State flags in Malaysia
Encyclopedia

National flags

Flag Date Use Description
1963–present Flag of Malaysia
Flag of Malaysia
-Flag anthem:The Jalur Gemilang flag anthem was introduced in 1997. The lyrics were written by Pak Ngah.-Original lyrics:-Flag anthem:The Jalur Gemilang flag anthem was introduced in 1997. The lyrics were written by Pak Ngah.-Original lyrics:-Flag anthem:...

 
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
Civil Ensign
Civil ensign
The civil ensign is the national flag flown by civil ships to denote nationality...

 of Malaysia

Monarch

Flag Date Use Description
Flag of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Yang di-Pertuan Agong
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....


Military

Flag Date Use Description
Flag of the Malaysian Army
Malaysian Army
The Malaysian Army is the land component of the Malaysian Armed Forces. Steeped in British Army traditions, the Malaysian Army does not carry the title ‘royal’ as do the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy...

 
Flag of the Royal Malaysian Air Force 
Naval ensign of the Royal Malaysian Navy
Royal Malaysian Navy
The Royal Malaysian Navy is the naval arm of Malaysian Armed Forces. All commissioned ships of the RMN have the prefix KD , which means Royal Ship.-Straits Settlement Naval Volunteer Reserve:...

 
Naval ensign of the Royal Malaysian Navy
Royal Malaysian Navy
The Royal Malaysian Navy is the naval arm of Malaysian Armed Forces. All commissioned ships of the RMN have the prefix KD , which means Royal Ship.-Straits Settlement Naval Volunteer Reserve:...

 (1963–1968)
Naval ensign of the Royal Malayan Navy (1957–1963)

Historical

Flag Date Use Description
1511-1641 Flag of Portuguese Malacca
Portuguese Malacca
Portuguese Malacca was the territory of Malacca that, for 130 years , was a Portuguese colony.- History :From the writing of the Portuguese historian Emanuel Godinho de Erédia in the middle of the 16th century, the site of the old city of Malacca was named after the Myrobalans, fruit-bearing trees...

, a colony in the Portuguese Empire
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...

 
White rectangle centrally charged with the coat of arms bearing five castles on an ogival or heater-shaped shield and surmounted by an open royal crown.
1641–1795 Flag of the VOC in Dutch Malacca
Dutch Malacca
Dutch Malacca was the longest period of Malacca under foreign control. The Dutch ruled for almost 183 years with intermittent British occupation during the Napoleonic Wars . This era saw relative peace with little serious interruption from the Malay kingdoms due to the understanding earlier on...

 
Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white and blue (bottom), in the center there is a small logo of the VOC.
1795-1801 Flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...

 of the Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...

 
Used by British Forces during the intermittent British occupation during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...

.
1801–1818 Flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....

1818–1825 Flag of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands is the unofficial name used to refer to Kingdom of the Netherlands during the period after it was first created from part of the First French Empire and before the new kingdom of Belgium split out in 1830...

 
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
Batavian Republic
The Batavian Republic was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on January 19, 1795, and ended on June 5, 1806, with the accession of Louis Bonaparte to the throne of the Kingdom of Holland....

 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.
1826–1895 Flag of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...

 
With the establishment of the Straits Settlement, the East India Company ruled Malaya until it was designated a Crown Colony
British overseas territories
The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories of the United Kingdom which, although they do not form part of the United Kingdom itself, fall under its jurisdiction. They are remnants of the British Empire that have not acquired independence or have voted to remain British territories...

 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.
1826–1946 Flag of the Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...

 
A Red Diamond divided into 3 parts to represent the three Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca, and Singapore.
1896–1949 Flag
Flag of the Federated Malay States
The flag of the Federated Malay States represented the union of the four Malay states of Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang in a federation as a protectorate under the British Crown....

 of the Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...

 
Four equal horizontal bands of white (top), red, yellow, and black, there is a small ellipse disc in center the red and yellow band, bearing a tiger running in white path.
1949–1963 Flag of the Federation of Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...

 
The Flag consists of a Yellow Crescent with a 11 point star in a dark blue background, and 11 alternating Red and White Stripes.
1870–1946, 1963–1973 Flag
Flag of Sarawak
The flag of the Malaysian state of Sarawak is based on the flag of the Kingdom of Sarawak of the White Rajah.-History:James Brooke, who was the first Rajah of Sarawak, originally used the St George's Cross as the state's flag. The decision for Sarawak to have its own flag was made in 1845, but it...

 of the Kingdom of Sarawak
Kingdom of Sarawak
The Kingdom of Sarawak was a state in Borneo established by Sir James Brooke in 1842 by receiving independent kingdom status from the Sultanate of Brunei as a reward for helping fight piracy and insurgency...

 and later Flag of the state of Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...

A red and black cross in the style of St. George's Cross. The Black symbolises the ruling class, and the Red the people. The Crown in the centre is the symbolises the Rajah. This flag was reintroduced upon independence.

The Colony flag, follows the standard British Colony Template, with the former Kingdom Badge.

The 'Trisakti' Flag introduced to replace the colonial era flag.
1946–1963 Flag of the Crown Colony of Sarawak
1973–1988 Flag of the state of Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...

 (1973-1988)
1882–1963 Flag of North Borneo
North Borneo
North Borneo was a British protectorate under the sovereign North Borneo Chartered Company from 1882 to 1946. After the war it became a crown colony of Great Britain from 1946 to 1963, known in this time as British North Borneo. It is located on the northeastern end of the island of Borneo. It is...

The flag of the British Colony of North Borneo which in 1963 Joined the Federation of Malaysia under the name of Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...

. The colony flag follows the standard template used by British Colonies, namely a dark blue solid with the Union Jack in the top left, and the colony's symbol in the bottom right.

Upon Independence the flag was changed to a 4 striped standard with a brown Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu is a prominent mountain on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is located in the East Malaysian state of Sabah and is protected as Kinabalu National Park, a World Heritage Site. Kinabalu is the tallest peak in Borneo's Crocker Range and is the tallest mountain in the Malay...

 against a green background, and later changed again to the 'Trisakti', similar to that of Sarawak.
1963–1981 Flag of the state of Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...

1982–1988
1959–1965 Flag
Flag of Singapore
The national flag of Singapore was first adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. It was reconfirmed as the national flag when the Republic gained independence on 9 August 1965...

 of the state of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

 (Negeri Singapura)
When Singapore exited the federation, the flag was maintained as the National flag of the Republic of Singapore.

States

Apart from the flags of Selangor, Sarawak and Sabah, these flags are the same flags still in use from Independence
Merdeka
Merdeka is a word in the Indonesian and Malay language meaning Independent or freedom. It is derived from the Sanskrit Maharddhika meaning "rich, prosperous and powerful". In the Malay archipelago, this term had acquired the meaning of a freed slave...

.
Flag Date Use Description
Flag
Flag of Perlis
The flag and the coat of arms of Perlis are state symbols of Perlis, a state in Malaysia. Centering around Perlis' monarch and agricultural activities, its flag and arms are similar in symbolisation as the state symbols of Kedah, which it neighbours.- Design :...

 of the state of Perlis
Perlis
Perlis is the smallest state in Malaysia. It lies at the northern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and has Satun and Songkhla Provinces of Thailand on its northern border. It is bordered by the state of Kedah to the south...

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three equal horizontal bands of yellow, (top) and blue.
Flag
Flag of Kedah
The flag and coat of arms of Kedah are the state symbols of Kedah, Malaysia. Very little distinction is present between the flag and coat of arms of the state, as the flag consists of only a red field with the state arms on the upper hoist.- Flag :...

 of the state of Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...

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red field with Kedah coat of arms in hoist-side upper left corner.
1949 Flag
Flag of Penang
The flag of the state of Penang, in Malaysia, consists of three vertical stripes of equal width of light blue, white and yellow; the white stripe in the centre has an areca-nut palm on a grassy mount on a torse of blue and white....

 of the state of Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...

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three equal vertical bands of blue (left), white and yellow, there is a beetle nut tree in center the white band.
Flag
Flag of Perak
The flag of the state of Perak, in Malaysia, is a tricolour, made of three equal horizontal bands coloured white , yellow, and black . It has a ratio of 1:2.The stripes on the flag symbolizes the three branches of the Perak royal family...

 of the state of Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...

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three equal horizontal bands of white (top), yellow and black.
Flag of the state of Kelantan
Kelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....

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red field with a canton feautered two arrows are tied in two hands with five-pointed stars flanked with crescent in center.
Flag of the state of Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...

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white bordered with black field bearing crescent and five-pointed stars in center.
Flag of the state of Pahang
Pahang
Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...

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two equal horizontal bands of white (top), and black.
1965 Flag
Flag of Selangor
The flag and coat of arms of Selangor are state symbols of Selangor, Malaysia. These two symbols are distinct from each other in terms of style. Similar to other states of Malaysia with Malay royalties, both the flag and arms of Selangor are influenced by royalties, Islam, and political symbols of...

 of the state of Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...

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four corner bands of red (upper left, lower right) and yellow (upper right, lower left), there is a crescent and five-pointed stars in upper left red corner.
Flag of the state of Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....

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yellow field with a two diagonal bands of red and black in hoist-side upper left corner.
Flag
Flag of Malacca
The Flag of Malacca is the flag of the Malaysian state of Malacca. Red, white, yellow and blue, which are the colours of the flag of Malaysia, are also used in the flag of Malacca. This shows that Malacca is a member state of Malaysia. The star and crescent represents Islam, the religion of the...

 of the state of Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...

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two corner bands of blue (corner), and red or one equal horizontal band of white (top).
1865 Flag of the state of Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...

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blue field with a red hoist-side upper left corner bearing an arranged crescent and five-pointed stars.
1988 Flag
Flag of Sarawak
The flag of the Malaysian state of Sarawak is based on the flag of the Kingdom of Sarawak of the White Rajah.-History:James Brooke, who was the first Rajah of Sarawak, originally used the St George's Cross as the state's flag. The decision for Sarawak to have its own flag was made in 1845, but it...

 of the state of Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...

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yellow with two diagonal bands of red (top), and black, there is a yellow nine-pointed stars in center the two bands.
1988 Flag
Flag of Sabah
The current flag of the state of Sabah, in Malaysia, was adopted on 16 September 1988. It is red, white and three different shades of blue. The mountain is in the canton as in the 1963 flag, but now in dark blue on a light blue background. The field is medium blue over white over red...

 of the state of Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...

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three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and red, there is a mountain in hoist-side upper left corner.

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 would involved all the federal territories as a whole. An example would be for the participations in national sporting events, the unified contingent of the territories would be under this common flag. Just like in other states, where the national flag is almost always flown the state flag, federal territories too fly the flag, however, in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...

, many have concluded that the flag looks too much like the national flag, and as such, it is more common to see the federal territory flag with the national flag instead of the Kuala Lumpur flag
Flag Date Use Description
2006 Flag of the Federal Territories  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red, there is a Malaysian coat of arms in center of blue band.
1990 Flag
Flag of Kuala Lumpur
The flag of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is a variant of the Jalur Gemilang, the Malaysian national flag. It was introduced on 14 May 1990 following its centennial as a local authority.-Use of the state flag:...

 of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...

 
blue with six equal horizontal stripes of red (top), and white in upper and lower, there is a yellow crescent and yellow fourteen-pointed stars in left within blue band.
1990 Flag of Labuan
Labuan
Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...

 
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue, there is a yellow crescent and yellow fourteen-pointed stars in white band.
2001 Flag of Putrajaya
Putrajaya
Putrajaya is a planned city, located 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, that serves as the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The seat of government was shifted in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, due to the overcrowding and congestion in the Kuala Lumpur areas...

 
three equal vertical bands of blue (top, double width), and yellow, there is a Malaysian coat of arms in yellow band.

See also

  • Malaysia and Flag of Malaysia
    Flag of Malaysia
    -Flag anthem:The Jalur Gemilang flag anthem was introduced in 1997. The lyrics were written by Pak Ngah.-Original lyrics:-Flag anthem:The Jalur Gemilang flag anthem was introduced in 1997. The lyrics were written by Pak Ngah.-Original lyrics:-Flag anthem:...

  • States of Malaysia
    States of Malaysia
    Malaysia is a federation which consists of thirteen states and three federal territories . Eleven states and two federal territories are located on the Malay Peninsula while the remaining two states and one federal territory are on the island of Borneo.-The states and federal territories:Malaysia...

  • Federal Territories of Malaysia
  • List of Malaysian coats of arms
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