Love for the land: Fadhlina pinning the Jalur Gemilang badge onto the uniform of a Form Six student during an event at SMK Datuk Haji Ahmad Badawi in Kepala Batas, Penang.
KEPALA BATAS: Educational institutions not under the jurisdiction of the Education Ministry are also encouraged to implement the wearing of the Jalur Gemilang badge.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said this is to ensure the initiative reaches all students in the country and is supported by everyone.
“We have 5.3 million students under the ministry and beginning today, all of them will be wearing the Jalur Gemilang,” she told reporters after an event to kick off the wearing of the Jalur Gemilang on school uniforms at SMK Datuk Haji Ahmad Badawi here yesterday.
Fadhlina said one crucial element that must be seen through this initiative is firm commitment to ensure the early introduction of values tied to patriotism, unity and national identity.
“This includes the incorporation of these values at the preschool and primary school levels, as well as across all research and educational institutions in Malaysia,” she said.
“By embedding the spirit of the Jalur Gemilang into the academic and developmental journey from an early stage, the ministry aims to nurture a generation that is not only intellectually capable but also deeply connected to their national roots and identity.
“We believe that by distributing the Jalur Gemilang for free to all government institutions, it will help foster a stronger sense of patriotism.
“This effort will be supported by our dedicated teachers, who will instil in their students the proper protocols, etiquette, usage and respect that must be shown when wearing the Jalur Gemilang,” she said.
The Education Ministry earlier announced a phased implementation of the Jalur Gemilang badge on uniforms at all its educational institutions effective yesterday.
The initiative involves government schools, government-aided schools, matriculation colleges and the Malaysian Teacher Education Institute to instil a deep sense of patriotism among both students and educators.
Meanwhile, Fadhlina said students who do not wear the badge will not face any punishment as the initiative is not meant to be punitive, but rather to cultivate a sense of love for the country.
The national flag of Malaysia, known as the Jalur Gemilang, was officially adopted on May 26, 1950. The design was selected through a national competition organised by the Federal Legislative Council in 1949.
Initially representing the Federation of Malaya, the flag originally had 11 alternating red and white stripes, symbolising equal status among the 11-member states.
A blue canton in the top left corner signifies unity among the people, while a crescent and star represent Islam as the official religion and the unity of the states, respectively. The yellow colour of the crescent and star signifies royal sovereignty.
Following Malaysia’s formation in 1963, with the inclusion of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore, the flag retained its original design, but with 14 stripes and points on the star. When Singapore left the federation, the stripes and points came to represent the 13 states and the federal territories.
On Aug 31, 1997, the flag was officially named Jalur Gemilang – meaning Stripes of Glory – by then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The name reflects the pride, struggle and unity of the Malaysian people.
