Hoist the Malaysian flag

Three places in the country are especially scenic when it comes to watching the Malaysian flag flutter in the sky. Watching the scenes at Kuala Lumpur’s Dataran Merdeka, at the Tip of Borneo in Kudat, Sabah, as well as the lovely Kuching Waterfront in Kuching, Sarawak, has never failed to evoke a sensation of pride in me.

DATARAN MERDEKA

Over at Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square) in Kuala Lumpur, a giant Malaysian flag flutters on apole, one of the tallest in the world. Imagine a building of 30 stories and you’ll get a feel of the height of the flag pole. Lie down flat on your back on the field at the Dataran — that’s the best way to watch the flag atop the pole, which stands at the southern end of the square.

Hoisted for the first time at midnight on Aug 31, 1957, the flag at Dataran Merdeka is the perfect reminder for all Malaysians of the independence of the nation from colonial rule. The huge flag is like the mother of all Malaysian flags, fluttering above the field, once known as Selangor Club Padang, where cricket games were held back in the day.

Near the pole is an old water fountain, the Queen Victoria Fountain, regarded as the Grand Old Lady of Fountains in the city. Built to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, the fountain has two tiers with carvings of figures around it. Water flows from the upper tier and then drops into a circular pool. Soft lights illuminate the fountain at night, making it quite a sight.

Charming buildings are situated quite near the flagpole area. The most famous is the Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad with Moorish-style arches, domes and towers, and eye-catching earth-coloured brick walls. One of the towers bears a clock, dubbed the Big Ben of Malaysia. Listen to the chime of the clock on the hour and you’ll get a tingling feeling that makes watching the more than century-old building such a pleasant experience. The Malaysian flag flutters against the blue sky over Dataran Merdeka, a scenic spot in Kuala Lumpur. The flag pole is one of the tallest in the world.

Other buildings include the Tudor-style Royal Selangor Club building and the St Mary’s Anglican Cathedral.

TIP OF BORNEO

This is the most sensational spot to see the Malaysian flag. Reaching to the sky, the flag pole stands next to a bronze globe bearing a map telling you exactly where you are standing. You are at the very tip of Borneo, the third largest island in the world, after Greenland and New Guinea.

And its northern-most tip is the meeting point of the South China Sea and Sulu Sea. Straddling this scenic coast in Sabah are hills with emerald-green forests, still in abundance at this place called Tanjung Simpang Mengayau.

Strong winds cause the Malaysian flag to flutter unceasingly. It makes for a spectacular sight near the edge of the headland, which rises from the sea. Below, the waves pound mercilessly. You’ll be lost in the moment watching the flag while listening to the rhythmic percussion of the waves hitting the rocky shore. The churning waters and strong winds through time have left incredible markings on the cliff face. The patterns look like sea waves, in shades of light brown and off-white against the rugged greyish-black rocky headland.

Tanjung Simpang Mengaya was a battleground in the old days. It was originally called Tanjung (cape) Sampang (junction) Mangazou (battle) in the language of the Rungus, the natives of Kudat. Their forefathers had fought fierce battles to defend Rungus territory against invading enemies, including the Moro pirates who terrorised the Sulu Sea.

Spanish sailor and navigator Juan Sebasti·n del Cano, who set sail with Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in a gruelling expedition to circumnavigate the Earth in the 16th century, had also stopped at the cape for 42 days to have his ships repaired and fresh supplies stocked up.

Magellan did not make it to the cape as he was killed at an earlier point at Mactan Island near Cebu in the Philippines. The sailors, who stopped at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, were at first welcomed by the Rungus, who were happy to trade with the foreigners. However, over time, the sailors started to steal the livestock and vegetables, and harassed Rungus girls,

The most spectacular place for a Malaysian flag pole — the Tip of Borneo in Kudat, Sabah.