The national flag of Indonesia is a simple bicolor with two horizontal bands, red (top) and white (bottom) with an overall ratio of 2:3.

The flag of Poland has similar dimensions but has the colours reversed: white on top and red on the bottom.

[4] The earliest records of the red and white panji or pataka (a long flag on a curved bamboo pole) can be found in the Pararaton chronicle; according to this source, the Jayakatwang troops from Gelang-Gelang hoisted the red and white banner during their invasion of Singhasari in the early 12th century.

The battle flag of King Si Singamangaraja IX of Batak lands bore an image of white twin swords called piso gaja dompak against a red background.

[8] The red and white flag of the Buginese Bone kingdom in South Sulawesi is called Woromporang.

A precursor design was first seen on the cover of a Dutch magazine titled Gedenkboek 1908-1923 run by the Perhimpoenan Indonesia ('Indonesian Association').

[11] The modern red and white flag sans banteng head was first flown in Java in 1928, it was quickly prohibited under Dutch rule.

It became the flag adopted by the Kesatuan Melayu Muda to symbolise Malay nationalism against European colonialism.

The Bendera Pusaka is the flag that was flown in front of Sukarno's house after he proclaimed Indonesia's independence on 17 August 1945.

The original Bendera Pusaka was sewn by Fatmawati and was hoisted every year in front of the Merdeka Palace during the independence day ceremony.

[22] The flag must be displayed everyday in places such as the Presidential Palace, government and private office buildings, border posts and outer islands in the territory of Indonesia, and the National Heroes Cemetery.

24/2009 states that anyone who commits any of these prohibited acts may be punishable with imprisonment for up to five years or be subject to a fine of up to five hundred million rupiah.