Jumaro has flown the Jalur Gemilang all year for more than three decades

For more than three decades, Mohd. Jumaro Marzuki has kept Malaysia’s Jalur Gemilang flying outside his home in Felda Raja Alias 4, Bandar Sri Jempol. The 69-year-old does not limit the practice to National Month. He displays the flag throughout the year.

Jumaro, known locally as “Uncle Flag,” is often invited by agencies and community groups to explain how the flag should be mounted and arranged. “A flag is not just a piece of cloth, but the identity and dignity of our country,” he said.

He also collects Jalur Gemilang flags that have fallen or come loose beside roads. If they remain in good condition, he stores them or uses them again. Flags at his own home stay up all year and are replaced only when they become damaged or torn. His wife helps repair flags that have been installed incorrectly.

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A flag is not just a piece of cloth, but the identity and dignity of our country.

Jumaro was born on Aug. 31, 1957, the date Malaysia gained independence, and residents’ associations often invite him to celebrate his birthday. He estimates that he has spent about RM10,000 on flags over 30 years, buying them gradually when he could afford to do so. He does not regard the expense as wasteful or as a competition.

“Every home should have one Jalur Gemilang,” Jumaro said. He hopes younger people will renew the habit of displaying the national flag, recalling that children once carried flags even at seven, eight or nine years old.

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Every home should have one Jalur Gemilang.