Coat of arms of Singapore

The coat of arms of Singapore is the heraldic symbol representing the sovereign island country and city-state of Singapore located in maritime Southeast Asia. It was adopted in 1959, the year Singapore attained self-governance in the British Empire, and remains in use after its independence in 1965. The people who created it, led by Toh Chin Chye, also made the national flag and the national anthem of Singapore.

At the centre of the emblem is a red shield with a white crescent, a new moon, showing Singapore as a "young nation on the rise". There are also five white stars for democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality. A lion and a tiger support the shield, showing the country's name and its history with the Malay Peninsula. Below them is a blue ribbon with the words Majulah Singapura in gold, Malay for "Onward Singapore".

The coat of arms is mainly used by the government, but many people see it on the national currency and state decorations, and it appears on the cover of the national passport.

History

When Singapore became self-governing in 1959, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew wanted to create a new coat of arms to represent the country. A committee led by deputy prime minister Toh Chin Chye was formed to design this symbol, along with the national flag and anthem. They aimed to show Singapore's united society of many different groups.

The coat of arms and flag were designed in just two months. In November 1959, a law about these symbols was approved. On December 3, 1959, the new coat of arms, flag, and anthem were shown to the people of Singapore for the first time.

Symbolism

The coat of arms of Singapore features a red shield with five white stars and a white crescent moon. These symbols are also found on the Singapore flag. The red color stands for unity and equality, while white represents purity and virtue. The crescent moon shows that Singapore is a young nation growing and moving forward. The five stars represent the nation's ideals: democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality.

On either side of the shield are a lion and a tiger. The tiger reminds us of Singapore’s past when the island was covered in jungle, and it also shows the nation’s close ties to its neighbors. The lion represents Singapore itself and also connects to its history under British rule. Below the shield, a blue ribbon carries the national motto, Majulah Singapura, meaning "Onward Singapore" in Malay, the nation’s official language. This motto is also the title of the national anthem.

Uses

In 1985, the Monetary Authority of Singapore started making a new set of coins. These coins show the coat of arms on one side. Around the coat of arms are the words for "Singapore" in four languages: English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil, along with the year the coins were made. A dollar coin with the same design came out in 1987. The 1985 coins had a special way of showing the coat of arms, but in 1992, the design was changed to the usual one.

The coat of arms is also on all Singaporean paper money since 1967. It appears on special awards too. For example, the medals for the Darjah Utama Temasek and the Sijil Kemuliaan show the full coat of arms, while the Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang medal shows just the shield part.

Main articles: Darjah Utama Temasek, Sijil Kemuliaan, Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang

Guidelines

The coat of arms of Singapore can only be used by the government. People need permission from the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts before they can print, make, show, or sell anything with the coat of arms on it. It is also not allowed to use a symbol that looks very much like the coat of arms. Even writers need permission to use the coat of arms in their stories. The only time it can be used without special permission is on government buildings and official documents.