Malaysians, How Well Do You Think You Know The Meaning Behind Your State Flag?

Do you remember your days as a school kid when you had to line up every morning for assembly (very reluctantly) and belt out the national anthem and your state song (very enthusiastically)? Or were you the prefect who was in charge of flag duty that week, and was pretty much anxious in making sure your flag-raising skills were in tune with the song? Well, whatever your roles were in school, we can all agree that the experience was pretty much the same. But have you ever wondered what certain elements of the flag you’ve spent a great deal of your schooling days staring at actually mean? What do the colours and patterns symbolize? If you’re unsure of that, don’t worry, we at Rojak Daily have done our homework to uncover the true meaning behind each state flag.

KEDAH

Kedah, the land of paddy fields or known as “negeri jelapang padi” in Malay is situated in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia. Kedahans take pride in their bold red flag which features a moon crest, shield, and paddy garland. The red colour is their traditional colour and has been used in their flag since the 18^th century. It wasn’t until 1912 did they make some changes to the flag which is widely used until today. The shield symbolizes the royal family who looks after their citizens and protect them from any harm. The moon crest on the other hand symbolizes Islam as its official religion.

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PAHANG

Ahh Pahang, the state famously known for its strawberry fields, tea plantations, beautiful forests, and the birthplace of Malaysia’s No.1 pop singer, Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza. Pahang took the minimalistic route with their flag design, bearing only monochromatic colours of black and white in two stripes of the same width and height. Black stands for the royal administration and sovereignty. It also indicates Pahang as a state with its own idiosyncrasies, laws, culture, manners, and special powers held by the king.

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KELANTAN

Situated in the eastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, Kelantan is known for its rich culture and heritage as well as its myriad of delectable traditional food. The land of Cik Siti Wan Kembang has a distinctive red flag with a white coat of arms. The white coat of arms represents the purity of the Kelantanese royal institution.

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JOHOR

Johoreans have a lot to be proud of, from their popular football club – JDT to their ‘Bangsa Johor’ branding, we’re pretty confident that they’re very knowledgeable when it comes to their flag. The white crescent and star stands for the royal sovereignty while the red colour symbolizes the Hulubalang (the highest commander in classical Malay kingdom) who defends the state from any harm.

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PERAK

If you’ve been out of the loop, Perak was made the butt of countless lame jokes during the Olympics after it helped Malaysia win four silver medals at the games. Jokes aside, Perak is on the winning side after Lonely Planet listed Ipoh as one of the top 10 Asian destinations to travel to this year. Perak identifies itself with a tri-coloured flag of black, white, and yellow. The white colour represents the sovereignty of His Royal Highness (HRH) Sultan of Perak while the black symbolizes the sovereignty of HRH Raja Di-Hilir Perak.

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PERLIS

Perlis, the smallest state in Malaysia is located next to the Thailand border of Songkhla and Satun. The state was also once known as “Palit” by the Siamese people. The yellow colour signifies the royal administration and the Sultan’s sovereignty. The blue shade symbolizes the people of Perlis. The two colours represents the strong bond between the royal institution and its people.

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SELANGOR

The state that’s currently thriving and has the highest population in Malaysia is none other than Selangor. One of the proudest achievements Selangorians can probably take pride in is the number of shopping malls they have. They literally have malls popping up like mushrooms after the rain. Selangor identifies itself with its iconic red and yellow coloured flag. The white moon crest and star signifies Islam as the official religion of the state and the purity of the religion.

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NEGERI SEMBILAN

One of Malaysia’s iconic dishes – the masak lemak cili padi hails from the land known as Negeri Sembilan. The “Sembilan” (nine) stands for the nine districts in the state. The colours red, yellow, and black make up the official flag of Negeri Sembilan. The yellow symbolizes HRH Yang Di-Pertuan Negeri Sembilan while the black stands for the Datuk-datuk Undang (ruling or territorial chiefs in Negeri Sembilan) who takes care all of the luak (an administrative area) in the state.

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TERENGGANU

What comes to mind when someone mentions Terengganu? Is it the spectacular beaches? The keropok lekor? Or maybe the song “na na na na na, Ganu kita”? Well, whatever it is, Terengganu is a culturally rich state just like Kelantan. The flag colour though is similar to Pahang’s. The moon crescent and star as you guessed it, also signify Islam as the official religion of the state. The white border symbolizes HRH Sultan of Terengganu while the black colour symbolizes the people of the state.

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SARAWAK

Now, it’s time to take a trip to the eastern part of Malaysia. Sarawak is known as the land of the hornbills and is the largest state in the whole of Malaysia. Their flag has three colours – red, yellow, black, and also features a yellow star in the middle. The red signifies bravery, determination, and sacrifices the people have made to make Sarawak into a more progressive state in hopes that it’ll become an exemplary state in the future. Yellow, on the other hand stands for law and order, unity, and stability of a multi-racial society. The yellow star symbolizes the people living in harmony and their ambitions and persistency to improve their lives after gaining independence.

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PULAU PINANG

Pulau Pinang or more popularly known as Penang or the Pearl of the Orient, is a booming tourist destination known for its beautiful white, sandy beaches and myriad of local food choices. Penang has also recently been recognized as the world’s best food destination by renowned food writer, James Oseland. Their state flag is currently the most distinctive flag among all the other state flags thanks to the tree. The white colour symbolizes peace and harmony while the yellow colour signifies prosperity. The tree on the other hand, just as you guessed it, is the Pinang tree or known as the Areca palm tree which is where the island got its name from.

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SABAH

Moving on to the eastern side of Malaysia, land of the Kinabalu Mountain and crystal clear islands – Sabah. Sabah’s flag has three shades of blue – azure, zircon and snowy blue, as well as a white and chilli red stripe. The Kinabalu Mountain acts as an iconic representation of Sabah with a snowy blue backdrop which signifies unity and prosperity. The zircon blue stripe on the other hand symbolizes peace and order. The white stripe stands for purity and justice. Last but not least, the chilli red signifies bravery and confidence. All of these five colours combined symbolize the five state administration.

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MELAKA

Melaka was once a very prominent place back in the 14^th century when everyone from around the world would stop at its port prior to continuing their journey half the world away. It’s now a historical city filled with artifacts and remnants of the past. Melaka’s flag colour scheme is similar to Malaysia’s red, white, blue, and yellow. The colours reflect Melaka as part of a Federal state.

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LABUAN

Labuan is made up of the homonymous Labuan Island and six smaller islands, located off the coast of Sabah. Labuan is one of the three federal territories in Malaysia and its name is derived from the Malay word labuhan which means harbour. Since Labuan is part of the Federal Territory, its flag colour also resembles Malaysia’s flag. They identify themselves with a tri-striped flag and a moon crescent and star in the middle. The moon crescent and star signifies Islam as the official religion while the yellow colour signifies the monarchy’s sovereignty as well as the respect towards the philosophy and constitution of the Rukun Negara. The red stands for bravery and as for white, it stands for purity, sincerity, and persistency in cultivating a well-mannered and cultured Malaysia. The blue symbolizes the unity between different races, peace, harmony, and the effort to develop the economy based on science and technology.

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Answers: (NO CHEATING!)
1. A prosperous life. 2. The royal institution. 3. The honesty of its people. 4. The royal sovereignty. 5. The sovereignty of HRH Crown Prince of Perak. 6. The people of Perlis. 7. The blood and flesh that becomes the energy and soul of the state. 8. The people of Negeri Sembilan. 9. The protection the Sultan provides for his people. 10. Sarawak’s rich natural resources which includes oil, logging, etc. which could help improve the people’s lives. 11. The lovely colour of the sea that surrounds the island. 12. Strength and the spirit of team work. 13. Islam as the official religion of Melaka and Malaysia. 14. To signify the stability and strength in unifying bravery, purity, and unity.