Malaysia

About the flag

This is Malaysia’s Jalur Gemilang (“Stripes of Glory”). The 14 red-white stripes and the 14-point star represent the 13 states plus the federal government; the blue canton stands for unity, and the yellow crescent reflects Islam, the official religion. That mix—US-style stripes paired with an Islamic crescent and a many-pointed star—is unique to Malaysia. Adopted at independence in 1957 and designed by architect Mohamed Hamzah, the flag highlights Malaysia’s federal structure and Malay royal heritage (yellow). Memory tip: M for Malaysia = Moon + Many (14) stripes and star points. If you spot US-like stripes but with a crescent and big star in the corner, think Jalur Gemilang.