Only a few hours left before we celebrate our 64th Independence Day! We celebrate this independence day because we received freedom from colonizers. There are many countries that have their own icon that represents their identity. For us, it is our national flag and national flower.
Yes, I’m talking about Jalur Gemilang and the Bunga Raya. We know how they look like, what colour they are but…
Do you know the history and meanings of these icons?
The Flag
The flag of Malaysia, which was first raised on 16 September 1963, originated from the flag of the Federation of Malaya. Before the national flag was created, each state in Malaysia has its own flag which still remains to this day. When the Malayan Union was replaced by the Federation of Malaya, the newly formed government of the federation announced a contest to design a new flag to represent the federation in 1947 and an architect named Mohamed Hamzah was chosen.
The flag of Malaysia is named Jalur Gemilang, which means Strips of Glory’, by the Prime Minister then, Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohammad. The name of this flag represented Malaysia’s goal to strive for progress and success.
The Jalur Gemilang has 14 alternating red and white stripes, which represents the nation’s 13 member states and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan. The colour red represents bravery whereas white shows purity. On the top left of the flag is a dark blue rectangle with a yellow star and crescent moon in it. The blue represents the harmony of the people and yellow symbolizes the royal colour of Malay rulers. The crescent moon acknowledges Malaysia’s official religion which is Islam and the star, with 14 points carries a similar meaning with the 14 stripes.
The Bunga Raya
The Hibiscus, also known as Bunga Raya was nominated as the national flower of Malaysia. Initially, several other flowers were also suggested by the Ministry of Agriculture in1958, some of it were ylang-ylang and jasmine, lotus, rose, magnolia, and medlar. However, on 28 July 1960, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, officially declared the Bunga Raya as the national flower.
Here are some fascinating facts about the national flower:
- In Bahasa Malaysia Bunga means “flower,” while Raya means “celebratory” or “grand”. This then reflects the celebration of unity in the multicultural nation of Malaysia.
- The Bunga Raya comes in various colours but our country goes by the colour red. Red symbolizes the courage, life, and rapid growth of the Malaysian people.
- The five petals of the flower also have their meaning. It represents the 5 national principles, the Rukun Negara, which are belief in God, loyalty to the King and country, the supremacy of the Constitution, rules of law, courtesy, and morality.
- The flower can be found imprinted on coins and notes of the Malaysian currency.
So now you know. As you celebrate Merdeka Day, take this time to ponder and admire these beautiful icons that represent our country and its people. Have a safe and happy Merdeka Day!