Colors and the Meaning of the Malaysia Flag
The Malaysian flag consists of equal 14 strips of red and white respectively. On the left side of the flag is a yellow crescent placed in a blue square and a star radiating 14 beams.
14 lanes and beams represent the 13 member states of the Malaysian Federation and the Kuala Lumpur Federal District. This equal distribution indicates the equality of these regions in terms of the federal government. The crescent and star are the symbols of Islam and the yellow is the traditional royal color. Blue square refers to the unity of the Malaysian people. The blue of the square is inspired by the UK flag and shows the country’s commitment to it.
History of the Malaysia Flag
Malaysia was founded at the end of the 18th century. The share of immigrants from Sumatra and Sulawesi Island is also great, as it is a peninsula built in the Malay country of Malaysia. In this period, there is no flag in the country. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the British colonized the Malay peninsula and the now-named Sarawak and Sabah, and the British flag began to fluctuate in Malay territory. The Malay islands go to the Second World War under British rule. But after the Japanese take over the island, the Japanese flag is seen on the island. When the Japanese were defeated in World War II, the island was rebuilt to the British administration and the British Flag began to fluctuate again on the island.
In 1948, the Malaysian islands are united and the Malaysian Union is established. Thus, semi-independence is achieved. From the late 1940s to the 1950s, armed resistance to the British invasion was escalated. As a result of the national competition organized by the Federal Legislative Commission, a new flag is represented representing the Malay Federal Union of Malaysia. On 22 February 1950, the jury delegation makes the choice for its design. The flag with its final shape consists of 14 red and white stripes next to each other. The red color symbolizes courage and white color represents purity.
After the complete independence of Malaysia, which was led by Malaysia leader Tunku Abdul Rahman in 1957, the clashes between the insurgents and the British occupiers ended. Therefore, the national anthem is necessary for Malaysia, which gained independence. Malaysia Leader Tunku Abdul Rahman recommends a national anthem called Homeland. French composer Pierre Jeanne de Beranger makes the song of this anthem.
When the Republic of Malaysia was founded in 1963, a small arrangement was made on the flag. The number of corners of the star is increased from 11 to 14 to point out to other Malaysian states, including Singapore. In 1965, Singapore left the Malaysian union. However, the star in the flag remains the same. But this time the star is considered the symbol of the federal union divided by regions and states.
In 1997, during the 40th anniversary of the country’s national celebrations, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad declared the name of the official flag as victory lines. In Malaysia there is a special law on the use of the flag. According to this law, the flag should be hung on the side facing the road, not inside the house. If it is to be hung between other flags, it should be hung higher than the others.
Neighboring Countries of Malaysia
The number of countries in which Malaysia is a neighbor is 4. Malaysia, which is a country located in East Asia, is neighboring Thailand, South China Sea, and Brunei, Lake Selebes in the east and Indonesia, Singapore in the south. The Malacca Strait is surrounded by the Andaman Sea, adjacent to the Indian Ocean from the west.
Main Characteristics of Malaysia
Malaysia, officially the State of Malaysia, is located in Southeast Asia. Since the country is located on the line of Spice Road in the past, it hosts various ethnic groups. The Malay, Chinese, Indians and many other ethnic groups have been living together in Malaysia for many years. The diversity of ethnic groups also influenced country cuisine and culture to a great extent. Approximately 55% of the country is Malay, 25% is Chinese and 10% is Indian.
The majority of the population of the country, which is comprised of two main land areas as East Malaysia and West Malaysia, lives in West Malaysia. Outside the two main parts of the land consists of more than 18,000 islands.
Located in Kinabalu National Park, Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in the country with a height of 4,095 meters. The Kinabalu National Park is also one of Malaysia’s four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Another important point of the country, Gunung Mulu National Park has the most beautiful caves system in the world and therefore it is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This national park, consisting of rainforest, offers beautiful views.
| Country | Malaysia |
| Code | MY (MYS) |
| Calling Code | 60 |
| Capital City | Kuala Lumpur |
| Currency | malaysian ringgit (MYR) |
| Emoji Symbol | 🇲🇾 |
| Highest Point | Gunung Kinabalu (4,095 m) |
| Internet TLD | .m |
| Population(2017) | 31,624,264 |
| Total Area | 329,847 km2 |