Selamat Hari Kebangsaan, everyone!

Malaysia celebrates its 64th National Day today.

In conjunction with this special day, let's fly our national flag, the Jalur Gemilang, with pride.

The flag is a sign of solidarity and the 1Malaysia spirit as the country battles against the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Jalur Gemilang has a field of 14 alternating red and white stripes. In addition, it has a blue canton with a crescent and a 14-point star, also revered as the Bintang Persekutuan (Federal Star).

Here are the top five things to know about the Jalur Gemilang.

Mohamed Hamzah, an architect from Johor Baru’s Public Works Department, designed the flag in 1947 when he was 29.

He entered the Malayan flag design competition in 1947, with his design beating 372 other entries.

Mohamed Hamzah's creation borrowed design elements from the Flag of the East India Company, notably the red and white stripes.

Red, white and blue are the colours that represent Malaysia as a country belonging to the Commonwealth. The 14 stripes of equal width represent the equal status in the Federation of the 13 member states and the federal territories.

The crescent and star on the canton represent Islam as the official religion for the Federation.

Yellow symbolises the sovereignty of the Malay rulers as it is the colour of royalty and represents their role as leaders of the faith in the constituent states.

In 1997, Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad selected Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory) to reflect Malaysia’s steadfast drive towards growth and success.

Malaysians are encouraged to fly the Jalur Gemilang at home, office buildings and shops during Merdeka month. Ensure the flag is raised pointing towards the road. If the flag is placed with other flags, remember to put it between them and present it slightly higher.

https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/living/2021/08/31/5-things-to-know-about-the-jalur-gemilang