The Brunei Darussalam flag has been in use since 1906 when the Sultanate signed the Supplementary Agreement with Britain. The colours in the flag represent the signatories of the agreement: yellow for the Sultan, white for the Pengiran Bendahara and black for the Pengiran Pemancha.
The yellow serves as a backdrop with two wide stripes of black and white across it diagonally. A red state crest, added in 1959, sits in the centre of the flag.
Prior to 1906, individual flags or personal standards were very much in use. Of the personal standards, those of the Sultan and the Wazirs were the most important. The Sultan also bestowed personal flags to lesser officials known as Pengiran Cheterias and Pengirans as well as other rakyat (subjects).
After the adoption of the State Flag, flags already in existence continued to be in use and flown on state occasions to distinguish individual ranks. The new State Flag was flown only at government buildings and by non-Brunei residents of the state. The use of flags was consolidated after the promulgation of the Constitution in 1959. With the exception of those specially authorised by the Sultan to retain their personal standards, the individual flags of the rakyat and the lesser Pengirans were abolished.
The National Crest consists of:
• The Bendera (flag)
• The Payung Ubor-Ubor (the royal umbrella)
• The Sayap (wing of four feathers) which signifies the protection of justice, tranquillity, prosperity and peace
• The Tangan (hands) represents the government’s pledge to promote welfare, peace and prosperity
• The Bulan (crescent) which symbolises Islam – the national religion of Brunei The Arabic characters inscribed on the crescent read “Always in Service with Allah’s Guidance”, while the words on the scroll mean “Brunei, the Abode of Peace”.