Over the next few days, I will be posting graphical interpretations of the drafts of the Singapore flag that the late Dr Toh Chin Chye and his committee would have gone through over two months in 1959 before deciding on the final design. “The red was supposed to represent the noble universal love and care of human beings in the world. The star was mainly supposed to be representing sincerity and integrity. Each corner of the star had to be a special symbol representing democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality.

Originally the big star in the centre was supposed to be golden in colour. But in the initial colouring, because the golden colour could not be found, the artist for the time being had to use yellow for the star.”

— S. RAJARATNAM in Dialogues with S. Rajaratnam