The flag of Malaysia also known as the Jalur Gemilang ("Stripes of Glory"), comprises a field of 14 alternating red and white stripes canton bearing a crescent and a 14-point star known as the Bintang Persekutuan or Federal Star. The 14 stripes, of equal width, represent the equal status in the federation of the States of Malaysia 13 member states and the federal government, while the 14 points of the star represent the unity between these entities. Star and crescent represents Islam, the country's official religion; the yellow of the star and crescent is the royal colour of the Malay rulers. The red of the stripes stands for the bloodshed to earn independence. The white stands for the people and economy of Malaysia.
The first flag of independent Malaya was based on the Stars and Stripes of the United States, combined with Islamic symbolism. It had 11 red and white stripes and a blue canton, like the US flag, with a gold crescent and an eleven-pointed star, traditionally associated with Islam. Both the number of stripes and points on the star denoted the 11 states of the Federation.
In 1963 three new states- Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak- joined the Federation of Malaysia. To reflect this the flag was amended to 14 red and white stripes representing the 14 states. When Singapore seceded in 1965, the flag remained unaltered. The fourteenth stripe is now said to stand for the federal district of Kuala Lumpur. The blue canton represents the unity of the Malaysian people. The crescent is for Islam, the dominant religion. The 14 points of the star are for unity among the states of the country. Yellow is the traditional color of the rulers of the Malay states. Red and white are also traditional colors in Southeast Asia.
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