Darjah Utama Temasek

Summary

The Darjah Utama Temasek (English: Order of Temasek) is Singapore's second most prestigious national honour and was instituted in 1962. It is an Order conferred by the President of Singapore only to citizens of Singapore. It may be awarded to non-citizens only under special circumstances.[1]

Darjah Utama Temasek
(Order of Temasek)
TypeOrder of Honour
Established1962; 62 years ago (1962)
Country Singapore
EligibilityCitizens of Singapore
Awarded forService
StatusActive
Grades
Order of Temasek (With High Distinction)
Post-nominalsDUT(x)
Precedence
Next (higher)Bintang Temasek
Next (lower)Darjah Utama Nila Utama

Ribbon after 1996

Ribbon prior to 1996

As of 29 July 2019, the Order has three different grades:[2]

  • the Order of Temasek (With High Distinction),
  • the Order of Temasek (With Distinction), and
  • the Order of Temasek.

The rules of award state that no more than 12 people (other than people admitted in an honorary capacity) may be admitted to the Order of Temasek (With High Distinction) at any one time.[1][3] As of August 2020, there are currently 8 people in the Order of Temasek (With High Distinction). There is no limit to the number of people admitted to the other two grades.

History edit

The Order was first instituted in 1962. It was then the most important national honour. The Order would have only twelve members, with Yang di-Pertuan Negara conferring the membership on advice from the Prime Minister. A chancellor would be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Negara from among the members of the order, who would hold the seal of the order. Any warrants issued by order would be countersigned by both chancellor and the Yang di-Pertuan Negara.[4]

The Order became the second most important national honour in 1970, when the Bintang Temasek (the Star of Temasek) was created and ranked over all other orders and medals.[5]

The rules governing the order was since revised several times. Gazette notices establishing the Rules that instituted the Order were published in 1975, 1996 and 2019.[1][2] The 1996 Rules would revoke the 1975 Rules.[1] With the 1996 Rules, there would be three grades of the Order, First Class, Second Class and Third Class.[1] Only Singapore citizens could be admitted to the Order, with non-Singapore citizens being admitted in an honorary capacity.[1] The First Class grade would have a limited capacity of twelve members, whilst the other grades have no such restriction.[1] The Seal of the Order would bear the design of the Badge.

Members would be distinguished by the positions of the Badge and Star of the Order on their attire. Members of First Class grade would have their Badge worn the right hip from a sash passing over the left shoulder and under the right arm, and their Star worn on the left side of their outer garment. Members of Second Class grade would have their Badge worn suspended round the neck from a ribbon, and their Star is to be worn on the left side of their outer garment. Members of Third Class grade would only have the Badge of the Order, and it is to be worn suspended round the neck from a ribbon.[1]

Ordinarily, only Singapore citizens could be admitted to the Order, but in special circumstances non-Singapore citizens may also be admitted in an honorary capacity.[1]

In 2019, the 1996 Rules was amended to update the nomenclature of the grades of the Order.[2] The grades would be known as:

  • the Order of Temasek (With High Distinction),
  • the Order of Temasek (With Distinction), and
  • the Order of Temasek.

The updated nomenclature would also be retrospectively applied on members conferred under the previous nomenclature.[2]

Recipients edit

Year Grade (if any) Recipient Citation/Notes Ref.
1962 Lim Kim San Former Cabinet of Singapore minister; Former Chairman, Housing and Development Board [3]
1963 Ahmed Ben Bella Prime Minister of Algeria [6]
1967 Eisaku Satō Prime Minister of Japan
1972 First Class (Honorary) Elizabeth II Queen of the United Kingdom [3]
1972 First Class (Honorary) Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Consort of the British monarch [7][8]
1974 First Class (Honorary) Ferdinand Marcos President of the Philippines [9]
1974 First Class (Honorary) Soeharto President of Indonesia [10]
1985 First Class Goh Keng Swee Former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore [3][11]
1990 First Class S. Rajaratnam Former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore [3]
First Class (Honorary) Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan of Brunei
1993 First Class Wee Kim Wee Former President of Singapore [12]
1999 First Class Yong Pung How Former Chief Justice of Singapore
2005 (Honorary) Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia
2007 Second Class S. Dhanabalan Former Chairman, Temasek Holdings
2008 Second Class Chan Sek Keong Former Chief Justice of Singapore [13]
2009 First Class (Honorary) Qaboos bin Said Al Said Sultan of Oman [citation needed]
2013 First Class S. R. Nathan Former President of Singapore [14]
2014 First Class (Honorary) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono President of Indonesia [15]
2015 First Class S. Dhanabalan Former Chairman, Temasek Holdings; Member, Council of Presidential Advisers [16]
2018 First Class Tony Tan Former President of Singapore [17]
2019 With Distinction J. Y. Pillay Former Chairman, Council of Presidential Advisers [18]
2020 With High Distinction S. Jayakumar Senior Legal Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs [19][20]
2023 With High Distinction Halimah Yacob Former President of Singapore [21]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Darjah Utama Temasek (The Order of Temasek) Rules 1996 - Singapore Statutes Online". sso.agc.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Darjah Utama Temasek (The Order of Temasek) (Amendment) Rules 2019 - Singapore Statutes Online". sso.agc.gov.sg. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e Chern, Alphonsus (13 August 2015). "Singapore badges of honour". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  4. ^ "S'pore creates six awards". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Star of Temasek is new top national award". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Report From London: Review Of Events Leading To The Signing …". www.nas.gov.sg. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Prince Philip: Land Rover hearse and other personal touches at duke's funeral". BBC News. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  8. ^ "SUPER CLUB". New Nation. 4 August 1975. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2021 – via NewspaperSG. To date only the Queen of England and the Duke of Edinburgh have been conferred the Order of Temasek in 1972 - prior to the establishment of the Order of Nila Utama. This leaves only 10 'vacancies' in the 'super club' of the Order of Temasek, which is limited to only 12 persons.
  9. ^ "Prime Minister (PM) Lee Kuan Yew and Mrs Lee posing for photograph with President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines and Mrs Imelda Marcos at state dinner at Malacanang Palace". National Archives of Singapore. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020. .. the President conferring on PM Lee the Ancient Order of Sikatuna, rank of Rajah, and PM Lee giving him the Order of Temasek
  10. ^ "Soeharto ODM". Gentleman's Military Interest Club. 10 July 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  11. ^ Jenny Tien Mui Mun (8 October 2002), Dr Goh Keng Swee, Singapore Infopedia, National Library, Singapore, archived from the original on 23 June 2008, retrieved 15 May 2010.
  12. ^ "FORMER PRESIDENT WEE KIM WEE RECEIVES THE ORDER OF TEMASEK (FIRST CLASS) FROM PRESIDENT ONG TENG CHEONG AT ISTANA STATE ROOM". National Archives of Singapore. 3 November 1993. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  13. ^ 2008 National Day Awards to recognise special contributions for Pedra Branca case 2008
  14. ^ "S'pore former president S R Nathan conferred Order of Temasek, First Class". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 12 August 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  15. ^ "Indonesia's President Yudhoyono awarded Order of Temasek by Singapore". The Straits Times. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  16. ^ Singapore, Prime Minister's Office (17 November 2018). "PMO - Recipients". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  17. ^ "Former President Tony Tan tops list of National Day Awards recipients". Cheryl Lin. Singapore: Channel News Asia.
  18. ^ hermes (9 August 2019). "Top honours for J.Y. Pillay who built up SIA, led GIC, MAS". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  19. ^ "Former DPM S Jayakumar heads list of National Day Award recipients". CNA. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  20. ^ Yuen-C, Tham (9 August 2020). "Nation's top civilian honour for Jayakumar". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Former president Halimah Yacob awarded Order of Temasek for lifetime of devoted, distinguished service". The Straits Times. 29 October 2023.

External links edit

  • Official website