A Malay Regiment Songkok

Collections
1601792
Title
A Malay Regiment Songkok
Year/Period
Mid-20th century
Region
Singapore/Malaya
Object Type
songkok
Material
velvet (fabric weave), metal
Technique
sewing (needleworking technique), metalworking
Dimension
Object size: 25.0 x 14.5 x 11.0 cm,
Object size: Refer to parts
Accession No.
2025-00792
Collection of
Malay Heritage Centre
Credit Line
Gift of Malay Heritage Foundation

The songkok is an oval traditional Malay headgear. This songkok, pinned with a regimental metal badge, was part of the uniform for the Malay Regiment (Malay: Askar Melayu), founded in 1933 and deployed to Singapore in 1940. The badge is shaped like a circle with a crown supported by a pair of tigers on top. The insignia’s popular motif of a crossed keris with its scabbard is embedded within the circle. The circle’s circumference is inscribed in Jawi with the regiment’s motto, “ta’at [dan] setia”, meaning “loyal and true”.