Saturday 5 January 2019

Penang's coat of arms 1949-1988


Did you know? 

This coat of arms was granted to the Settlement of Penang, then in the Federation of Malaya, by a Royal Warrant of King George VI dated 11 September 1949.

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

The motto Bersatu dan Setia was adopted by the Settlement Council of Penang in 1950. 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.

(Text largely from Wikipedia.)

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