Page 27 - Official Year Book 2020

IONAL FLOWER
(BUNGA RAYA)

At the end of 1958, the Ministry of Agriculture
had submitted seven (7) types of flowers to be
selected as the national flower.

The flowers were hibiscus, ylang- the Government decided to choose
ylang, jasmine, magnolia, lotus, rose hibiscus based on the flower criteria
and “bunga tanjung”. A study was which was already well-known
carried out by the Department of across the country, the colours and
Information to get the reaction of the interesting shapes, a name that was
public to choose the type of follower similar across the country, readily
which may be selected as the national available nationwide, and most
flower. This research was conducted importantly, would not become the
by mobile units from the Department national flower of any other country in
of Information across the urban and the world at that time.
rural areas in Peninsular Malaysia.
Based on these criteria, on 28 July
The study found that residents of 1960, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra
the East Coast had chosen rose Al-Haj declared hibiscus as the
while the West Coast residents had national flower.
chosen jasmine. However, in the end,

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