Majulah Singapura
Encyclopedia
Majulah Singapura is the national anthem
of Singapore
. Composed by Zubir Said
in 1958 as a theme song for official functions of the City Council of Singapore, the song was selected in 1959 as the island's anthem when it attained self-government
. Upon full independence in 1965, Majulah Singapura was formally adopted as Singapore's national anthem. By law the anthem may only be sung with its original Malay
lyrics, although there exist authorized translations of the lyrics of the anthem in Singapore's three other official languages: English, Mandarin
and Tamil
.
Originally composed in the key
of G major
, in 2001 the national anthem was officially relaunched in the lower key of F major
as this was said to allow for a "grander and more inspiring arrangement".
The national anthem is regularly performed or sung in schools and armed forces camps at ceremonies held at the beginning and/or the end of each day, during which the national flag
is also raised and lowered and the national pledge
is taken. Singaporeans are especially encouraged to sing the national anthem on occasions of national celebration or national significance such as at the National Day Parade
, at National Day observance ceremonies conducted by educational institutions and government departments, and at sporting events at which Singapore teams are participating.
The composition of Majulah Singapura occurred during a push for independence from the United Kingdom. While Singapore was a British colony, its national anthem was "God Save the King (or Queen)
". In 1951, the colony was conferred city status by a royal charter
from King George VI
. In 1958, Ong Pang Boon
, the Deputy Mayor of the City Council of Singapore
, approached Zubir Said
, a score arranger and songwriter with Cathay-Keris Film Productions, to compose a theme song for the Council's official functions to be titled Majulah Singapura ("Onward Singapore"). This phrase was chosen as it was a motto to be displayed in the Victoria Theatre
after its renovation in 1958.
Zubir took a year to finish composing the music and lyrics for the song. In a 1984 oral history interview, he recalled the process: "[T]he difficulty is in such a short melody, I have to put in all the words ... [I]t must be very simple, understandable for all the races in Singapore ... I consult also [sic] an author in Malay language so that I can do it in proper Malay language but not too deep and not too difficult." Summing up his philosophy when composing the anthem, Zubir cited the Malay proverb "Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung" ("You should hold up the sky of the land where you live").
The completed composition was first performed on 6 September 1958 by the Singapore Chamber Ensemble during the grand finale of a concert staged in the Victoria Theatre to celebrate its official reopening.
In 1959, Singapore attained self-government
and the City Council was dissolved. The Government felt that a national anthem
was needed to unite the different races in Singapore. The Deputy Prime Minister
Toh Chin Chye
selected the City Council's song as it was already popular. At Toh's request, Zubir modified the lyrics and melody, and the revised song was adopted by the Legislative Assembly
on 11 November 1959. On 30 November the Singapore State Arms and Flag and National Anthem Ordinance 1959 was passed to regulate the use and display of these national emblems. Majulah Singapura was formally introduced to the nation on 3 December when Yusof bin Ishak
was inaugurated as the Yang di-Pertuan Negara
, Singapore's head of state
. At the same occasion, which also marked the launch of "Loyalty Week", the national flag
and the state crest
were introduced. After Singapore's full independence from Malaysia on 9 August 1965, Majulah Singapura was formally adopted as the Republic's national anthem.
In Singapore primary schools at lower levels, lessons relating to the national anthem and the singing of the national anthem are carried out as part of the civics
and moral education programme. The national anthem is sung in all mainstream schools and armed forces camps at ceremonies held at the beginning and/or the end of each day, during which the national flag is also raised and lowered and the national pledge
is taken.
Singaporeans are especially encouraged to sing the national anthem on occasions of national celebration or national significance, such as at the National Day Parade
, at National Day observance ceremonies conducted by educational institutions and government departments, and at sporting events at which Singapore teams are participating. In November 2004, Olivia Ong, an 18-year-old Singaporean based in Tokyo, sang Majulah Singapura at the 2006 FIFA World Cup
Asian qualifying rounds at Saitama Stadium in Saitama
, Japan. Two months later, in January 2005, Singapore Idol
Taufik Batisah
was invited to become the first performer to sing Majulah Singapura at an international football game at the National Stadium
in Singapore the return leg of the Tiger Cup (now the AFF Football Championship) final between Singapore and Indonesia in Singapore. Due to National Service
commitments, Taufik had to decline and was replaced by singer Jai Wahab. In July 2005, Singaporean singer and actress Jacintha Abisheganaden
sang the national anthem at the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay
during the opening ceremony of the 117th Session of the International Olympic Committee
, at which London was selected to host the 2012 Summer Olympics
.
When the national flag is raised or lowered and the anthem is played, persons in military or paramilitary uniforms who are outdoors don their head dress and face the flag. If they are in formation under the orders of a commander, only the commander salutes; otherwise, all service personnel salute. Saluting is unnecessary if service personnel are indoors when a flag raising or lowering ceremony takes place. In such cases, the persons need only stop what they are doing and stand at attention.
The national anthem has lent its name to the Majulah Connection, a Singapore-based not-for-profit organization set up November 2002 to connect Singapore with overseas Singaporeans and friends of Singapore. The organization was formally established as a non-governmental organization
(NGO) in January 2003.
It is an offence for any person to knowingly perform or sing the national anthem in contravention of rule 13(1) (not performing or singing the anthem according to the official arrangement or any other permitted arrangement) or 13(3) (not singing the anthem according to the official lyrics or singing a translation of the lyrics); the penalty is a fine not exceeding S$
1,000.
In addition, guidelines issued by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
(MICA) state that either instrumental or vocal versions of the national anthem may be performed, and that dignity and decorum should be observed whenever the anthem is played or sung.
Tamil transliteration
reported that during a meeting between the then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
and community leaders, a group of grassroots
leaders and a lawyer had suggested that "adjustments" be made to the national anthem. The given reason was that many Singaporeans could not sing it in Malay and therefore did not have "strong feelings" or "strong emotions when they sing the national anthem".
In particular, some grassroots leaders argued that since the Chinese constitute a majority of the population, a Mandarin version of the anthem should be used. The Prime Minister's response was that he would keep the national anthem as it was while ensuring that translations in other mother tongues were more easily available. The proposal to change the lyrics was also criticized by former Deputy Prime Minister S. Rajaratnam, who felt that the Malay lyrics of the anthem were so simple that "anyone over the age of five, unless mentally retarded, had no difficulty singing the anthem. All Singaporean children of kindergarten age have not only had no difficulty memorising the words but have for decades sung it every morning with 'strong feelings and emotion'." He also noted that the anthem had been translated into Singapore's three other official languages (English, Mandarin
and Tamil
) for those who cannot understand Malay.
A subsequent poll by The Straits Times found that while many Singaporeans knew what the anthem generally meant, only seven out of 35 persons interviewed knew the meaning of each word. However, all but three of those interviewed agreed that the anthem should continue to be sung in Malay. The three persons who disagreed felt that the anthem should be in English because that was the language most commonly used in Singapore. All the interviewees, including those who did not know the meaning of the lyrics, said they felt a sense of pride when they heard or sang the national anthem.
Singer Taufik Batisah
was criticized for incorrectly singing the word berseru (to proclaim) instead of bersatu (to unite) during his rendition of Majulah Singapura before the start of the 2009 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix
on 27 September 2009. A Straits Times poll then found that out of 50 people only 10 were able to sing the national anthem perfectly. Most people got between 80 and 90% of the lyrics right, while six could only recite the first line or less. Although many correctly stated that the title of the anthem meant "Onward Singapore", a majority did not understand the meaning of the anthem. However, most of the persons surveyed disagreed that the anthem should be in English, one respondent saying: "It's better in Malay because there's a cultural history to it and [it] is more meaningful, and has traces to our roots."
under the baton of Lim Yau in 1989.
The original version of the national anthem was in the key of G major
, although in 1983 schools were issued an educational tape describing common mistakes made in singing the anthem and given the option of singing the anthem in F major
. In 1993, the shorter version of Majulah Singapura was declared to be the official one.
On 19 January 2001, Majulah Singapura was officially relaunched in the F-major key, as this was said to be a "grander and more inspiring arrangement" of the anthem. The Ministry of Information and the Arts (MITA, now the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
(MICA)) took more than a year to produce the new version. Its main objective was to make the anthem more accessible to all Singaporeans. In May 2000, several leading local composers were invited to rearrange the national anthem in F major. An evaluation panel headed by Bernard Tan
selected the version submitted by Cultural Medallion
winner Phoon Yew Tien. Phoon's orchestration
employed a slower tempo
and used more instruments to create a majestic rendition of the anthem. MITA then commissioned Ken Lim
to produce a recording by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lim Yau, which was carried out at the Victoria Concert Hall on 20 November 2000. The new arrangement was recorded in seven versions, including two orchestral versions (instrumental
, and with soloist Jacintha Abisheganaden and the Singapore Youth Choir
) and a piano solo version.
.
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Composed by Zubir Said
Zubir Said
Zubir Said was a Singaporean composer originally from the Minangkabau highlands of Indonesia who composed the national anthem of Singapore, "Majulah Singapura"...
in 1958 as a theme song for official functions of the City Council of Singapore, the song was selected in 1959 as the island's anthem when it attained self-government
Self-governance of Singapore
The self-governance of Singapore was carried out in several stages. After the British joined Singapore once more and started, without much success, dealing with post war problems, Singapore already was not happy with the British as their leaders. Since Singapore's founding in 1819, Singapore had...
. Upon full independence in 1965, Majulah Singapura was formally adopted as Singapore's national anthem. By law the anthem may only be sung with its original Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
lyrics, although there exist authorized translations of the lyrics of the anthem in Singapore's three other official languages: English, Mandarin
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
and Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
.
Originally composed in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of G major
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
, in 2001 the national anthem was officially relaunched in the lower key of F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
as this was said to allow for a "grander and more inspiring arrangement".
The national anthem is regularly performed or sung in schools and armed forces camps at ceremonies held at the beginning and/or the end of each day, during which the national flag
Flag of Singapore
The national flag of Singapore was first adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. It was reconfirmed as the national flag when the Republic gained independence on 9 August 1965...
is also raised and lowered and the national pledge
Singapore National Pledge
The Singapore National Pledge is an oath of allegiance to Singapore. It is commonly recited by Singaporeans in unison at public events, especially in schools, in the Singapore Armed Forces and during the National Day Parade.-Origin:...
is taken. Singaporeans are especially encouraged to sing the national anthem on occasions of national celebration or national significance such as at the National Day Parade
National Day Parade
The Singapore National Day Parade is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore's National Day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore's independence that is usually held at the Padang , the National Stadium, various decentalized venues all over...
, at National Day observance ceremonies conducted by educational institutions and government departments, and at sporting events at which Singapore teams are participating.
History
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
". In 1951, the colony was conferred city status by a royal charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
from King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
. In 1958, Ong Pang Boon
Ong Pang Boon
Ong Pang Boon was a prominent first generation People's Action Party politician in Singapore.-Early life and education:Born in Kuala Lumpur, he was educated in a Chinese primary school, a Confucian middle school, Methodist Boys' School , and later attained a geography degree at the then...
, the Deputy Mayor of the City Council of Singapore
City Council of Singapore
The City Council of Singapore, or the Municipal Council before 1951, was the administrative council of Singapore responsible for the provision of water, electricity, gas, roads and bridges and street lighting. It was abolished upon Singapore's secession from Malaysia in 1965...
, approached Zubir Said
Zubir Said
Zubir Said was a Singaporean composer originally from the Minangkabau highlands of Indonesia who composed the national anthem of Singapore, "Majulah Singapura"...
, a score arranger and songwriter with Cathay-Keris Film Productions, to compose a theme song for the Council's official functions to be titled Majulah Singapura ("Onward Singapore"). This phrase was chosen as it was a motto to be displayed in the Victoria Theatre
Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall
The Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall is a complex of two buildings and a clock tower joined together by a common corridor and is located in the civic district of Singapore...
after its renovation in 1958.
Zubir took a year to finish composing the music and lyrics for the song. In a 1984 oral history interview, he recalled the process: "[T]he difficulty is in such a short melody, I have to put in all the words ... [I]t must be very simple, understandable for all the races in Singapore ... I consult also [sic] an author in Malay language so that I can do it in proper Malay language but not too deep and not too difficult." Summing up his philosophy when composing the anthem, Zubir cited the Malay proverb "Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung" ("You should hold up the sky of the land where you live").
The completed composition was first performed on 6 September 1958 by the Singapore Chamber Ensemble during the grand finale of a concert staged in the Victoria Theatre to celebrate its official reopening.
In 1959, Singapore attained self-government
Self-governance of Singapore
The self-governance of Singapore was carried out in several stages. After the British joined Singapore once more and started, without much success, dealing with post war problems, Singapore already was not happy with the British as their leaders. Since Singapore's founding in 1819, Singapore had...
and the City Council was dissolved. The Government felt that a national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
was needed to unite the different races in Singapore. The Deputy Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Singapore
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of the government of the Republic of Singapore. The President of Singapore appoints as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of a majority of MPs.The office of Prime Minister...
Toh Chin Chye
Toh Chin Chye
Toh Chin Chye is a prominent first generation political leader in Singapore. He completed his Secondary education in St. George's Institution and continued his studies at Raffles College and the University of London. Subsequently, Toh received his PhD at the National Institute for Medical...
selected the City Council's song as it was already popular. At Toh's request, Zubir modified the lyrics and melody, and the revised song was adopted by the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of Singapore
The Legislative Assembly of Singapore was the legislature of the government of Singapore from 1955 to 1965 and the predecessor of the Parliament of Singapore. The Rendel Constitution, proposed in 1953, sought to give the local population more self-governance as the Merdeka independence movement grew...
on 11 November 1959. On 30 November the Singapore State Arms and Flag and National Anthem Ordinance 1959 was passed to regulate the use and display of these national emblems. Majulah Singapura was formally introduced to the nation on 3 December when Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore of Minangkabau descent. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999.-Early life:...
was inaugurated as the Yang di-Pertuan Negara
Yang di-Pertuan Negara
Yang di-Pertuan Negara, meaning "Head of State" in Malay, was used as an official title at various times in Sabah, Singapore and Brunei.-Singapore:...
, Singapore's head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
. At the same occasion, which also marked the launch of "Loyalty Week", the national flag
Flag of Singapore
The national flag of Singapore was first adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. It was reconfirmed as the national flag when the Republic gained independence on 9 August 1965...
and the state crest
Coat of arms of Singapore
The coat of arms of Singapore 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...
were introduced. After Singapore's full independence from Malaysia on 9 August 1965, Majulah Singapura was formally adopted as the Republic's national anthem.
Occasions
Civics
Civics is the study of rights and duties of citizenship. In other words, it is the study of government with attention to the role of citizens ― as opposed to external factors ― in the operation and oversight of government....
and moral education programme. The national anthem is sung in all mainstream schools and armed forces camps at ceremonies held at the beginning and/or the end of each day, during which the national flag is also raised and lowered and the national pledge
Singapore National Pledge
The Singapore National Pledge is an oath of allegiance to Singapore. It is commonly recited by Singaporeans in unison at public events, especially in schools, in the Singapore Armed Forces and during the National Day Parade.-Origin:...
is taken.
Singaporeans are especially encouraged to sing the national anthem on occasions of national celebration or national significance, such as at the National Day Parade
National Day Parade
The Singapore National Day Parade is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore's National Day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore's independence that is usually held at the Padang , the National Stadium, various decentalized venues all over...
, at National Day observance ceremonies conducted by educational institutions and government departments, and at sporting events at which Singapore teams are participating. In November 2004, Olivia Ong, an 18-year-old Singaporean based in Tokyo, sang Majulah Singapura at the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
Asian qualifying rounds at Saitama Stadium in Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan. Two months later, in January 2005, Singapore Idol
Singapore Idol
Singapore Idol is a television show on Channel 5 of MediaCorp TV. It is a competition among undiscovered singers in Singapore. Like others in the Idol series, it is modelled after Pop Idol. The current judges are singer/songwriter Dick Lee and record producers Florence Lian and Ken Lim. Previous...
Taufik Batisah
Taufik Batisah
Muhammad Taufik Bin Batisah, is the winner of the first season of the reality TV series Singapore Idol...
was invited to become the first performer to sing Majulah Singapura at an international football game at the National Stadium
National Stadium, Singapore
The Singapore National Stadium was located in Kallang. Opened in July 1973, the National Stadium was officially closed on 30 June 2007 and has demolished to make way for the Singapore Sports Hub and New Singapore National Stadium which is expected to open in 2014.The stadium has played host to...
in Singapore the return leg of the Tiger Cup (now the AFF Football Championship) final between Singapore and Indonesia in Singapore. Due to National Service
National Service in Singapore
Conscription in Singapore, called National Service , requires all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents who have reached the age of 18 to enrol in the military...
commitments, Taufik had to decline and was replaced by singer Jai Wahab. In July 2005, Singaporean singer and actress Jacintha Abisheganaden
Jacintha Abisheganaden
Jacintha Abisheganaden , also known as Jacintha or Ja for short, is a Singaporean singer and actress.- Discography :Studio albums* 1998: Here's To Ben - A Vocal Tribute To Ben Webster...
sang the national anthem at the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay
Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is a waterside building located on six hectares of waterfront land alongside Marina Bay near the mouth of the Singapore River, purpose-built to be the centre for performing arts for the island nation of Singapore...
during the opening ceremony of the 117th Session of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, at which London was selected to host the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
.
Salutes
It is conventional for persons present when the national anthem is performed to stand with their arms by their sides.When the national flag is raised or lowered and the anthem is played, persons in military or paramilitary uniforms who are outdoors don their head dress and face the flag. If they are in formation under the orders of a commander, only the commander salutes; otherwise, all service personnel salute. Saluting is unnecessary if service personnel are indoors when a flag raising or lowering ceremony takes place. In such cases, the persons need only stop what they are doing and stand at attention.
Other uses
The national anthem is played at the sign-on and sign-off of broadcasting hours on TV and radio in Singapore, although this use of the anthem has declined somewhat due to the emergence of 24-hour TV channels and radio stations.The national anthem has lent its name to the Majulah Connection, a Singapore-based not-for-profit organization set up November 2002 to connect Singapore with overseas Singaporeans and friends of Singapore. The organization was formally established as a non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
(NGO) in January 2003.
Guidelines for use
The use of the national anthem is governed by Part IV of the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Rules made under the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Act. These rules provide as follows:- The national anthem may be performed or sung on any appropriate occasion. In particular, it must be performed when the PresidentPresident of SingaporeThe President of the Republic of Singapore is Singapore's head of state. In a Westminster parliamentary system, as which Singapore governs itself, the prime minister is the head of the government while the position of president is largely ceremonial. Before 1993, the President of Singapore was...
receives a general saluteSaluteA salute is a gesture or other action used to display respect. Salutes are primarily associated with armed forces, but other organizations and civil people also use salutes.-Military salutes:...
. - When the national anthem is performed or sung, every person present must stand up as a mark of respect.
- As regards musical arrangements of the national anthem:
- Any person performing or singing the national anthem must do so according to the official arrangement set out in the Third Schedule to the Act or any other arrangement permitted under the next paragraph of the Act.
- The national anthem may be rearranged in any manner that is in keeping with the dignity due to it, subject to the following conditions:
- (a) the national anthem must not be incorporated into any other composition or medley; and
- (b) every arrangement of the national anthem must accurately reflect the complete tune and the complete official lyrics of the National Anthem.
- Any person who sings the national anthem must follow the official lyrics and must not sing any translation of those lyrics.
It is an offence for any person to knowingly perform or sing the national anthem in contravention of rule 13(1) (not performing or singing the anthem according to the official arrangement or any other permitted arrangement) or 13(3) (not singing the anthem according to the official lyrics or singing a translation of the lyrics); the penalty is a fine not exceeding S$
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
1,000.
In addition, guidelines issued by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts is a ministry of the Government of Singapore...
(MICA) state that either instrumental or vocal versions of the national anthem may be performed, and that dignity and decorum should be observed whenever the anthem is played or sung.
Lyrics
| Malay Malay language Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore... (official lyrics only) |
English translation English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... |
Chinese translation Chinese language The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages... |
Tamil translation Tamil language Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore... |
|---|---|---|---|
Mari kita rakyat Singapura Sama-sama menuju bahagia Cita-cita kita yang mulia Berjaya Singapura Marilah kita bersatu Dengan semangat yang baru Semua kita berseru Majulah Singapura Majulah Singapura Marilah kita bersatu Dengan semangat yang baru Semua kita berseru Majulah Singapura Majulah Singapura |
Come, fellow Singaporeans Let us progress towards happiness together May our noble aspiration bring Singapore success Come, let us unite In a new spirit Let our voices soar as one Onward Singapore Onward Singapore Come, let us unite In a new spirit Let our voices soar as one Onward Singapore Onward Singapore |
Transliteration
Chinese transliterationChinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
- Lái ba, tóngbāo xīnjiāpō rén
- Ràng wǒmen yīqǐ zǒuxiàng xìngfú de jìnzhǎn
- Wǒmen chónggāo de yuànwàng dài lái
- Xīnjiāpō chénggōng
- Lái ba, ràng wǒmen tuánjié qǐlái
- Zài yīgè xīn de jīngshén
- Ràng wǒmen de shēngyīn zhī yī biāoshēng
- Kāngyòu xīnjiāpō
- Kāngyòu xīnjiāpō
- Lái ba, ràng wǒmen tuánjié qǐlái
- Zài yīgè xīn de jīngshén
- Ràng wǒmen de shēngyīn zhī yī biāoshēng
- Kāngyòu xīnjiāpō
- Kāngyòu xīnjiāpō
Tamil transliteration
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
- Caka ciṅkappūrarkaḷ vā
- Nam'mai oṉṟāka makiḻcciyai nōkki muṉṉēṟṟam aṉumatikkavum
- Eṅkaḷ uyarnta ācaiyum koṇṭu mē
- Ciṅkappūr veṟṟi
- Nām iṇaivōm, vā
- Oru putiya āṉmāvilum
- Eṅkaḷ kuralkaḷ oru uyarē aṉumatikkavum
- Muṉṉōkkiya ciṅkappūr
- Muṉṉōkkiya ciṅkappūr
- Nām iṇaivōm, vā
- Oru putiya āṉmāvilum
- Eṅkaḷ kuralkaḷ oru uyarē aṉumatikkavum
- Muṉṉōkkiya ciṅkappūr
- Muṉṉōkkiya ciṅkappūr
Translations
Interviewed by the Oral History Department in 1989, Dr. Toh Chin Chye said it was appropriate for the national anthem to be in Malay, "the indigenous language of the region, as English is not native to this part of the world." He felt that the "Malay version of the national anthem would appeal to all races... it can be easily understood. And at the same time [it] can be easily remembered... [I]t must be brief, to the point; ... and can be sung". However, on 22 July 1991, the English daily newspaper The Straits TimesThe Straits Times
The Straits Times is an English language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Singapore currently owned by Singapore Press Holdings . It is the country's highest-selling paper, with a current daily circulation of nearly 400,000...
reported that during a meeting between the then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong is the Senior Minister of Singapore and the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 28 November 1990 to 12 August 2004, succeeding Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime...
and community leaders, a group of grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
leaders and a lawyer had suggested that "adjustments" be made to the national anthem. The given reason was that many Singaporeans could not sing it in Malay and therefore did not have "strong feelings" or "strong emotions when they sing the national anthem".
In particular, some grassroots leaders argued that since the Chinese constitute a majority of the population, a Mandarin version of the anthem should be used. The Prime Minister's response was that he would keep the national anthem as it was while ensuring that translations in other mother tongues were more easily available. The proposal to change the lyrics was also criticized by former Deputy Prime Minister S. Rajaratnam, who felt that the Malay lyrics of the anthem were so simple that "anyone over the age of five, unless mentally retarded, had no difficulty singing the anthem. All Singaporean children of kindergarten age have not only had no difficulty memorising the words but have for decades sung it every morning with 'strong feelings and emotion'." He also noted that the anthem had been translated into Singapore's three other official languages (English, Mandarin
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
and Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
) for those who cannot understand Malay.
A subsequent poll by The Straits Times found that while many Singaporeans knew what the anthem generally meant, only seven out of 35 persons interviewed knew the meaning of each word. However, all but three of those interviewed agreed that the anthem should continue to be sung in Malay. The three persons who disagreed felt that the anthem should be in English because that was the language most commonly used in Singapore. All the interviewees, including those who did not know the meaning of the lyrics, said they felt a sense of pride when they heard or sang the national anthem.
Singer Taufik Batisah
Taufik Batisah
Muhammad Taufik Bin Batisah, is the winner of the first season of the reality TV series Singapore Idol...
was criticized for incorrectly singing the word berseru (to proclaim) instead of bersatu (to unite) during his rendition of Majulah Singapura before the start of the 2009 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix
2009 Singapore Grand Prix
The 2009 Singapore Grand Prix was the fourteenth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was the second Singapore Grand Prix to be part of a Formula One Championship and the tenth Singapore Grand Prix overall. It was also the second Formula One race to be held at night...
on 27 September 2009. A Straits Times poll then found that out of 50 people only 10 were able to sing the national anthem perfectly. Most people got between 80 and 90% of the lyrics right, while six could only recite the first line or less. Although many correctly stated that the title of the anthem meant "Onward Singapore", a majority did not understand the meaning of the anthem. However, most of the persons surveyed disagreed that the anthem should be in English, one respondent saying: "It's better in Malay because there's a cultural history to it and [it] is more meaningful, and has traces to our roots."
Arrangements and recordings
An abridged version of Majulah Singapura had been used by official bodies since 1965 although an expanded version, used only at grand ceremonial functions, exists. These versions were arranged by an Englishman, Michael Hurd. This arrangement was first recorded by the Singapore Symphony OrchestraSingapore Symphony Orchestra
The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is a 96 members professional symphony orchestra. Its main performing venue is the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore although it has also toured widely in Asia, Europe and the United States...
under the baton of Lim Yau in 1989.
The original version of the national anthem was in the key of G major
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
, although in 1983 schools were issued an educational tape describing common mistakes made in singing the anthem and given the option of singing the anthem in F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
. In 1993, the shorter version of Majulah Singapura was declared to be the official one.
On 19 January 2001, Majulah Singapura was officially relaunched in the F-major key, as this was said to be a "grander and more inspiring arrangement" of the anthem. The Ministry of Information and the Arts (MITA, now the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts is a ministry of the Government of Singapore...
(MICA)) took more than a year to produce the new version. Its main objective was to make the anthem more accessible to all Singaporeans. In May 2000, several leading local composers were invited to rearrange the national anthem in F major. An evaluation panel headed by Bernard Tan
Bernard Tan
Bernard Tan Tiong Gie was educated at the Anglo-Chinese School, Singapore, the University of Singapore and Oxford University...
selected the version submitted by Cultural Medallion
Cultural Medallion
The Cultural Medallion is a Singapore cultural award conferred to those who have achieved artistic excellence in dance, theatre, literature, music, photography, art and film....
winner Phoon Yew Tien. Phoon's orchestration
Orchestration
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
employed a slower tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
and used more instruments to create a majestic rendition of the anthem. MITA then commissioned Ken Lim
Ken Lim
Ken Lim is an album producer, composer, publisher, artist manager and concert promoter from Singapore who came under the spotlight in 2004 as a chief judge of the Singapore Idol series...
to produce a recording by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lim Yau, which was carried out at the Victoria Concert Hall on 20 November 2000. The new arrangement was recorded in seven versions, including two orchestral versions (instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
, and with soloist Jacintha Abisheganaden and the Singapore Youth Choir
Singapore Youth Choir
The Singapore Youth Choir Ensemble Singers is a distinguished choral group in Singapore formed in 1964.The SYC is currently led by Ms Jennifer Tham, a leading choral instructor in Singapore.-History:...
) and a piano solo version.
Books and other printed material
. – a kit on the key symbols of Singapore consisting of eight fact sheets, one booklet, one CD and one national flag.. Commissioned by National Day Parade 2007 Show Committee for the 2007 Singapore National Day ParadeNational Day Parade
The Singapore National Day Parade is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore's National Day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore's independence that is usually held at the Padang , the National Stadium, various decentalized venues all over...
.