PORTRAITS OF A NATION

Abstract

This article revisits the Malay settlements in Singapore from the pre-British era up to the present day, in order to examine the colonial and post-colonial influences on the development of the Malay settlements, its meanings for the local communities and its living legacy today. In particular it discusses key factors which shaped this dramatic transformation: the plans of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, immigration and economic development under the British, British land policy and the official Malay villages, and Britain's military presence. It goes on to examine the impact of the colonial built heritage on the development of Singapore's cultural and national identities, focusing on the two remaining examples of built heritage related to the Malay-Muslim communities in the country, namely the Istana Kampung Glam and the Masjid Petempatan Melayu Sembawang.

Notes

¹For example: Zahrah Munir (1965), Mohd. Ali Baksh (1967), Umi Kalthum Abdul Karim (1970); Rohani Baharin (1979); Julita Mohd Hussen (1982); Normala Manap (1982); Roziah Ismail (1987); Mariam Mohd. Ali (1984); Kartini Yayit (1987); Koh (1999); and Seah (2000); see also (1982); Lim (1983); Anandarajan (1958).

²Orang Seletar were boat nomads of the mangrove creeks and islets around Singapore, and were concentrated along the shores of the island, particularly at the mouth of the Seletar River. For details see Sopher (1977: 107).

³The statement was taken in 1882 when Wa Hakim lived on Pulau Brani.

⁴On a discussion of the reasons for the selection of Singapore see Murfett et al. (1990: 40).

⁵Raffles wrote this in a letter dated 10 June 1819 to his friend, Colonel Addenbrooke. For details see A centenary volume, 1877–1977 (1977: 1–7).

⁶For further information on the mosque see Hadijah Rahmat (1999: 39–43).

⁷The Indians, however, later moved to Serangoon Road or Little India of today due to overcrowding.

⁸For details of Singapore population from 1824–1980, see Saw (1999: 57); Arumainathan (1973: 1) and Khoo (1981).

⁹However, an analysis of the political and economic conditions prevailing prior to the introduction of the earliest reservation enactment reveals that the economic advancement of the Chinese populace and their widespread practice of buying up Malay lands posed an internal political and economic challenge to British rule, prompting British fears that Malaya could fall into the hands of the Chinese (Abraham 1999: 210).

¹⁰For details on British military bases in Singapore or of Singapore Strategy see Murfett et al. (1999: 168, 219).

¹¹For further information on the role of the Rural Board and management of Malay kampungs see Hadijah Rahmat (2005).

¹²Singapore 1957. Rules for the occupation of land in the Malay settlement,Jalan Eunos: notification no. 1236. Colony of Singapore Government Gazette, 12 (53), 24 May: 597–98.

¹³See for example: Zahrah Munir (1965), Mohd. Ali Basksh (1967), Umi Kalthum (1969), Chew (1982), Julita Mohd Hussen (1982), Roziah Ismail (1987), Koh (1999), Seah (2000) and Hadijah Rahmat (2005).

¹⁴See short stories by Alfian Saat (2003), Hadijah Rahmat (1986) and Fuad Salim (1974); poetry by Djamal Tukimin (1999) and Asmin (2007); and the piece of pottery entitled, ‘Where Have all Malay Kampung Gone?’ by Iskandar Jalil (2007) in his exhibition ‘Material, message, metaphor: the pottery voice of Iskandar Jalil’ at Ministry if Information Comunication and Arts (MICA) Atrium, Singapore, March 2007.

¹⁵For details see Hadijah Rahmat (2007).