Coat of arms of Penang

Last updated

Coat of arms of Penang
Coat of arms of Penang.svg
Armiger Flag of Penang (Malaysia).svg  Penang
Adopted1988
Crest On a wreath of the Colours upon a mount a Pinang or Areca-nut palm leaved and fructed Proper
Shield Barry wavy of ten Azure and Argent upon a chief Or a depiction of the Penang Bridge Proper
Motto Bersatu dan Setia
(United and Loyal)

The coat of arms of Penang is largely based on the coat of arms of Penang first granted to the Settlement (now State) of Penang, then in the Federation of Malaya, by a Royal Warrant of King George VI dated 11 September 1949.

Contents

Between 1911 (the date of a previous Royal Warrant) and 1946, when the colony of the Straits Settlements was dissolved, the Settlement was represented in the Straits Settlements' coat of arms by the second quarter, Argent on a mount an areca nut palm tree Proper. The Areca-nut palm is the tree from which Penang (Pulau Pinang) derives its name.

Settlement and state arms

Original coat of arms of Penang, with motto added in 1950. Coat of arms of Penang (1950-1988).svg
Original coat of arms of Penang, with motto added in 1950.

The coat of arms as granted was blazoned: [1]

Shield: Barry wavy of eight Azure and Argent upon a chief crenellée Or a plume of three ostrich feathers surmounted by a riband of the First on the riband the words Ich Dien in letters of the Third.
Crest: On a wreath of the Colours upon a mount a Pinang or Areca-nut palm leaved and fructed Proper.

The Prince of Wales's feathers and the motto Ich Dien referred to the fact that Penang was founded in 1786 as the Prince of Wales Island, while the blue and white bars are in reference to the Malacca Straits that surround Penang Island, separating it from Province Wellesley (now Seberang Perai) on the mainland.

The Areca-nut palm on the crest represents the origins of the Island's name.

The motto Bersatu dan Setia (Malay: "United and Loyal") was adopted by the Settlement Council of Penang in 1950. [2] As this was during the height of the Penang secessionist movement, the motto may have implied loyalty to the British crown, rather than to the Federation of Malaya. [3] Penang also has an unofficial motto, "Let Penang Lead". [4]

Present-day state arms

Subsequently, after the construction of the Penang Bridge from 1982 to 1985, the state coat of arms was changed to the present design, [5] which can be blazoned as:

Shield: Barry wavy of ten Azure and Argent upon a chief Or a depiction of the Penang Bridge Proper
Crest: On a wreath of the Colours upon a mount a Pinang or Areca-nut palm leaved and fructed Proper
Motto: "Bersatu dan Setia".

Historical state arms

Coat of armsDurationPolitical entityDescriptionNotes
Coat of arms of the Straits Settlements.svg
1874–1941, 1945–1946 Straits Settlements Shield: "Quarterly, the first quarter gules, issuant from the base a tower proper, on the battlements thereof a lion passant guardant Or; the second quarter argent, on a mount an areca nut palm tree proper; the third quarter also argent a sprig of the oil tree keruing proper; the fourth quarter azure in base on waves of the sea in front of a representation of the sun rising behind a mountain, a sailing yacht in full sail to the sinister, all proper."

Crest: "A demi-lion rampant guardant supporting in the paws a staff proper, thereon flying to the sinister a banner azure, charged with three imperial crowns."

The "second quarter argent" containing an areca nut palm tree on a mount represented Penang.
Coat of arms of Penang (1949-1950).svg
1949 - 1950 Crown Colony of Penang THE ARMORIAL ENSIGNS for the Settlement Penang which have been approved by Royal Warrant read during the meeting of the Settlement Council on 29 Dec 1949. [6] The motto on the Coat of Arms was later adopted on 7 Nov 1950. [7]

City council arms

George Town City Council

Coat of arms of the City Council of George Town Coat of arms of the City of George Town, Penang.JPG
Coat of arms of the City Council of George Town

The arms of the Municipal Council (from 1 January 1957, City Council) of George Town were granted by the English College of Arms on 4 September 1953, [8] based on the arms of the Settlement of Penang:

Shield: Barry wavy of eight Azure and Argent a plume of three ostrich feathers Proper tied with a riband Or a chief embattled of the Last
Crest: On a wreath of the Colours issuant from a wreath of palm Vert a lion passant guardant Azure
Motto: "Leading We Serve"

The motto is a combination of the motto of the Prince of Wales, Ich Dien (I serve), and the unofficial motto of Penang, "Let Penang Lead".

Penang Island City Council

Present-day coat of arms of the Penang Island City Council Seal of George Town.svg
Present-day coat of arms of the Penang Island City Council

In 1974, the George Town City Council was merged with the Penang Island Rural District Council to form the Penang Island Municipal Council (now Penang Island City Council). The arms of the municipality is displayed on a native shield and contains much local symbolism, but generally conforms to traditional English heraldic principles, and may be blazoned as follows. [9]

Shield: Barry wavy of eight Azure and Argent a chief embattled Or overall a Pinang or areca-nut palm leaved and fructed Proper
Crest: On a wreath of the Colours mantled Vert doubled Or a crescent therefrom issuant a mullet of the Last
Supporters: On a compartment of waves barry wavy Azure and Argent issuant therefrom a mount Vert two dolphins hauriant torqued of the First finned Or
Motto: "Memimpin Sambil Berkhidmat" (Malay: "Leading We Serve")

The municipal arms is retained by the Penang Island City Council when it was accorded city status for the entire Penang Island in 2015, hence succeeding the Municipal Council.

Notes

  1. Commonwealth Relations Office List. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1960.
  2. Penang Information Guide. Penang: K.H. Khaw. 1951.
  3. A motion for Penang to secede from the Federation and to join Singapore as a separate British crown colony was narrowly defeated 15 votes to 10 in February 1949, mainly by the use of British official votes, see: Christie (1996). A Modern History of Southeast Asia: Decolonization, Nationalism and Separatism. London: I.B. Tauris. ISBN   1-86064-354-X.
  4. "Journal of the Parliaments of the Commonwealth". Journal of the Parliaments of the Commonwealth. 34. Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, General Council. 1953.
  5. Bendera dan Lambing Negara dan Negeri Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Ministry of Information. 1963.
  6. "NewspaperSG". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  7. "NewspaperSG". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  8. Heritage: George Town's original coat of arms
  9. MPPP - Introduction/Logo Archived 9 March 2005 at the Wayback Machine

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Prince Edward Island</span>

The coat of arms of Prince Edward Island, officially the King's Arms in Right of Prince Edward Island, are the coat of arms of Prince Edward Island, being the arms of King Charles III in right of the province. They were created when the shield and motto in the achievement were granted in 1905 by royal warrant from King Edward VII. The latest iteration was given by the Canadian Heraldic Authority in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Nunavut</span>

The coat of arms of Nunavut was granted by a warrant of Roméo LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada, dated 31 March 1999, one day before the territory of Nunavut, Canada, was created. The same document specified the flag of Nunavut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the Bahamas</span> National coat of arms of The Bahamas

The coat of arms of the Bahamas contains a shield with the national symbols as its focal point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Toronto</span> Official coat of arms of the City of Toronto

The coat of arms of Toronto is a heraldic symbol used to represent the city Toronto. Designed by Robert Watt, the Chief Herald of Canada at the time, for the City of Toronto after its amalgamation in 1998. The arms were granted by the Canadian Heraldic Authority on 11 January 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Malaysia</span>

The coat of arms of Malaysia is a coat of arms comprising a shield or escutcheon, two tigers for supporters, a crescent and fourteen-pointed star for a crest and a motto. As the Malaysian coat of arms descended from that of the Federated Malay States under British colonial rule, it resembles European heraldic designs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Uganda</span>

The coat of arms of Uganda was adopted three weeks before the proclamation of independence by the Uganda Legislative Council. On 1 October 1962 the arms were approved by Governor of Uganda Walter Coutts, and formally established by law on 9 October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipal Borough of Edmonton</span>

Edmonton was a local government district in north-east Middlesex, England, from 1850 to 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Brisbane</span>

The coat of arms of Brisbane is the official coat of arms of the city of Brisbane. It was first adopted in 1925 and draws much of its symbology from Sir Thomas Brisbane, for whom Brisbane was named.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of the British Antarctic Territory</span> British overseas territory flag

The flag of the British Antarctic Territory was granted on 21 April 1998. It features the coat of arms granted on 1 August 1963, a year after the British Antarctic Territory, a British Overseas Territory, was created. Previously, the Territory was a part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies and used the same flag. On 30 May 1969, a blue ensign with the British Antarctic Territory coat of arms in the fly was introduced as a government ensign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Sierra Leone</span> National coat of arms of the Republic of Sierra Leone

The coat of arms of Sierra Leone, were developed by the College of Arms and granted in 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Seychelles</span> Coat of arms of the Indian Ocean country

The coat of arms of the Republic of Seychelles shows a shield, in which a giant tortoise is located on green grounds. On the ground there is a coco de mer palm tree. Behind it there is a blue sea with two islands and a sail ship to be seen. The shield is enthroned by a silver helmet, on which a white-tailed tropicbird is located above blue and white waves. The shield is supported by two white sailfish. Beneath the shield the motto of Seychelles is stated: "Finis Coronat Opus".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Dominica</span>

The coat of arms of Dominica was adopted on July 21, 1961. It consists of a shield with two guardian sisserou parrots bracing the shield atop of which is a lion passant. The quarters of the shield depict a canoe, a banana tree, a palm and a frog of the native species known as the mountain chicken. Below the shield is the national motto: Apres Bondie C'est La Ter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Malawi</span>

The coat of arms of Malawi is based on the earlier heraldic arms of Nyasaland. It is supported by a lion and a leopard, above a scroll reading "Unity and Freedom". A rising sun in a black field, like in the lower field in the shield, is also present in the flag of Malawi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Penang</span> State flag of Penang

The flag of Penang consists of three vertical bands and an areca-nut palm on a grassy mount in the centre. All three bands are of equal width. From left to right, the colour of each band is light blue, white and yellow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Sint Eustatius</span>

The coat of arms of Sint Eustatius consists of a shield and the motto. It was established on 9 November 2004 by the Island council of Sint Eustatius, when it was still part of the Netherlands Antilles. It remained the coat of arms of Sint Eustatius after the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles and the subsequent change of Sint Eustatius's constitutional status into a special municipality of the Netherlands in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council</span>

The coat of arms of Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council was granted on 1 September 1965. The council is the local authority for Barking and Dagenham, Greater London, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the London Borough of Bexley</span>

Coat of arms of the London Borough of Bexley is the official coat of arms of the London Borough of Bexley, granted on 20 May 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the London Borough of Hackney</span>

The coat of arms of the London Borough of Hackney is the official heraldic arms of the London Borough of Hackney, England. The coat of arms were granted on 25 July 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Oxford</span>

The coat of arms of Oxford is the official heraldic arms of Oxford, England, used by Oxford City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the University of Toronto</span> University emblem

The coat of arms of the University of Toronto is the primary emblem of the University of Toronto, which is the largest university in Canada. It is currently used in several different contexts by the University and can be seen on its own, on the University banner, as part of the heraldic achievement of the University, or featured in the logos of numerous University divisions, as well as the logo of the University as a whole.