SHAH ALAM, Sept 20 — The state flag is once again flying from Southeast Asia’s tallest flagpole, standing 120 metres high at Dataran Selangor, following a ceremony to lower the Jalur Gemilang today.
The flying of the flag symbolises Selangor’s sovereignty and identity, as well as its position as one of Malaysia’s leading states in development.
The Sultan of Selangor's military aide-de-camp Captain (R) Dato' Ahmad Ramli Kardi said the idea for constructing the flagpole was inspired by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj after His Royal Highness saw the Tiang Ibu Pertiwi during a visit to Kuching, Sarawak.
The Ruler's decree was subsequently translated into the construction of the Selangor State Flagpole at Dataran Selangor.
“The purpose of constructing the Selangor State Flagpole is to foster a culture of respecting the flag as a symbol that unites all the people.
“So, the lowering of the Jalur Gemilang followed by the raising of the Selangor flag was carried out to symbolise the spirit of patriotism. Moreover, there is a lack of large-sized flags in Selangor itself,” he said.
Ramli was speaking to the media during the ceremony to lower the Jalur Gemilang and raise the Selangor flag at Dataran Selangor today.
He also encouraged members of the public to visit the site to see the 120-metre flagpole for themselves.
Meanwhile, Selangor Public Works Department's principal architect Wan Mohammad Norshah said the flagpole was designed entirely by their architectural and technical divisions without appointing external consultants.
The construction of the flagpole was not intended to show off, but rather to reinforce Selangor’s position as a pioneering and sovereign state.
“The flag being raised is not merely a piece of cloth flying in the wind, but reflects our personal values as citizens and our appreciation of the principles as we uphold the Rukun Negara,” he said.
