The Flags of the Malay Peninsula. 



In response to a request made some little time ago, the Council 

 of the Society has decided to publish here seven plates illustrative 

 of the flags generally recognised in the Malay Peninsula. The 

 drawings from which the plates have been prepared were in most 

 cases procured through members of the Society, who are at the 

 same time Officers of the State serving in different parts of the 

 Peninsula. For the ready way in which they gave their help, the 

 Society's best thanks are due. 



The ensign of the Straits Settlements is constructed as those 

 of all British Colonies from the Blue Ensign, by the addition of 

 the Colonial emblem in the fly. The same Colonial emblem 

 wreathed in oak leaves in the centre of the Union Jack makes the 

 Governor's flag. The device of the emblem is three crowns em- 

 bayed on white in a lozenge the ground of which is red, the crowns 

 representing the three Settlements. 



The Chief Secretary of the Federated Malay States has a Jack 

 corresponding to the Governor's in which a kris is the emblem. 



Very recently all the Malay States used flags as emblems 

 which were of one colour; but as it became known in them that the 

 self-coloured flags at sea and elsewhere had special significances 

 for the purpose of signalling, the desirability of using something 

 more distinctive was realised and a change has been made in every 

 State except Tringganu. Tringganu still retains its plain white 

 flag. 



Pahang, its neighbour, used a plain black flag, until, as sym- 

 bolical of the Union of the ruler with his people, white was associ- 

 ated with the black, — first a narrow white band along the inner edge 

 then an upper white half. This final design was fixed by the State 

 Council on the 28th of December, 1903. As far as can be ascer- 

 tained the flag of Kelantan was plain white up to the time when the 

 State came under British Protection. Being white, it would not be 

 distinctive as regards Tringganu. After the State had come under 

 protection, a figure of a tiger was added in mid-flag coloured in the 

 case of the State flag a very dark blue, and in His Highness the 

 Sultan's own flag yellow, the ground remaining white as before. 

 Similarly the Perak flags used to be self-coloured, but now the 

 jfchree colours, formerly employed, are combined into the one flag, 

 In Kedah up to six years ago self-coloured flags were used. The 

 Sultan used a plain yellow one, the Malay emblem of Eoyalty, the 

 State flag was a plain red one and the late Raja Mnda's a plain 

 black. When the Sultan and his suite went to Europe for the 

 corronation of their Majesties King George Y. and Queen Mary, the 



Jour. Straits Branch R. A. Soc, No. 75, 1917. 



