SHAH ALAM: The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, witnessed the Selangor state flag-hoisting ceremony at Dataran Selangor, a new landmark featuring South-East Asia’s tallest flagpole at 120m.
The arrival of His Royal Highness was welcomed by the Raja Muda of Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Selangor State Secretary Datuk Dr Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin were also present.
Sultan Sharafuddin decreed that the Jalur Gemilang be flown from the flagpole for 10 days during the annual National Day celebrations on Aug 31, as a symbol of patriotism and national unity between Selangor and other states in Malaysia.
The Ruler said when he conceived the construction of the flagpole, he hoped that it would serve as a symbol of unity for the people of Selangor, while also fostering respect for the flag and strengthening the spirit of love for the state.
“I chose March 8, as the date for the inauguration of this flagpole, in conjunction with the birthday of my late father, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Alhaj.
“My late father was the most important figure in the development of Shah Alam, and in proclaiming it the capital of Selangor in 1978,” Sultan Sharafuddin said.
The hoisting of the 15m by 30m flag, weighing about 50kg, was carried out by 40 personnel from the Royal Malaysian Navy, led by Petty Officer PWP Samsul Hashim.
At the same ceremony, Sultan Sharafuddin also witnessed the presentation of the Malaysia Book of Records certificate, recognising the tallest flagpole in South-East Asia, to Ahmad Fadzli, representing the state government.
The flagpole at Dataran Selangor, located at Kelab Shah Alam, Section 13, Shah Alam, surpasses the previous record held by the Ibu Pertiwi Flagpole in Kuching, Sarawak, which stands at 99.4m, which received recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records in 2024, Bernama reported.
The construction of the flagpole was inspired by and carried out following the decree of Sultan Sharafuddin on Dec 1, 2023, expressing his wish for a tall and iconic flagpole to be built as a landmark symbol of pride for Selangor in Shah Alam.
Dataran Selangor, which houses the landmark, adopts the Bunga Tanjung Kelopak Sembilan motif as a symbol of Selangor’s identity, representing its nine districts.
The project began on Sept 10, 2024 and was completed on March 7 – six days ahead of schedule – at a total cost of RM8.5mil.
