Malay gained its independence from Britain in 1957. The original flag of Malay was based on the 'Stars and Stripes' of the USA flag, mixed with Islamic symbolism, and included eleven red and white stripes with a blue canton inside which sat a yellow crescent moon and a yellow eleven-pointed star (known as the Federal Star). The eleven stripes and eleven points on the star represented the eleven states of Malay.
Following the formation of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 and the inclusion of three additional states in this Federation (Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak), three additional stripes were added to the flag on as well as three additional points on the star. This officially occured on 16 September 1963. Upon Singapore seceding from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965, the flag's extra stripe and star point was retained.
The flag of Malaysia was designed by Mohamed Hamzah and is sometimes referred to as the 'Stripes of Glory'. The flag's ratio is 1:2.
The flag of Malaysia flies