Symbolic Red and Five

One of the most recognisable symbols of my country, Malaysia, is the Hibiscus (also known as bunga raya). This flower is native to Malaysia and was chosen by the country's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman (figure in black/white in the photo below) as our national flower in the year 1960.
The billboard on the left depicts Malaysia's celebration of its 50th year of Independence (or Merdeka) last year. If you look closely, you will be able to spot the stamen of the Hibiscus on the billboard.

There are many varieties of the Hibiscus. The "chosen one" is a red, five-petal bloom known as the Hibiscus rosa sinensis. Why red and five-petal? Red represents courage and five represents the Rukun Negara, the five principles of the nation. I used to recite the Rukun Negara every morning back in school and the Rukun Negara also appeared at the back of my school exercise book that I use for homework. The five principles of the Rukun Negara are:-

Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan (Belief in God)
Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara (Loyalty to King and Country)
Keluhuran Perlembagaan (Supremacy of the Constitution)
Kedaulatan Undang-undang (Rule of Law)
Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan (Mutual Respect and Morality)

Going back to the billboard above, notice that the stamen of the Hibiscus is extended from the figure "5". This red, five-petal bloom was indeed chosen for its symbolic relevance to the country. Here are more photographs from the Hibiscus Garden in Kuala Lumpur.

Did you know that the Hibiscus has medicinal properties? Hibiscus juice from its leaves and roots are used for treating skin and glandular ailments. Another good news is women can save on kohl or eyebrow pencil because its petals can be used to highlight brows! I love my country and I count my blessings for being a Malaysian!