Mohamed Hamzah

Mohamed Hamzah (5 March 1918 - 19 February 1993) was the creator of the Jalur Gemilang, the Flag of Malaysia. He was from Kampung Melayu Majidee, Johor Bahru, Johor.

When the Federation of Malaya replaced the short lived Malayan Union, the federation government through the Federal Legislative Council called for a design contest for a new flag. Three flags were forwarded to the public. The first flag had 11 white stars with two Malay kris (daggers) in the middle against a blue backdrop. The second flag "concentric circle of 11 stars around crossed keris on a blue field." The third "had 11 alternate red and white stripes and a yellow crescent and a five-pointed star on a blue background in the top left hand corner." The third design - by Mohamad Hamzah of the Public Works Department - was chosen as the winner through a public poll held by The Malay Mail. Since Malaya was fighting the communists during the Malayan Emergency, the five-pointed star had the uncanny resemblance with the communists' symbols. Therefore, the star was modified to accommodate six more points.