The Merlion has been the emblem of the Singapore Tourism Board
since its establishment as the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board (STPB) in 1964.
The Statue with water fountain and piped
music (approximate height 8 meters) was designed by
Kwan Sai Kheong, then Vice Chancellor of the University of Singapore,
and Ambassador to the Philippines. Local craftsman Lim Nang Seng
sculpted and built the statue, which was completed in August, 1972.
It was officially installed by Lee Kuan Yew on his birthday, 15th September,
1972, at a cost of S$ 165,000
The official word on the Merlion from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB):
Over the years, the Merlion symbol has become well-known through
its wide use and has come to be identified with Singapore.
The Merlion was first recommended for use as a crest of the
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) - then known as the Singapore
Tourist Promotion Board - on 26 March 1964. Mr. Fraser Brunner,
a member of the Souvenir Committee and curator of the Van Kleef
Aquarium, was the originator of the design. Registration of the
Merlion as a trademark was finalised on 20 July 1966.
With the change of the Board's corporate identity in 1997,
a new corporate logo was adopted. The Merlion, however, continues
to be a symbol protected under the Singapore Tourism Board Act
and the prior approval of the Board has to be obtained before
the Merlion symbol can be used.
The choice of the Merlion as a symbol for Singapore has its roots
in history. The Merlion commemorates the ancient name and the legend
taken from the "Malay Annals" (literary and historical work from the 15th
or 16th century) explaining how Singapore a received its present name.
In ancient times, Singapore was known as Temasek which is Javanese for
the sea. It was then, as it is today, a center of trade. At the end
of the 4th century A.D, Temasek was destroyed by the Siamese, according
to some historians, but by the Javanese according to others.
As recorded
in the legend in the Malay Annals, Prince Nila Utrama of the Sri Vijaya
empire rediscovered the island later in the 11th century A.D. On seeing
a strange beast (which he later learnt was a lion) upon his landing he
named the island Singapura which is Sanskrit word for Lion (Singa)
City (Pura).
The Merlion, with its fish-like body riding the waves of the sea, is
symbolic of the ancient city of Temasek. At the same time, its majestic
head recalls the legend of the discovery of Singapore by Prince Nila Utama
in the 11th century, when Singapore received its present name.
The Merlion was located at the mouth of the Singapore River.
It was moved to the present Merlion Park on April 22nd 2002.
