Historical Flags (Malaysia)

Last modified: 2006-08-26 by ian macdonald
Keywords: malaysia |
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• Introduction
• Malay Flag 1905-1950:
  • Federated Malay States (1895-1946)
  • Malay Union (1946-1948)
  • Malay Federation (1948-1950)
• 1950-1963: Federation of Malaya
• Since 1963: Federation of Malaysia

Historical State Flags:

• Johore:
  • Johore 1855-1865
• Kelantan:
  • Kelantan 1912-1923
• Labuan (Federal Territory):
  • British Colony of Labuan 1912-1946
• Melaka:
  • British Straits Settlements 1826-1946
  • British Colony of Malacca
• Pahang:
  • Obsolete Jack
• Penang:
  • British Straits Settlements 1826-1946
  • British Colony of Penang 1949-1957
• Sabah:
  • British North Borneo (up to 1963)
  • Flag 1963-1981
  • Flag 1982-1988
• Sarawak:
  • Independent Kingdom of Sarawak 1841-1946
  • Crown Colony of Sarawak 1946-1963
  • Sarawak State Flag 1963-1973
  • Sarawak State Flag 1973-1988
• Selangor:
  • Flag until 1965
• Trengganu:
  • Former State Flag
  • Former Governmental Service Flag

See also:

• Malaysia
• Malaysia: Index of all pages
• Governor-General for South East Asia 1946-1963
• Historical Flags (Thailand)
• Colonies of the United Kingdom
• Singapore

Other sites:

• Historical Sabah Coats-of-Arms and Flags (Sabah Official Website)

A brief history:

• 1895: Formation of Federated Malay States (flag approved 1905)
• 1941-1945: Japanese Occupation (WW2)
• 1946-1948: Malayan Union
• 1950-1963: Federation of Malaya
• Since 1963: Federation of Malaysia (Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah joined in)
• 1965: Secession of Singapore

Xuess Wee York Ting, 24 September 1996

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