Flag of Brunei

History

With the exception of the symbol, Brunei's current national flag design has been in use since 1906, when the country became a British protectorate under an agreement with the government of the United Kingdom. After the constitution was proclaimed on 29 September 1959, the national emblem was added. Prior to 1906, the sultan and other high-ranking officials, such as wazirs, used their personal standards as Brunei's only flag. The yellow, white, and black colors of the national flag represented the signatories' solidarity in the 1906 pact. Only some people, such as the descendants of sultans and wazirs, were permitted to keep their own banners after 1959 in an effort to decrease the number of flags flown during state occasions.

Design and symbolism

The red national emblem, with uplifted hands signifying unity and support for the government, sits in the center of the flag. The symbol is 24 inches from the left and right edges, which is the same distance from either side. The national motto, "Sentiasa Membuat Kebajikan Dengan Petunjuk Allah" (meaning "Always Render Service with God's Guidance"), is inscribed in yellow Arabic calligraphy.

The flag incorporates four colours:

• Yellow for the background, symbolising the monarchy.
• White for the upper diagonal, representing the wazirs' purity.
• Black for the lower diagonal, indicating strength and determination.
• Red for the emblem, symbolising bravery and unity.

In Southeast Asia, yellow is traditionally the colour of royalty, and the royal standards of Malaysia and Thailand, and the flag of Sarawak, along with the presidential flag of Indonesia, all use a yellow field as well. The crescent symbolises Islam, the parasol symbolises monarchy, and the hands at the side symbolise the benevolence of the government. The black and white stripes represent Brunei's wazirs who were once joint-regents and then – after the sultan came of age – senior advisors: the Pengiran Bendahara (First Minister, symbolised by a slightly thicker white stripe) and the Pengiran Pemancha (Second Minister, governing foreign affairs, symbolised by black), with the white stripe being roughly 12% wider than the black one.

Colors

Construction Sheet

|File:Brunei Flag Official Measurements.jpg|Flag construction sheet

Historical flags

File:Old Flag of Brunei.svg|Flag from 1888 to 1906 File:Flag of Brunei 1906-1959.svg|Flag from 1906 to 1959 File:Flag of Brunei (alternative version).png|Alternative flag version based on pre-1959 coat of arms

References

References

1. "Flag of Brunei | Color, Meaning & History | Britannica".
2. (2015). "Semarak Hari Kebangsaan Negara Brunei Darussalam 1984 - 2015". Informations Department.
3. (1935). "The National Geographic Magazine". National Geographic Society.
4. (1984). "The Flag Bulletin". Flag Research Center.
5. (1946). "Annual Report: Brunei". H.M. Stationery Office.