The coat of arms as granted was blazoned:[1] The Prince of Wales's feathers and the motto Ich Dien referred to the fact that Penang was founded in 1786 as the Prince of Wales Island, while the blue and white bars are in reference to the Malacca Straits that surround Penang Island, separating it from Province Wellesley (now Seberang Perai) on the mainland.

The motto Bersatu dan Setia (Malay: "United and Loyal") was adopted by the Settlement Council of Penang in 1950.

[2] As this was during the height of the Penang secessionist movement, the motto may have implied loyalty to the British crown, rather than to the Federation of Malaya.

[4] Subsequently, after the construction of the Penang Bridge from 1982 to 1985, the state coat of arms was changed to the present design,[5] which can be blazoned as: Crest: "A demi-lion rampant guardant supporting in the paws a staff proper, thereon flying to the sinister a banner azure, charged with three imperial crowns."

The arms of the municipality is displayed on a native shield and contains much local symbolism, but generally conforms to traditional English heraldic principles, and may be blazoned as follows.