Coat of Arms of Singapore
| Coat of arms of Singapore | |
|---|---|
.svg) |
|
| Details | |
| Armiger | Republic of Singapore |
| Adopted | 1959 |
| Escutcheon | Gules, a crescent facing a pentagon of five mullets argent |
| Supporters | A lion dexter and a tiger sinister rampant guardant standing on two stalks of padi (rice) Or |
| Motto | Majulah Singapura |
| Earlier versions | See List of coats of arms used in Singapore |
| Use | Reverse of coins, government buildings, Acts of Parliament, commissions and treaties |
The National Coat of Arms of Singapore is the heraldic symbol representing the Southeast Asian island nation of Singapore. It was adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. The committee that created it, headed by then Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye, was also responsible for the national flag and the national anthem of Singapore.
At the centre of the emblem is a red shield bearing a white crescent (a new moon, representing a rising young nation) and five white stars (representing various national ideals including multiculturalism), supported by a lion and a tiger (representing Singapore and Malaysia respectively); below them is a blue ribbon inscribed with Majulah Singapura in gold, Malay for "Onward Singapore". While the use of the coat of arms is restricted to the government, the symbol enjoys wide use on the national currency and state decorations, and appears on the cover of the national passport.
When Singapore became self-governing in 1959 Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was determined to create for the new state a coat of arms, among other symbols, to replace the coat of arms of the United Kingdom that had been in use until then. A committee was formed to design the state symbols, headed by the deputy prime minister Toh Chin Chye, who wanted both the arms and flag of Singapore to represent the country's united, multi-ethnic society.
The coat of arms and the flag were created over a span of two months by Toh and his committee. A law establishing the state symbols of Singapore was presented to the National Assembly by the Minister of Culture, S. Rajaratnam, and approved in November 1959. On 3 December 1959, the state coat of arms, flag and anthem were presented to the people of Singapore for the first time.
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