a. Malaysian Flag
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The Malaysian flag, named Jalur Gemilang with effect from August 31 1997, consist of 14 red and white stripes of equal width, a union of carton of dark blue, a crescent and a star. The red and white stripes stand for the equal status in the Federation of the member states and the Federal government. The union of carton of dark blue in the upper quarter of the flag next to the staff represents the unity of the people of Malaysia. The union contains the crescent which is the symbol of Islam, and the star with its 14 points symbolises the unity of the 13 states of the Federation with the Federal government. The yellow of the crescent and the star is the royal colour of the hereditary Malay Rulers.
b. Coat-of-Arms
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The Coat-of-Arms has a 14-pointed star representing the equal status of the 13 Federation members and the Federal government. The star and the crescent are traditional symbols of Islam, the official religion of Malaysia. The five dagger-like keris represent the former Unfederated Malay States, namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu; while the four former Federated Malay States of Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak and Selangor are represented by the four centre panels, the permutation of whose colours represent their respective colours -- red, black and yellow for Negeri Sembilan; black and white for Pahang; black, white and yellow for Perak; and red and yellow for Selangor. The left hand division of the shield represents the state of Pulau Pinang, and the right-hand division with the Melaka tree, the state of Melaka. The states of Sabah and Sarawak are respectively represented on the lower left and right sections, while in the centre is the Hibiscus flower, the national flower of Malaysia. The tigers on both sides of the shield are retained from the earlier armorial ensign of the Federation of Malaya, and prior to that of the Federated Malay States. The yellow colour of the scroll containing the motto in Roman and Jawi script is the royal colour of the rulers.
c. Royal Standard
The Royal Standard is flown to mark the presence of His Majesty Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. It has a yellow background with the armorial ensign of Malaysia in the centre wreathed with sheaves of padi, symbolising abundance and prosperity.
d. Malaysian National Anthem
The Malaysian National Anthem, an adaptation of the Perak State Anthem, has special links to Sultan Abdullah of Perak who was exiled to the Seychelles by the British colonialists following the assassination of the state’s first British Resident (J.W.W Birch) in 1876. The Anthem was selected by a special committee headed by Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj. Initially, a world-wide contest was held for the composition of a national anthem for the infant Federation of Malaya, but none of the entries including those from distinguished composers of international standing were found suitable. The final selection, in a ceremony at the Police Depot in Kuala Lumpur on 5 August 1957, favoured the Perak State Anthem on account of its traditional flavour and melody. With the formation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963, it was adopted as the National Anthem of Malaysia. On April 4, 1968, the National Language Act which makes any act of disrespect towards the National Anthem a punishable offence was gazetted. The honour of performing the National Anthem is restricted to designated individuals only. During the 1992 National Day celebrations, the National Anthem was given a faster beat to signal the dynamic progress of the nation as it moves towards its homegrown Vision 2020.
e. National Flower
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The national flower of Malaysia is the hibiscus (Rosa Sinensis), or as it is locally known the Bunga Raya. No one knows when the flower was first introduced to Malaysia, but undoubtedly it came via trade from its original home in China, Japan and the Pacific islands probably before the 12th century. From early times, the hibiscus has been known to have many uses, mostly medicinal. Its petals were commonly used to darken and enhance women’s eyebrows; while some people still use the roots of the hibiscus plant as a cure for fever and other ailments. Skin eruptions and glandular troubles are said to be relieved by the application of the juice obtained from its leaves and roots while a poultice prepared from the leaves is often applied to cure headaches. The Bunga Raya is found in abundance throughout the country, and has many variieties and colours. Malaysians, however, have chosen the red five-petalled type as their national flower.
f. National Language
Click to listen the narration
The National Language of Malaysia is Bahasa Melayu, or Malay. It is established as such under Article 152 of the Federal Constitution, which also safeguards other languages by stipulating that no person may be prohibited from using, except for official purposes, or from teaching or learning any other language. As the national language, Bahasa Melayu must be used for official purposes which includes its use by the Federal and State governments and, as defined by the Constitutional amendment of 1971, by all authorities, including local authorities, and statutory bodies. By the same Constitutional amendment, the status of Bahasa Melayu may not be questioned, and any amendment to Article 152 can only be made with the consent of the Conference of Rulers.
g. National Mosque
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The National Mosque stands diagonally opposite the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station in a laid-out garden of approximately 5.5. hectares. It was designed and supervised by the Federal Public Works Department and took three years to complete at a cost of RM10 million. The building itself occupies an area of 2090 square metres and its facilities include a hall, a mausoleum, a library, offices, an open courtyard and a minaret. The Grand Hall is surrounded by deep verandahs which are screened off by white grills of traditional Islamic design, similar to those found in the mosques at Agra and Fatehpur Sikri in India. The Grand Hall and the verandahs provide a praying area of 1432 square metres and can easily accomodate up to 8000 people. The floor of the Grand Hall is carpeted while the remaining area has a finish of pre-cast terrazzo slabs. The Dewan is located on the South side of the mosque and serves as an all-purpose hall with a seating capacity for 500 persons. The mausoleum, situated at the rear of the mosque, stands in a circular reflecting pool and is connected to the main building by a covered foot-bridge. It is circular in shape and is covered by a pleated shell concrete dome similar in shape to that of the Grand Hall but with only seven folds, one of which covers a reserve for the national hero’s tomb.
The air-conditoned library and offices are situated at the rear of the main building. The open courtyard is opposite the library and is in front of the Grand Hall. Courtyards in West Asian mosques are open to the sky and usually feature a cluster of fountains in a pavilion or an open pool where ablutions can be performed. The National Mosque courtyard is partly covered by 48 independent concrete parasols to provide shade from the sun and shelter from the heavy and regular tropical rain. There is a fountain for ablution located on the floor beneath. The minaret is 3.8 metres high, rising from the centre of a long and narrow reflecting pool by the side of the Grand Hall. The top of the minaret is decorated with a concrete spire which takes the form of a closed umbrella and soars 27.5 metres above the balcony.
Ladies have a separate entrance directly connected to the ladies’ ablution hall. Their prayer area is in the gallery at the northern end of the building. This gallery also provides booths for television and radio services, and a viewing-post for visitors who wish to witness the proceedings in the mosque.
h. National Dress
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The Baju Kurung has gone through numerous variations over the years.On ceremonial occassions, the men wear the Baju Melayu consisting of a loose shirt and a pair of long trousers. A sarung known as sampin is wrapped around the waist and is left to hang half-way over the trousers. The headgear consists of a black fez-like cap known as a songkok, whereas on grander ocassions, a tanjak or tengkolok is donned.
The women usually wear baju kurung consisting of a loose-fitting blouse and a sarung; or the baju kebaya, a tight-fitting blouse and sarung. A newer version of the ladies’ national dress is a cross between the baju kurung and the kebaya, aptly called the kebarung.
i. National Car
Malaysia’s national car, the Proton Saga, is more than a motor-vehicle. It symbolises the determination of the nation to shake off its traditional status as a producer of primary commodities and to emerge as a member of the community of industrialised nations. First mooted in 1981, the project became a reality in September 1985. Today, Malaysia is the proud producer of many more models, such as the Proton Perdana, Proton Wira, Proton Iswara, Proton Satria, Proton Tiara, Kancil, Rusa and the Kenari.
Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn. Bhd. was set up in 1992 to realise Malaysia’s aspiration for a second national car - an affordable, compact and practical car for the growing motoring population. The manufacture of the second national car is reflective of the country’s vision to be a fully developed nation by the year 2020, through the enhancement of the nation’s technological competency in the area of automobile manufacturing.
j. Central Bank (Bank Negara Malaysia)
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Gallery N at BNM houses all the notes and coins, including commemorative coins, that have been issued by the Bank. Malaysian curency notes were first issued by the National Bank in June 1967. Then, they comprised 5 denominations: RM1, RM5, RM10, RM50 and RM100. The RM1000 note was issued on September 2, 1968. Their basic design were the same. The obverse side of each note bore the portrait of the first Yang Di Pertuan Agong, the paramount ruler of Malaysia, together with the name of the Bank, a statement that the note is legal tender for its face value, and the signature of Tun Ismail bin Mohamed Ali, the Bank’s first Malaysian governor. The reverse side bore the Bank’s crest against a background of geometrical designs. The security features included the tigerhead watermark, located on the left and the security thread on the right. Subsequently, an additional security feature was introduced in January 1976 in the form of a latent image of the denomination printed in Arabic numerals at the lower left hand corner of the currency note. On 6 January 1982, a new set of currency was issued with the signature of the Bank’s third local governor, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz bin Taha. In all other respects, the overall design remained the same as the notes issued in June 1967 and September 1968.
A new series of notes with completely new designs, commencing with the issue of RM20 and RM500 were issued on September 1, 1982. The general design was based on traditional Malaysian ornaments, foliage, wood carvings and other craft patterns from various parts of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. The tigerhead watermark was replaced with the watermark portrait of the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Denominations of RM10, RM50 and RM 100 carrying the new designs were issued on September 15, 1983, and on the RM1000 note on January 16, 1984. The reverse side of each of the new notes has a vignette of a prominent building or landmark found in Kuala Lumpur, the Federal capital.
In January 1986, BNM issued an improved design incorporating a number of additional security features in the curency note, with the intention of making them more difficult to forge. A section in Gallery N has been allocated to provide information on these security features, and a guide on how to detect counterfeit notes is provided. Visitors can also check their notes for the invisble fluorescent printing showing the numeral of the denomination in a box with the initals BNM printed on top of the numeral.
The first issue of Malaysian coins on June 12, 1967, comprised 5 denominations, namely 1 sen, 5 sen, 10 sen, 20 sen and 50 sen, each bearing a common motif. The RM1 denomination for normal circulation was issued on May 1, 1971. The obverse of each coin featured the Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur, symbolising Malaysia’s faith in democracy; a crescent moon that symbolises Islam as the official religion of the country; and a 13-pointed star representing the 13 component states within the Federation. The reverse incorporates a stylised design of the hibiscus, the national flower, the word Malaysia, and the year of mintage.
Malaysia, like other countries in the world, commemorates significant ocassions by issuing commemorative coins, proof and non-proof. From 1969 to 1987, over a span of 18 years, BNM had authorised the issue of 18 sets of commemorative coins.
The latest design of the coins with the denomination of 1 sen, 5 sen, 10 sen, 20 sen, 50 sen, and RM1 were issued in 1995; while in February 1996 the RM2 was introduced for the first time. (Note: RM1 = 100 sen).
k. National Philosophy
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The universal wording of the Rukun Negara is acceptable to all Malaysian citizens.The Rukun Negara was first introduced after the communal clashes of May 13, 1969. The adoption of the 5 principles or Rukun Negara as pillars of the national philosophy and outlook represents an attempt to base national unity on certain concepts which are universal and acceptable to all citizens of Malaysia, regardless of their ethnic origin or religious affiliation.
The declaration of the 5 principles is formulated as follows: -
"Our nation Malaysia is dedicated to:
- Achieveing a greater unity for all her peoples
- Maintaining a democratic way of life
- Creating a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably distributed
- Ensuring a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural tradtions
- Building a progressive society, orientated towards modern science and technology."
The people of Malaysia pledge their united efforts to attain these ends guided by the following principls: -
- Belief in God
- Loyalty to King and Country
- Supremacy of the Constitution.
- The Rule of Law
- Mutual respect and good social behaviour.
l. National Animal
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Known as Lord of the Jungle, tiger has aptly been chosen as the national animal of Malaysia.The tiger has aptly been chosen as the national animal of Malaysia. It is included in the national armorial bearings. Although seldom seen, tigers are not uncommon in the Malaysian jungle. Known as the Lord of the Jungle, in contrast to the lion’s position as the King of Beasts, tigers constitute little serious threat to human beings unless wounded or very old and feeble. Together with panthers and leopards, the tiger is a local member of the cat family.
Even as this is being written, patriotic feline breeders are carefully creating a Malaysian national cat that will be able to hold its own with the established names found elsewhere in the world. Also, four candidates have been nominated to fill in the still vacant position of national bird. They are the Malaysian peacock pheasant (merak pongsu), the Malaysian whistling thrush (cenderawasih), hill patridge (sang serak gunung) and the mountain peacock pheasant (kuang chermin), all four being endemic to Malaysia. Several leading Malaysian ornithologists have thrown their support behind the Malaysian peacock pheasant (polyplectron malacense) which has the country’s name in both its common name and scientific nomenclature.
Singing praises for their choice, the supporters of this dweller of the lowland evergreen tropical forest say that it ‘is not some pretentious aquiline patriarch but more contemporary - a local product with a bit of style, a practical fellow with his feet on the ground’. Among other things, they say this potential avian ambassador is:
- Handsome and proud, and dress well enough to adorn a 40-cents postage stamp
- Intelligent and a good decision-maker, knowing when to put up a good display to chase off rivals, dazzle females and when to clear off ahead of danger
- A sensible feeder, i.e. an adaptable omnivore and not an over-specialised, top-of-the-pyramid predator that evolution has manoeuvred onto an exposed perch
- A good communicator, always letting others know loudly and clearly how he is feeling.
- Capable of seductive courtship where he offers presents to his intended
- A caring parent, where the mother holds an umbrella over her chick and always making sure it gets the best to eat.
m. National Monuments
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The Warriors' Memorial in Kuala Lumpur is dedicated to the courageous defenders of the nation.The KL Tower, or Menara Kuala Lumpur, is the third tallest in the world after the CNN Tower in Toronto, Canada; and the Ostankino Tower in Moscow, Russia. At 421 metres, it ranks as the tallest in South-East Asia. Situated in the heartland of the Federal capital, the KL Tower symbolises national pride and economic prosperity. Apart from being a recreation centre for international and local cultural activities, the Tower is essentially a telecommunications tower combining hi-tech functions in telecommunictions and electronic media broadcasting. As a relay station, the Tower increases and enhances the quality of existing TV and broadcasting services, and plays a vital role in making Kuala Lumpur a cultural and information centre in the Asia-Pacific region.
The tower consists of three basic sections: the foundation base, the tower shaft, and the tower head. The foundation base comprises three underground levels for service equipment and facilities, a ground floor which houses the control-maintenance room and the main switchboard; and an upper ground level that serves as the touristic and recreation area. This area is adjoined to a mall, 86 metres long, that acts as the main entrance to the tower, the reflective pool, the tower core shaft, the tower head, and antennae mast. There are many facilities provided, such as a fast food restaurant, a theatre, an open theatre, and shops.
In 1991, the national oil company of Malaysia, Petronas, invited leading architectural firms from around the world to submit a design concept for its new headquarters in the Kuala Lumpur Centre Centre (KLCC). The winning entry, submitted by Cesar Pelli & Associates Inc., of Boston, USA, depicted two 88-storey towers linked by a sky bridge at 170 metres above street level. The project was launched in 1992, and in April 1996 the pinnacles were put in place on top of the towers, bringing them to their full height of 451.9 metres.
The design of the Petronas Twin Towers takes into consideration Malaysia’s tropical climate as well as its inherent Islamic architectural heritage. On the marble floor in the entrance lobbies of both towers, one sees contemporary Malaysian motifs, adapted from pandan weaving and bertam palm wall matting patterns, while the wall motifts are inspired by songket weaving patterns and timber carving. The shape of the floor plates is based upon two interlocking squares, forming an eight-pointed star with eight semicircles inserted into the re-entrant corners or angles.
The windows run in continuous horizontal ribbons offering panoramic views of the capital city. Apart from projecting shades that ward off the glare of the sun, tinted, laminated glass helps to reduce heat gain as well as ultraviolet transmission.
The twin towers taper inwards in six intervals with the walls at the upper levels tilting gently towards the centre. At the apex of both, there is a structural steel pinnacle, weighing 176 tonnes and measuring 73.5 metre high, comprising a mast, a ring ball and, at the very top, a spire ball. The ring ball, located about a third of the way up the masts, is made up of 14 circular tubes of varying diameters that conceal the tracks for equipment to wash the external facades above the 88th floors.
The double-deck lifts have the capacity of carrying many passengers, hence reducing waiting time and requiring less hoist way. Passengers can reach the lower office floors via lifts at street level, while an escalator in the lobby takes them to a mezzanine level where they may enter the upper deck of the lift. During the morning peak hours, a computer-controlled system optimises efficiency by allowing upper deck passengers to stop at odd floors and lower deck passengers at even floors. Passengers heading for the upper floors take different high-speed, double-deck shuttle lifts directly to the sky lobbies at the sky bridge, where they change to other lifts. When the KLCC is fully occupied, the lifts are expected to transport some 6,000 office personnel daily.
The podium houses the 864-seat Petronas Concert Hall, the Petronas Art Gallery, a reference library on energy, petroleum, petro-chemical and related industries and an interactive petroleum discovery centre dubbed Petrosains. At the base, there is a six-storey shopping and entertainment complex known as Suria KLCC. This complex is anchored by several large retail stores and a 13-screen cineplex. In 1996, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat declared the Petronas Twin Towers as the tallest building in the world.