[SCMP Article] Descendants of Sinkie Malay royal family today

[Rogue Trader]

Southeast Asia
Meet Singapore’s royal descendants living low-key lives as taxi drivers and office workers

• In the 19th century, Sultan Hussein Shah’s treaties with the British led to colonial rule and the founding of the modern country
• The Singaporean government agreed a payout to 79 descendants as part of colonial-era deal to provide for the sultan’s family

Topic | Singapore
Reuters
Published: 10:58am, 27 Oct, 2020
Updated: 6:15pm, 27 Oct, 2020

In the modern republic of Singapore, several seemingly ordinary people working in offices or driving taxis can claim to be of royal blood, descendants of a 19th-century monarch who ceded control of the Southeast Asian island to the British.

But few residents in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities are even aware of this lineage, a sore point with Tengku, or Prince, Shawal, acclaimed by some members of his family as “head of the house of Singapore”

“They still exist?” is a response the 51-year-old says he often receives when he tells people he is one of the descendants of Sultan Hussein Shah – whose treaties with the British led to colonial rule and the founding of the modern country.

Shawal is one of several Singaporeans who bear the honorific name Tengku, meaning prince or princess in Malay, and claim links to the Sultan.

Until the turn of this century, some of them still lived in their ancestral home, a crowded, dilapidated palace, before they were evicted by the government which turned it into a museum.

Seventy-nine descendants, of whom 14 were living in the palace, were offered payouts as part of colonial-era deal to provide for the sultan’s family, the government said at the time. Many of the others were living overseas, it said.

The legal beneficiaries’ names were not made public, making it difficult to verify royal claims.

The Singapore government, which has ruled unbroken since the city state’s independence in 1965, said all but one of the payments have been made but it was unable to share more details on the beneficiaries.

Shawal, who showed government correspondence identifying him as a beneficiary, still regularly visits the palace-turned-museum and its nearby mosque and cemetery in the city state’s Malay heritage enclave called Kampong Glam.

Despite facing personal issues with his income cut and his logistics job at risk due to the coronavirus pandemic, Shawal says he devotes time to keeping the Sultan’s heritage alive by dressing in traditional royal costume and attending celebratory events. But gaining wider recognition is a challenge, even among a disparate and somewhat divided band of claimants.

Tengku Shawal shows a replica of a royal crest that he had made for himself to wear. Photo: Reuters

Other descendants warn about the dangers of living in the past or are too preoccupied with hardships of the present.

“We are not a dynasty. It is not important whether you are a descendant of the royal family or not,” said Tengku Indra, a 67-year-old consultant who lived in the palace grounds as a child.

“What is crucial is you must earn your life through meritocracy instead of enjoying an ascribed status based on ancestral position.”

Tengku Shawal writes notes against a list of names of royal descendants. Photo: Reuters

Indra was described as the great-great-great-great grandson of Sultan Hussein in an article by government-affiliated heritage society Friends of the Museums Singapore last year.

Indra’s son, 40-year-old businessman Tengku Azan has a two-year-old daughter who would be one of the youngest descendants. He thinks future generations will not take much interest in the Sultan’s history.

“The past inadvertently takes a back seat and remains uncherished,” he said.

We are not smart, we are not rich. We got title only​

Tengku Faizal, taxi driver​

For other former palace residents, life in the outside world has been a rude awakening.

Tengku Faizal, 43, said after he left the palace in 1999 he took a job as a cleaner in a condominium and would get teased for being the prince who handles garbage.

He now drives a taxi but says he is struggling to make ends meet and has been given financial assistance to cover his daughter’s childcare fees. To help out, his wife has taken a part-time job in a McDonald’s outlet.

“We are not smart, we are not rich,” Faizal said, speaking in English. “We got title only.”

Tengku Puteri, a royal descendant, speaks with her colleagues at her office in Singapore. Photo: Reuters

In neighbouring Malaysia, a constitutional monarchy where Sultans still play an active role in public life, honorific names are far more common.

Of seven Singapore claimants interviewed, Shawal was the most eager about celebrating his heritage.

But even he had his own doubts about passing on the “burden” of the royal title and did not give it to his daughter at birth.

Now 27 and working for a biotech firm, princess Puteri has reclaimed her Tengku name but says she also finds explaining her credentials an uphill task in a country that has largely forgotten this piece of history.

“Some part of me feels sad because I need to explain who I am. But the moment they look at Prince Harry, they know he is the prince,” she said, referring to the globally popular grandson of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.

 

[gingerlyn]

South China Post is owned by China and the purpose of this article is to instill hatred among Muslim Malay. It is a clear sign that Communist China is working behind the scene to create racial riots in Singapore

 

[mojito]

South China Post is owned by China and the purpose of this article is to instill hatred among Muslim Malay. It is a clear sign that Communist China is working behind the scene to create racial riots in Singapore

Remember whose land u are standing on before u raise ur voice.

 

[mudhatter]

SCMP is owned by Alibaba and employs a lot of stinkypurean 'quitters'.

Hence the obsession with every little thing in teeny weeny tiny dot stinkypura

 

[Rogue Trader]

South China Post is owned by China and the purpose of this article is to instill hatred among Muslim Malay. It is a clear sign that Communist China is working behind the scene to create racial riots in Singapore

Not everything is a communist conspiracy lah.

Scmp covered this story factually and it's something our famous sph journalists wouldn't write about

 

[syed putra]

This should be in history books and taught in schools.

 

[syed putra]

Until the turn of this century, some of them still lived in their ancestral home, a crowded, dilapidated palace, before they were evicted by the government which turned it into a museum.

More malay land seized by PAP. Its ethnic cleansing and should be brought up in the U.N..

 

[syed putra]

According to history, hussein shah was not the sultan and that makes the treaty void, although british recognises him as sultan.

Founding of modern SingaporeEdit
Main article: Founding of modern Singapore
1819 treatyEdit
In 1818, Sir Stamford Raffles persuaded the British East India Company to establish a new base in the East Indies.[16]

On 29 January 1819, Raffles landed at Singapura, and there he befriended Temenggong Abdul Rahman. Upon learning of these Johor political tensions, Raffles had the Temenggong smuggle Hussein Shah from Riau to Singapura. Raffles then made a deal with Hussein Shah. The British would recognize Hussein Shah as Sultan of Johor, and pay stipends to Hussein Shah and the Temenggong Abdul Rahman. In return, Hussein Shah would allow Raffles to establish a trading post in Singapore. This treaty was signed on 6 February 1819.[17][18]

1824 Anglo-Dutch treatyEdit
With the Temenggong's help, Raffles brought Hussein Shah to Singapore. The Dutch were extremely displeased with Raffles' action. Tensions between the Dutch and British over Singapore persisted until 1824, until they signed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty. Under the terms of that treaty, the Dutch officially withdrew their opposition to the British presence in Singapore.[19] The treaty has the effect of carving the Johor Empire into two spheres of influence; modern Johor under the British and the new Sultanate of Riau under the Dutch. The treaty was concluded in London, between the British and the Dutch, effectively breaking up of the Johor-Riau Empire into two.[20]



Later years and deathEdit

The British successfully sidelined Dutch political influence by proclaiming Hussein Shah as the Sultan of Johor and Singapore. Hussein Shah's claim to be Sultan of Johor and Singapore was by all accounts not recognised by the Malay rulers and was only a nominal title. Temenggong Abdul Rahman's position, on the other hand, was strengthened as the signing of the treaties detached him the influence of Raja Ja'afar.[21] The Dutch took the bold initiative of taking the royal regalia from Engku Putri Hamidah by force after hearing of rumors of Sultan Hussein requesting British aid to get hold of it.[22] In November 1822, Sultan Abdul Rahman was installed as the Sultan of Lingga, complete with the royal regalia.[23]

In the later part of his reign, growing British influence induced some Malay nobles, particularly Bendahara Ali, to recognize Sultan Hussein Shah.[24] Sultan Abdul Rahman, who had devoted himself to religion, became contented with his political sphere of influence in Lingga, where his family continued to maintain his household under the administrative direction of Raja Ja'afar, [25] who ruled under the auspices of the Dutch.[26] However, unresolved legal ambiguity in the legitimacy various local affairs, such as the status of Johor and Pahang. These were de jure possessions of Sultan Abdul Rahman and his successors, yet the 1824 treaty barred him as a Dutch vassal from exerting political authority over Johor and Pahang.[27] In the light of these circumstances, the Temenggong and Bendahara increasingly exerted their independent authority. Also, largely as a result of the strong British influence in the Malay Peninsula, the continuously changing political dynamics gradually relegated these legitimacy disputes to irrelevance. (In 1857, the Sultan of Lingga, Sultan Mahmud Muzaffar Shah, who was also de jure head of the royal house of Johor, Pahang and Lingga, made a vociferous claim as the rightful ruler of these states and sparked off a brief civil war in Pahang.)[28]

Sultan Hussein on his part, did not pursue any active claim to his sovereignty rights over Johor, even after Temenggong Abdul Rahman died in 1825, and his successor, Temenggong Ibrahim was still a youth at the time.[29] Sultan Hussein spent much of his time at his Singapore residence in Istana Kampong Glam until 1834, when he moved to Malacca. Reports cited that he was a dispirited man, apparently with the lack of power and authority that he should be accorded as the Sultan.[30] Sultan Hussein died in September 1835, and was buried in Tranquerah Mosque at the wishes of his Sultanah and Abdul Kadir, a Tamil-Muslim Imam.[31]

 

[zhihau]

According to history, hussein shah was not the sultan and that makes the treaty void, although british recognises him as sultan.

What determines the legitimacy of one’s status as a royalty?

 

[songsongjurong]

how much was their payoff, lasted them 20years? must have blow off all the compensation money.

 

[eatshitndie]

it’s reuters’ article, not scmp’s.

https://sg.yahoo.com/news/cabbies-office-workers-meet-singapores-022454578.html

 

[mojito]

Scmp got balls to write about the REAL royal family of Singapore anot? How well the family getting by on public moneys etc.

 

[A Singaporean]

We are not smart, we are not rich. We got title only
Tengku Faizal, taxi driver

At least this m&d is smart enough to admit he is stupid. m&d truly pathetic.

 

[mojito]

Will our seat warmer PMs die dispirited not having been accorded the power and authority they deserve holding the highest public office of the land?

 

[mojito]

We are not smart, we are not rich. We got title only
Tengku Faizal, taxi driver

At least this m&d is smart enough to admit he is stupid. m&d truly pathetic.

Compare to the smart and rich royals with no titles. Of course no fight lah.

 

[A Singaporean]

Compare to the smart and rich royals with no titles. Of course no fight lah.

 

[A Singaporean]

Compare to the smart and rich royals with no titles. Of course no fight lah.

How to be smart without bacon?

 

[Nice-Gook]

According to history, hussein shah was not the sultan and that makes the treaty void, although british recognises him as sultan.

Founding of modern SingaporeEdit
Main article: Founding of modern Singapore
1819 treatyEdit
In 1818, Sir Stamford Raffles persuaded the British East India Company to establish a new base in the East Indies.[16]

On 29 January 1819, Raffles landed at Singapura, and there he befriended Temenggong Abdul Rahman. Upon learning of these Johor political tensions, Raffles had the Temenggong smuggle Hussein Shah from Riau to Singapura. Raffles then made a deal with Hussein Shah. The British would recognize Hussein Shah as Sultan of Johor, and pay stipends to Hussein Shah and the Temenggong Abdul Rahman. In return, Hussein Shah would allow Raffles to establish a trading post in Singapore. This treaty was signed on 6 February 1819.[17][18]

1824 Anglo-Dutch treatyEdit
With the Temenggong's help, Raffles brought Hussein Shah to Singapore. The Dutch were extremely displeased with Raffles' action. Tensions between the Dutch and British over Singapore persisted until 1824, until they signed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty. Under the terms of that treaty, the Dutch officially withdrew their opposition to the British presence in Singapore.[19] The treaty has the effect of carving the Johor Empire into two spheres of influence; modern Johor under the British and the new Sultanate of Riau under the Dutch. The treaty was concluded in London, between the British and the Dutch, effectively breaking up of the Johor-Riau Empire into two.[20]



Later years and deathEdit

The British successfully sidelined Dutch political influence by proclaiming Hussein Shah as the Sultan of Johor and Singapore. Hussein Shah's claim to be Sultan of Johor and Singapore was by all accounts not recognised by the Malay rulers and was only a nominal title. Temenggong Abdul Rahman's position, on the other hand, was strengthened as the signing of the treaties detached him the influence of Raja Ja'afar.[21] The Dutch took the bold initiative of taking the royal regalia from Engku Putri Hamidah by force after hearing of rumors of Sultan Hussein requesting British aid to get hold of it.[22] In November 1822, Sultan Abdul Rahman was installed as the Sultan of Lingga, complete with the royal regalia.[23]

In the later part of his reign, growing British influence induced some Malay nobles, particularly Bendahara Ali, to recognize Sultan Hussein Shah.[24] Sultan Abdul Rahman, who had devoted himself to religion, became contented with his political sphere of influence in Lingga, where his family continued to maintain his household under the administrative direction of Raja Ja'afar, [25] who ruled under the auspices of the Dutch.[26] However, unresolved legal ambiguity in the legitimacy various local affairs, such as the status of Johor and Pahang. These were de jure possessions of Sultan Abdul Rahman and his successors, yet the 1824 treaty barred him as a Dutch vassal from exerting political authority over Johor and Pahang.[27] In the light of these circumstances, the Temenggong and Bendahara increasingly exerted their independent authority. Also, largely as a result of the strong British influence in the Malay Peninsula, the continuously changing political dynamics gradually relegated these legitimacy disputes to irrelevance. (In 1857, the Sultan of Lingga, Sultan Mahmud Muzaffar Shah, who was also de jure head of the royal house of Johor, Pahang and Lingga, made a vociferous claim as the rightful ruler of these states and sparked off a brief civil war in Pahang.)[28]

Sultan Hussein on his part, did not pursue any active claim to his sovereignty rights over Johor, even after Temenggong Abdul Rahman died in 1825, and his successor, Temenggong Ibrahim was still a youth at the time.[29] Sultan Hussein spent much of his time at his Singapore residence in Istana Kampong Glam until 1834, when he moved to Malacca. Reports cited that he was a dispirited man, apparently with the lack of power and authority that he should be accorded as the Sultan.[30] Sultan Hussein died in September 1835, and was buried in Tranquerah Mosque at the wishes of his Sultanah and Abdul Kadir, a Tamil-Muslim Imam.[31]

This bit of history hounded Raffles till his death

he signed a treaty with an unauthorised fella , what more since that fella was sitting on Dutch territory and the Dutch were pretty upset about till , the East India and Dutch signed another treaty and the whole matter buried between the colonists

in any respect Raffles detractors in London did not allow him to rest about it

 

[mojito]

How to be smart without bacon?

Only shame less chinks like u are easily bribed with pork barrels to bow before Loong acknowledge him as your crown less sultan.

 

[Nice-Gook]

One of the evidence purposely destroyed by Raffles was the Singapore Stone

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Stone

it was said to have been blowned up by mistake , but it’s a difficult story to buy since it was written that crowd mingled around the stone in curiosity in wonder , hence it was not possible to have been destroyed by mistake

This stone marked the territory , that Sinkieland belonged to and part of the Indonesian empire

and Raffles wanted none of that , hence destroyed

which begets the question , if Indonesia were to raise the ownership of Sinkieland in UN courts one day !!!!