Flag at the canton, and the Bengal Presidency Emblem displayed in the fly. | |
1862–1884 | Flag of the Qing dynasty | Triangular yellow flag with a Chinese Dragon, used during the Lanfang Republic as a tributary state of China. | |
1862–1884 | Imperial Standard of the Qing Emperor | Triangular yellow flag with a Chinese Dragon, used during the Lanfang Republic as a tributary state of China. | |
1874–1925 | Flag of the Straits Settlements | A blue ensign defaced with a white disc containing a red diamond, in which is a white inverted pall with three crowns, one on each arm. | |
1878–1880 | Flag of the Austro-Hungarian North Borneo | a horizontal tricolour of red, white and the third one divided between red and green. | |
1880–1933 | Flag of The British Raj And The Sarawak | A Red Ensign with the Union Jack at the canton, defaced with the Star of India emblem displayed in the fly. | |
1925–1942 1945–1946 | Flag of the Straits Settlements | A blue ensign defaced with a red diamond, in which is a white inverted pall with three crowns, one on each arm. | |
1949–1957 | Flag of the Crown Colony of Penang | A blue ensign defaced with the pre-1985 lesser arms of Penang. | |
1951–1957 | Flag of the Crown Colony of Malacca | A blue ensign defaced with A Famosa motif. | |
1948–1952 | Flag of the Crown Colony of Singapore | A blue ensign defaced with a white disc containing a crown within a red inverted pall. | |
1952–1959 | A blue ensign defaced with a white disc containing a crown within a red inverted pall. | ||
1896–1946 1946–1948 1948–1950 | Flag of the Federated Malay States Flag of the Malayan Union Flag of the Federation of Malaya | Four equal horizontal bands of white (top), red, yellow, and black overlain in the centre by a small white ellipse bearing a running tiger. | |
1895–1946 | Naval ensign of the Federated Malay States | Diagonally quartered white, red, black and yellow. Also used as ensign for HMS Malaya battleship | |
1942–1945 | Flag of the Empire of Japan. Used when Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Labuan were under Japanese military governing, and also used in Singapore and Brunei. | Centred red disc on a white field. | |
War flag of the Imperial Japanese Army | Centred red disc with 16 rays on a white field. | ||
1942-1945 | Imperial Standard of the Emperor of Japan | 16 petal chrysanthemum, colored in gold, centered on a red background. | |
1943–1945 | Flag of Thailand. Used when Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu were controlled by Thailand. | A horizontal blue stripe between white stripes, between red stripes. | |
1943-1945 | Royal Standard of the King of Thailand. Used when Unfederated Malay States and Federated Malay States (as Japan. were controlled by Thailand. | A yellow plain square flag with a dancing red Garuda in the center. Usually mounted in front of the car boarded by the King. | |
1950–1963 | Flag of the Federation of Malaya | Eleven alternating red and white stripes with a dark blue rectangle, containing a gold crescent and eleven-pointed star, in the canton. | |
1841–1848 | Flag of the Raj of Sarawak | The first flag of the Kingdom of Sarawak (1841–1848) using the St George's Cross, after the territory been ceded by the Sultanate of Brunei. | |
1848–1870 | Flag of the Raj of Sarawak | The second flag of the Kingdom of Sarawak used from (1848–1870), with red and blue cross in the style of St. George's Cross. The Crown in the centre symbolises the Raj of Sarawak. | |
1870–1946 1963 – 1973 | Flag of the Raj of Sarawak and later Flag of the state of Sarawak | The third flag of the Kingdom of Sarawak, with red and black cross in the style of St. George's Cross. The black symbolises the ruling class, and the red the people. Similar as on the second flag, the Crown in the centre symbolises the Rajah. This flag was reintroduced upon independence. | |
1946–1963 | Flag of the Crown Colony of Sarawak | After World War II Sarawak becomes a crown colony. A blue ensign defaced with the former Kingdom Badge was adopted. | |
1902–1946 | Flag of North Borneo | A blue ensign defaced with the badge of North Borneo Chartered Company. | |
Civil ensign of North Borneo | A red ensign defaced with the badge of North Borneo Chartered Company. | ||
1948–1963 | Flag of Crown Colony of North Borneo | After World War II North Borneo becomes a crown colony. A blue ensign was adopted with the new badge instead that of North Borneo Company. | |
1912–1946 | Flag of the Crown Colony of Labuan | A blue ensign defaced with a ship. |
State flags
Flag | Date (century) | Use | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1957 – 1965 | Flag of the state of Penang | Similar with the current flag except with a blue and white breakwater. | |
1973 – 1988 | Flag of the state of Sarawak | A horizontal bicolour of red and white with a blue triangle on the hoist. | |
1963 – 1982 | Flag of the state of Sabah | Four equal horizontal bar of red, white, yellow and blue, with the brown silhouette of Mount Kinabalu in a green canton. | |
1982 – 1988 | A horizontal bicolour of blue and white with a red triangle on the hoist. | ||
1959–1965 | Flag of the state of Singapore as a British Self-governing Colony (1959–1963) and as part of Malaysia (1963–1965) | A horizontal bicolour of red over white, charged in white in the canton with a crescent facing, towards the fly, a pentagon of five stars. |
Proposed Flags
Flag | Use | Description |
---|---|---|
First proposed flag of Malaya. | Circle of 11 stars around crossed keris on a blue field | |
Second proposed flag of Malaya. | Concentric circle of 11 stars around crossed keris on a blue field | |
Third proposed flag of Malaya. | 11 alternate blue and white stripes and a white crescent and a five-pointed star on a red background in the top left hand corner |
See also
References
- "Wilayah Persekutuan". Archived from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
- "#Edisi merdeka: tahukah anda susunan keutamaan bendera di malaysia?". Majlis Keselamatan Negara. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- Rozan Yunos (7 March 2013). "Sabah and the Sulu claims". The Brunei Times. Archived from the original on 17 June 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
Flag dates published references
- (Ben Cahoon) Malay States on worldstatesmen.org
External links
- Malaysia at Flags of the World
- Information on the Flag of Malaysia at the Malaysian Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture - Department of Information (in Malay)