Malaysia's National Flower - Bunga Raya or Bunga Tanjung?

Hibiscus elatus, the magnificent flower of the mahoe tree

The tiny but fragrant Bunga Tanjung is native to Malaysia

Having lived in Cuba for three years, (2009 - 2011) I realised that the hibiscus (Bunga Raya) should not be the national flower of Malaysia (gasp!) But I have good reasons for stating this - the Hibiscus is native to the Caribbean - the mahagua/mahoe (Hibiscus elatus) is the national flower of Jamaica and Cuba. In the Caribbean, the hibiscus is a mighty tree, not the puny shrub we think it is. The hibiscus common in Malaysia gardens, is an import; unable to achieve it's full potential in alien soil. This in itself should tell us something - that it is not native to Malaysia. There are no hibiscus plants or trees growing in the wild in Malaysia or Asia.
So what should be our national flower? I believe it should be the Bunga Tanjung. This flower is mentioned in Malay folklore and there are songs about the Bunga Tanjung. In fact, there is a charming fairytale in Timeless Tales of Malaysia (republished as The Magic Urn and Other Timeless Tales of Malaysia,) called The Tanjung Blossom Fairy. As far as I know, there are no stories about the Bunga Raya in folklore; only hantu raya! 

The Magic Urn is available in Kinokuniya Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, and also from Gerakbudaya Bookstores in Petaling Jaya and Penang.You can also order the book from these linkshttps://www.amazon.in/Magic-Other-Timeless-Tales-Malaysia-ebook/dp/B01N97CEFM https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Urn-Other-Timeless-Malaysia/dp/9814771163:






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