For every Malaysians, August and September are considered the most important months of the year as it’s the time where Hari Merdeka and Malaysia Day are celebrated respectively.
While most would usually proudly display the Jalur Gemilang to profess their love for the country, there has also been a spate of unfortunate event surrounding the flag due to individuals displaying it incorrectly.
In light of these events, here’s a dive into why an upside down flag is mostly seen as a big no-no, as well as a guide in how to display the Jalur Gemilang correctly.
Why can’t a flag be upside down?
For every country, the flag is a sacred representation of its culture, history, and national sovereignty.
Here are two key reasons why any country’s flag, including Malaysia’s, cannot be displayed upside down:
1. It’s a sign of distress or insult
On the global scale, hanging the flag upside down is a sign that the country’s in a state of great distress. In the Malaysian context, an inverted Jalur Gemilang signifies disloyalty, insult and humiliation to Islam and Malay rulers.
On top of that, flying an inverted Jalur Gemilang is, according to local historian Prof. Datuk Dr. Ramlah Adam, an indirect act of waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which is punishable under Section 121 of the Penal Code.
2. It’s an intentional act of protest/disrespect towards the govt
In certain cases, individuals would purposely fly the flag upside down as a symbolic protest or means to voice displeasure and disrespect towards the country.
One prominent case of this was back in December 2024, where a group of Malaysian football fans held the Singaporean flag upside down after the national team was eliminated from the quarter-finals of the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup.
What is the punishment?
Although Malaysia doesn’t have specific laws dealing with the Jalur Gemilang being displayed incorrectly, there are several regulations that are used to punish those responsible.
- Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955
Under this law, those who display the national flag incorrectly may face up to RM100 fine if convicted as it is considered as insulting behaviour with the intent to provoke a breach of the peace.
- Section 504 of the Penal Code
This section states that any act that intentionally insults and provokes in order to disrupt public peace is an offence, and displaying the Jalur Gemilang incorrectly is of no exception. As such, those found guilty may face up to 2 years of imprisonment or with a fine or both.
- Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998
If photos of the inverted Jalur Gemilang is shared online by the one who displayed it, this is where this piece of regulation comes into the picture as it’s regarded as improper use of network facilities or network service.
Under Section 233(3), offenders are liable to a year in jail, a fine of up to RM50,000 fine, or both. Furthermore, they may also face a further fine of RM1,000 per day during which the offence is continued after conviction.
How do I display the Jalur Gemilang correctly?
If you’re looking to display the Jalur Gemilang this Merdeka, here’s a guide on how it should be displayed correctly.
If you’re looking to hang a regular Jalur Gemilang flag, you can only hang it horizontally, not vertically, upside down, or sideways.
As for Jalur Gemilangs in the form of buntings, it must be hung vertically as hanging it horizontally is considered to be the wrong method.
If there are multiple Jalur Gemilang flags hanging on a flag line, they can only be connected in a horizontal position on a flag line as you cannot connect them in a vertical position or if the flags are triangle-shaped.
Also, a final word: after you’re done displaying the Jalur Gemilang, be sure to double check that everything’s in order before you put it out on display.
Now that you know what’s the correct way to display the Jalur Gemilang, make sure to let fly high and proud this Merdeka and Malaysia Day!
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