Goodbye 'passport cake': Bakery Pine Garden stops selling it due to misuse of the National Coat of Arms

The sale of bakery Pine Garden's 'passport cake' - modelled after the Singapore passport - has been pulled off the shelves due to restrictions on the use of the National Coat of Arms.

On April 12, this bakery had posted a picture of their 'passport cake' on Facebook, where it was previously reported that the 1kg brownie costs $88.

That post has since been removed.

Lianhe Zaobao reported on Wednesday (May 4) that the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) had reached out to the heartland bakery informing them to stop using the national emblem design on its products and to delete all images containing the national emblem.

An MCCY spokesperson told Lianhe Zaobao that only government departments are allowed to use the National Coat of Arms and that it is prohibited for any entity to use it for commercial interest.

The National Coat of Arms, or the State Crest of Singapore, is formed by a shield emblazoned with a white crescent moon and five white stars against a red background.

According to the National Heritage Board (NHB), the National Coat of Arms, which was unveiled back in 1959, serves as a symbol of Singapore's status as a self-governing and independent state.

Under the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem (SAFNA) Act, the National Coat of Arms cannot be printed, published, manufactured, sold, offered for sale or exhibited for sale unless one has received prior written permission from the Minister or any authorised officer.

When contacted, Pine Garden told AsiaOne that it would not be commenting on the matter.

On e-commerce platform Spreadshirt, the National Coat of Arms can be seen printed on a variety of products ranging from T-shirts to phone cases for sale. 

It is unknown if this retailer has been approached by MCCY regarding their misuse of the National Coat of Arms.

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amierul@asiaone.com