No one has been safe from the recent delay in processing passport renewals — even bakeries selling uniquely designed cakes.
A few weeks ago, a bakery located in Ang Mo Kio went viral for selling cakes shaped like passports. The cake resembled the red document right down to the coat of arms on the cover.
Unfortunately, selling items as such for commercial value is against the law in Singapore. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) has thus contacted the bakery, ordering them to stop the sale of the cake.
On 12 Apr, the bakery at 529 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 announced the ‘Passport Design’ cake on Facebook.
Weeks later, on 4 May, Lianhe Zaobao reported that the National Heritage Board (NHB) – a statutory board under MCCY – has ordered Pine Garden to cease selling passport cakes.
In the wake of delayed passport renewals, one customer requested a cake resembling the document itself.
The cake was rather majestic in design, boasting an accurate icing-covered national emblem.
Source: The Pine Garden
However, several netizens soon pointed out a mistake on the bakery’s part — Singapore prohibits commercial use of the national emblem.
Speaking to Lianhe Zaobao, a spokesman for NHB confirmed that receiving commercial profits from the national coat of arms is not allowed.
Without approval from MCCY, no organisation can use the emblem in their products.
NHB relayed the information about Pine Garden’s passport cake to MCCY. They then alerted the bakery, ordering them to stop all use of the national coat of arms and delete it from promotional images.
According to Lianhe Zaobao, the bakery’s social media accounts no longer contain any pictures with the emblem.
Lianhe Zaobao also states that MCCY is currently looking into the guidelines surrounding the use of Singapore’s national flag, emblem and coat of arms.
Over the past year, they have consulted numerous groups such as stakeholders, the Citizens’ Workgroup for National Symbols and other government agencies.
MCCY will introduce these changes to Parliament later in the year, after hearing a diverse range of views on the current restrictions. They will also share these amendments with the public before bringing them to Parliament.
“In reviewing the rules for the commercial use of the national emblem, a key consideration is maintaining respect for the national emblem and its solemnity,” the spokesman for NHB said.
Restrictions surrounding national symbols such as the emblem and the national coat of arms are there for a reason. They ensure that the local community respects the history and culture of our country at large.
All the same, it will certainly be sad to see the massive passport cake go. Perhaps in the absence of this quirky cake, we might see an uptick in passport renewals.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps and The Pine Garden on Facebook.
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