It is only normal for a nation to ‘borrow’ elements from the design of other national flags in creating its own, said Fuad Hassan, director-general of Department of Special Affairs (Jasa).

“The flag is a symbol of the emergence of a nation, the dignity and unity of a nation. Even if there are elements of 'borrowing', this is something normal,” he told Utusan Malaysia in an interview published today.

“What is important is that it is modified according to the cultural and historical background, and the development of the respective countries. Most importantly, the meaning of independence.”

He pointed out that Australian flag is similar to Britain’s, while Singapore’s resembles Indonesia’s and the American flag was inspired by that of the British East India Company.

“The suggestion that this nation's flag should be similar to that of Indonesia was a demand of Ibrahim Yaakob,” he explained.

“He was then with Ahmad Boestaman, the leftist nationalist who wanted Malaya to gain independence together with Indonesia, under the concept of Indonesia Raya. They also wanted independence together with the Philippines.”

malaysia flag jalur gemilang Fuad stressed that the design of the Malaysian flag was selected from among 373 samples submitted in 1949. It was created by Mohamad Hamzah, an architect at the time with the Johor Public Works Department.

In another report by Malay daily Sinar Harian, Universiti Teknologi Mara's Administrative Science and Policy Studies dean Professor Ramlah Adam said the Sang Saka Malay- which was displayed at the Janji Demokrasi rally - has never been the official flag in the pre-independence era.

The historian said the flag was used by groups who supported the proposal to form Indonesia Raya and this proposal was first brought into Tanah Melayu by leftist group Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM) led by Ibrahim Yaakob in 1938.

The proposal to merge Tanah Melayu and Indonesia into a republic named Indonesia Raya or Melayu Raya, she said, was rejected by majority of the Malays in the peninsula who preferred to have Malay rulers and Islam.

“That was why the majority of them chose the struggle of Umno,” explained Ramlah, who is also in the Perkasa leadership council

After the KMM was banned, its ideology was taken up by Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya headed by Mokhtaruddin Lasso, Burhanuddin Helmi and Ahmad Boestamam, she said.

Police to question blogger

In a related development, Kuala Lumpur police chief Mohmad Salleh told Berita Harian that PKR Youth deputy publicity chief Najwan Halimi would be summoned to have his statement recorded over the flag flying incident at Dataran Merdekda on the eve of Merdeka Day.

timbalan ketua penerangan amk najwan halimi “We will summon him to assist investigation including to identify the motive behind the appearance of the flag (based on what he wrote yesterday),” he was quoted as saying.

According to Najwan's blog , he had came up with the Sang Saka Malaya flag design in 2007 and had blogged about it again on August 30, 2009.

Najwan (left) argued that the Malaysian flag was adapted from that of the US.

The Sang Saka Malaya was reproduced by two participants and displayed at the Janji Demokrasi gathering, attracting criticism from the Malay press and the authorities. They alleged this was an attempt to replace the national flag.