Jalur Gemilang at half-mast with respect to tragedy

The Jalur Gemilang flying at half-mast at the Dataran Merdeka.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that the government has decided to declare for the country's national flag the "Jalur Gemilang" to be flown at half-mast until Monday, in a special mandate on Friday.

The flag will fly at half-mast as the country mourns for the passengers and crew on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 that was suspected to have been shot down by missile strike over eastern Ukraine on Thursday.

Other countries also followed suit by having their respective flags flown at half-mast in respect of the MH17 aircraft tragedy.

#MH17 Mulai Semalam sehingga 21 Julai, 2014 bendera negara dikibarkan separuh tiang di seluruh negara.pic.twitter.com/yHlRdyTHPI

— Suara Generasi Baru (@PortalSGB_) July 19, 2014

Bendera malaysia digantung/dikibar pada setengah tiang di seluruh negeri dan di seluruh tempat . Allahu . #MH17pic.twitter.com/PPpkFtH8Vx"

— BabyFace ♥ (@Xoxo_Senget) July 19, 2014

Bendera Malaysia diturunkan tanda menghormati peristiwa#MH17 via #Camera360# pic.twitter.com/vt8lFi8krm

— KathyySyamsul's (@ketyOraaaa) July 19, 2014

Malaysian national flag to fly at half-mast as a sign of mourning until Monday #MH17 http://t.co/hbqqENhECGpic.twitter.com/LzLt9Fd6Fb

— avy (@anovergy) July 19, 2014

Half-mast for the violence against Malaysia and against humanity. #MH17 @501Awani http://t.co/6eq75aLJAG
— Zan Azlee (@fatbidin) July 19, 2014

Dutch flag at half-mast at the European Parliament, in accordance with the day of mourning in the Netherlands.#MH17 pic.twitter.com/W9BCE6Xz7j
— Jaume Duch (@jduch) July 18, 2014

Our national flag flying at half mast in my parish. 173 Dutch passengers among the 298 who died in the #MH17 crash.pic.twitter.com/tCDn7v3jPc
— Roderick Vonhogen (@FatherRoderick) July 18, 2014

Australian flag flies at half mast outside Ukrainian Orthodox Church in #Canberra to remember 298 victims of #MH17.pic.twitter.com/5lcPPSBewt
— ABC News Canberra (@abcnewsCanberra) July 19, 2014

Flags such as these at the Malaysian Embassy in #Canberraare flying at half mast today to remember flight #MH17pic.twitter.com/5zlKG4Fv9X
— ABC News Canberra (@abcnewsCanberra) July 19, 2014

Flag flies at half-staff outside #Malaysia Embassy in#Washington #DC in memory of #MH17 victims.pic.twitter.com/Jn2I8B8YWR
— Tom Fitzgerald (@FitzFox5DC) July 18, 2014

Following a Royal Decree from Her Majesty The Queen, the flag above Kew Palace flies at half-mast in honour of#MH17. pic.twitter.com/6qWN4ZcDqs
— Zara (@Countess81) July 18, 2014

Many flags flying at half mast in #Canberra today. AFP College in Barton. #MH17 pic.twitter.com/skPvVxPRoB

— Tegan Osborne (@tegan_osborne) July 19, 2014

A Boeing 777 belonging to Malaysia Airlines (MAS) was shot down near the Russian border, on Thursday.

The plane took off from Amsterdam at 12.15 pm local time and was expected to arrive in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at about 6:10 am local time. - ASTRO Awani