Brunei’s yellow flag with diagonal black and white stripes and a red state crest was formalised in 1959 and retained at independence in 1984. Yellow denotes royalty; black and white the principal ministers; the crest (crescent, hands, parasol, banner) expresses Islam, benevolence, and monarchy. Protocol and statute regulate ratio, artwork, respectful display, and retirement.
Brunei Darussalam’s flag is a monarchical and Islamic emblem crystallised in mid‑twentieth‑century reforms and carried unchanged into independence. Yellow—the royal colour common to Malay polities—forms the field; from upper hoist to lower fly run a white stripe above a black stripe, representing the Pengiran Bendahara and Pengiran Pemancha, the sultanate’s principal ministers. Centred is the red state crest: an upturned crescent bearing the national motto, supporting hands signifying benevolence, a ceremonial parasol of sovereignty, and a banner reading “Brunei Darussalam.”
The present design was promulgated on 29 September 1959 with a written constitution under British protection and was reaffirmed on 1 January 1984 when Brunei became fully independent. Legal instruments prescribe a 1:2 ratio, crest artwork and colour references, and strict handling: the flag is to be raised on royal and state occasions, on government buildings and embassies, illuminated at night if flown, and retired with dignity when unserviceable. Unauthorised alteration or commercialisation and disrespect are offences.
The unchanged design signals continuity of the Malay Muslim Monarchy (MIB) philosophy—monarchy, Islam, and national tradition—while the diagonal stripes and large crest ensure recognisability on land and sea.