Asia · Canton
How to draw the flag of Malaysia
The flag of Malaysia is a rectangular canton in the upper hoist corner over a striped field in red, white, blue and yellow, with crescent, 14-point star and 14 stripes. It flies at a ratio of 1:2.
Step by step
- Start with the right shape. Malaysia flies at 1:2 — for every 2 units of width the flag is 1 tall. Sketch that rectangle first; a flag drawn too square is the fastest way to lose layout points.
- Block in the background. Fill the whole flag with red first, then build the rest on top of it. Working from the largest area to the smallest keeps the proportions honest.
- Add the white, blue and yellow. A rectangular canton in the upper hoist corner over a striped field. Place these shapes by eye against the edges of the flag, not against each other.
- Finish with the crescent, 14-point star and 14 stripes. Detail is the last ten percent of the score, so leave it until the colour blocks are down. Size and position count for more than drawing every line of it.
Malaysia flag colours
The colour codes below are the ones to reach for if you are recreating the flag digitally.
| Colour | Hex | RGB |
|---|---|---|
| Red | #CC0001 | rgb(204, 0, 1) |
| White | #FFFFFF | rgb(255, 255, 255) |
| Blue | #010066 | rgb(1, 0, 102) |
| Yellow | #FFCC00 | rgb(255, 204, 0) |
Common mistakes
- Watch out for the United States and Liberia — they are close enough to Malaysia that people draw the wrong one from memory.
A trick for remembering it
Anchor on the biggest shape: a rectangular canton in the upper hoist corner over a striped field in red, white, blue and yellow. Everything else on the flag hangs off that.
Flags that look like this one
Side-by-side breakdowns of the pairs people mix up:
Questions about the Malaysia flag
What colours are on the flag of Malaysia?
Malaysia uses 4 colours: red (#CC0001), white (#FFFFFF), blue (#010066), yellow (#FFCC00).
What are the proportions of the Malaysia flag?
It flies at 1:2 (height to width). Drawing it at the wrong shape is one of the quickest ways to lose layout marks in the game.
Which flags look like the Malaysia flag?
United States, Liberia. Watch out for the United States and Liberia — they are close enough to Malaysia that people draw the wrong one from memory.
How hard is the Malaysia flag to draw from memory?
PlayVexle rates it 4 out of 5. There is detailed artwork in the middle, which is worth only 10% of the score — get the colour blocks right first.
