Fresh off the Bersih 4.0 patriotic fervour, many Malaysians were furious when they noticed that the Malaysian flag displayed wrongly during the Merdeka parade earlier today. Take a look at this picture that is going viral on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and other social media.
The picture is a combination of a picture taken off a TV coverage of the parade and a still shot of the parade from a different angle. They both show the Malaysian flag in a flipped orientation.
So were their indignation right? Was the Malaysian flag displayed wrongly by the Royal Malaysian Navy personnel who carried the Jalur Gemilang? Let’s find out…
The Flipped Orientation Is The Correct Orientation
Believe it or not, the flipped orientation is the correct orientation for this parade. If the flag is carried horizontally in a parade, the “head” of the flag must lead in whichever direction the flag bearers are marching.
If they are marching from right to left, then the flag would be carried in its normal orientation. If they are marching from left to right, then the flag must be carried in its flipped orientation.
This is detailed in the official protocol for carrying the Malaysian flag, entitled “Susunan Dan Kedudukan Bendera Malaysia Apabila Dikibarkan“, which states :
Jika bendera dibawa berarak secara terbentang, bahagian kepala bendera hendaklah diusung mendahului perarakan sama seperti jika ianya dibawa dengan tiang bendera.
Here is the English translation :
If the flag is to be carried on a parade horizontally, the head of the flag must lead the parade, just as if it was being carried on a flag pole.
Many thanks to Ivan Ng for the link!
So there you have it. Our boys in the Royal Malaysian Navy didn’t screw things up. They shouldn’t. They have had plenty of practice. 😀
It depends on where the grand stand is. If it’s on the right of picture with marching from right to left flag is upright. As a respect to the national flag can’t this orientation be considered instead?
Yes, as well as the marching direction.
I have no idea why they marched from left to right, instead of right to left in Dataran Merdeka, but there is nothing wrong with the orientation of the flag.
Even when you carry the flag vertically on a flagpole, people on one side will see the flipped flag.
As long as the head of the flag leads, it is the correct orientation.