SINGAPORE – Singaporeans may soon be able to display the national flag on occasions other than National Day without falling foul of the law, as the authorities look into potentially amending rules to encourage the public to use national symbols with “more confidence”.
The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said on Friday (Oct 29) that it will look into amending the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem (Safna) Act, which limits public display of the national flag to between July 1 and Sept 30, to possibly include more occasions for households to display the flag.
It is also seeking to review and simplify guidelines surrounding the artistic and commercial use of national symbols like the national flag, anthem and the pledge so local artists and designers can use them more without undue fear.
The likely amendments to the Safna Act and the guidelines on the use of national symbols will be presented to the public and finalised next year.
Other non-legislative changes that could soon be in place include developing a standardised sign language for the national pledge and anthem, as well as collaborating with organisations to make national symbols more prominent in people’s lives.
There could also be art education in schools that will help students appreciate and treat national symbols in artistic works respectfully.
Places such as Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and the Merlion could also be more formally recognised as places of significance to Singapore’s history and public image.
The MCCY response comes three months after a citizens’ work group issued a report in July that called for the authorities to relook at how people could more creatively use national symbols, while preventing abuse, so that they stay relevant to Singaporeans.
A piece of common feedback the work group received was that people had little opportunity to recite the national anthem or sing the national pledge after their schooling years, and that people want to be less apprehensive about using the symbols every day, such as in food, fashion, street art and new media.
Members of the work group cited rock icon Ramli Sarip’s more soulful rendition of the National Anthem in 2019 as an unconventional use of the symbols by an artist that struck a chord with listeners.
One also said many former offenders find the National Anthem’s line “Dengan semangat yang baru”, or “In a new spirit”, to particularly resonate with them, and that these connotations could be better expressed if more creative uses of the line were allowed.
Incidentally, Aisyah Aziz’s National Day parade song, Spirits Anew, for this year used “Dengan semangat baru/We will rise” to great effect.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said on Friday: “The work group has rightly recognised the importance of public education and engagement for our symbols. As they pointed out in their report, there is room for more intentional efforts to feature the symbols and their meanings in key national milestones as well as everyday life.
“As MCCY refreshes our governance of the symbols, these recommendations provide valuable insights into how Singaporeans can connect with and safeguard our symbols.”
The Government had extended the flag display period last year so it could serve as a rallying symbol during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and the work group had said this relaxing of rules could be repeated.
Both the work group and MCCY have said they remain mindful of potential misuse. In July, the work group had recommended that a one-stop online reporting platform be set up for people to quickly flag such instances.
MCCY said it is looking into publishing a complete guide on the appropriate uses of the symbols, including digital use. It will also look at making current feedback channels for reporting the misuse of symbols more accessible and comprehensive.
