Bintang Temasek is Singapore's

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

 most prestigious national honour and was instituted in 1970.

The Badge of the Bintang Temasek may be awarded to any member of the Singapore Armed Forces

Singapore Armed Forces

The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...

, the Singapore Police Force

Singapore Police Force

The Singapore Police Force is the main agency tasked with maintaining law and order in the city-state. Formerly known as the Republic of Singapore Police , it has grown from an 11-man organisation to a 38,587 strong force...

 or the Singapore Civil Defence Force

Singapore Civil Defence Force

The Singapore Civil Defence Force is the main agency in charge of the provision of emergency services in Singapore during peacetime and emergency.A uniformed organisation under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the main role of SCDF is to provide...

 who has performed acts of exceptional courage and skill or exhibited conspicuous devotion to duty in circumstances of extreme danger. The Badge may be awarded posthumously.

Recipients of the honour are entitled to use the post-nominal letters BT.

The Badge is to be worn on the left side of the outer garment suspended from a ribbon.

Description

• The Badge is of silver-gilt. The obverse side of the badge consists of a configured Maltese cross
  Maltese cross
  The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
  
   with 4 equal limbs superimposed upon a laurel wreath
  Laurel wreath
  A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
  
   in green enamel which in turn is superimposed upon 2 crossed swords. The centre of the cross bears a laurel wreath in green enamel encircling a five-pointed star embossed on white enamel. Beneath the laurel wreath is a scroll bearing the inscription "BINTANG TEMASEK".
• The reverse side of the Badge bears the State Arms
  Coat of arms of Singapore
  The coat of arms of Singapore was adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. The committee that created it, headed by then Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye, was also responsible for the national flag and the national anthem...
  
  .
• The ribbon is purple in the centre of which is a white band flanked by a narrow white stripe on each side. In the centre of the white band is a red stripe.