The Chinese Peranakan newspaper Bintang Timor reported in 1894 on the three oldest clubs of the Malays, noting that the new club “Darul Taallum Association” was established in that month (August 1894), an addition to the two existing pioneering Malay clubs, “Harbab Ashkedan Club” and “Darul Adab Association”. The three clubs had received approval letters from the Government (Bintang Timor 8 August 1894 pg 3). Newspaper reports also referred to Harbab Askedan as “the Malay club” (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 4 February 1898, p.2) and as “the club of Malays”, (Straits Budget, 27 April 1901, p.5). Another article stated “the two premier Malay Clubs, the Darul Adab and the Arbab Askedan” (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 8 June 1900, p.3).
Harbab Askedan / Arbab Askedan
The Harbab Askedan Club was exempted from registration on 13 June 1895 (SSGG 1896). It was also known as Perskutuan [Persekutuan] Harbab Askedan. The earliest newspaper article to mention it stated that it had “only recently been organised by some Mahomedan employes [sic] in the Government and Mercantile services,” and enjoined:
“As this is the only Mahomedan Club which has recreation as one of its objects and as the members seemingly are men of respectability we have no doubt that they could be granted a piece of ground where they could indulge in some of the healthy European exercises.” (Daily Advertiser 1 Sep 1892, 3).
In 1892 the location of its clubhouse was registered as 5, Almeida Street/Road (SSGG1893) (Daily Advertiser, 23 Feb 1893, p.3), then at 387, Victoria Street (SSGG 1896), then at no. 7 Niven Road as reported in three newspaper articles across 1897 to 1903 (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly), 29 June 1897, p.14; The Straits Budget, 1 September 1900, p.18; The Straits Times, 3 March 1903, p.5).
In an article on its tenth anniversary celebrations in 1902, The Straits Times noted that its “members include several influential and leading Mohammedans of Singapore” (The Straits Times, 7 February 1902, Page 5). The article also records that besides a “grand dinner” at the club house in Niven Road and performances by the band of the 3rd Madras Light Infantry (M.L.I.), there will also be “dances by Malay women – Rongging, Makyong, Joget, etc.”
Harbab Askedan hosted a grand dinner for two nights at their club house in 1900 for the Sultan of Turkey’s Silver Jubilee (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (weekly), 6 September 1900, p.5). It also hosted royal visits to Singapore: In 1898, it hosted a visit by the Sultan of Sulu, who was en route for a month-long stay before departing for the hajj to Mecca (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 4 February 1898, p.2). Then in 1901 it was reported that Harbab Askedan “was en fete … on the occasion of a visit to their premises, in Niven Road, by H. H. Sultan Idris of Perak, ex-Sultan Abdullah, H. H. the Sultan of Pahang, H. H Tunku Mahmoud. H. H Tunku Abdullah and a number of Datohs of the F.M.S.” (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 29 April 1901, p.2)
Unfortunately we have only one glimpse of Harbab Askedan’s executive committee: Syed Md Alsagoff was the President in 1894.
The name ‘Harbab’/‘Arbab’ is interesting and unusual – it possibly refers to a Persian word ‘arbab’ (Persian: ارباب) meaning a “boss”, “master” or “landlord” or “one endowed with a special quality”, and was a title used by tribal leaders in Middle East and South Asia. It has thus far not been possible to ascertain what Askedan refers to, though given the possible Persianate connection, it might be the name of a popular figure in the Wayang Parsi or bangsawan plays then current in Singapore.
Darul Adab
Darul Adab Association emerges in the records as having been exempted from registration on 19 March 1894, with its name rendered as “The Dar-el-adab Association” in the societies list (SSGG 1896). Reports on AGM and the officials elected to the association’s executive committee were published in 1894, 1898, 1901,1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1931 (see Table 3 under Darul Adab). The composition of the committees recorded suggest that the club was diverse and inclusive.
The President of Darul Adab Association in 1926 was Ambo Sooloh, while in 1930 Ambo Sooloh was recorded as the Patron (Table 3). It is worth noting that in 1926 Haji Ambok Suloh bin Haji Omar was also the Treasurer of the Singapore Malay Union (KMS). This doubtless facilitated the close ties between both associations and especially the use of the Darul Adab clubhouse in the same year (1926) for a very important KMS meeting on the question of forming a Malay Settlement for Malays displaced by the Kallang airport project and the formation of a sub-committee for it.
Darul Adab Association’s members were behind a number of annual events and initiatives. In 1895 it organised the first of a long-running series of its Annual Sports meets, with the third one held on Wednesday, 28 July 1897 (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly) 3 Aug 1897, 9). This third sports meet was called “Sapar” (Safar) Sports, indicating that it was held to coincide with the Islamic lunar calendar month of Safar. Besides being a sports meet, such annual events must have been important festive events in the annual calendar – for the 1897 instalment the entertainment line-up included fireworks were set off under management of Hadjee Asahad (Kechik), while in the evening there was dancing (Joget), with the Tanglin Band playing courtesy of Noor Mamat.
The annual sports events that it organised was seen as an important element of life in the colony – a retrospective article written on Singapore history by “W M” in 1919 considered the preceding two decades from the year 1898 as “one of the most important periods in the history of the Colony.” It listed the athletics and games which “bulked very much in the mind of the community twenty years ago.” The writer continued that “The Darul Adab Dlub and the Chinese each held athletic sports, the latter at their New Year, while the SCC (Singapore Cricket Club, a European-only establishment) had a two day athletic gymkhana.” From this statement, we can surmise the singular importance of what Darul Adab was doing for the Malay (and Muslim) community for sports and belonging in colonial Singapore.
Then in 1898 it was reported that “It seems that the members if [of] the Darul Adab Malay Club have been considering the subject of forming a Malay company of Volunteers.” (The Straits Times 18 April 1898, 2). It appear that the initiative to form a Malay Volunteers Company began in Darul Adab, among its members.
The club’s anniversary dinner on was held evening of 15 July 1898 at “their pavilion at Syed Alwee Road”. This indicates that the “Darul Adab grounds”, besides offering a field for sports, also had a sizeable pavilion within which functions could be held. The VIPs who attended included
- H. H. ex-Sultan Abdullah of Perak and his two sons
- H. H. Tunku Mohamed Khalis D.K.S.P.M.J.
- Tunku Mahmoud, and
- Dato Sri Stia Rajah Inche Ahmed
Presidents, secretaries and officials of Malay clubs from Johore, Muar and Singapore also attended, indicating the networks of the club.
Darul Adab Club described as “the senior Malay club of Singapore” (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser 30 July 1906 pg 5). In 1894 the club premises was at No. 30, Albert Street (Bintang Timor 31 July 1894 pg 2). One newspaper article stated that “Darul Adab Club was established in 1894, with its members consisting of mostly heads of business houses in Singapore” (Malaya Tribune 21 April 1915 pg 8). This can be contrasted with an earlier statement where Darul Adab Association was described as “a Malay Athletic Association” The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly) 19 January 1897 pg 8 and a Malay Club (The Straits Times 18 April 1898 pg 2)
Darul Adab Assoc [DAC] – team players’ names given and it Included Eurasian JJ Oliviero, Capt. J McMurray, and Onan Rajidin (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser 23 July 1898 pg 2)
From 1896 Darul Adab organised half-yearly Sports meet, as reported in an article on the third annual sports on Wednesday, 28 July 1897 (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly) 3 August 1897 pg 9). For the fourth meet a diverse range of participants was recorded (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly) 4 January 1898 pg 4), and the 200 yards Flat Race was won by Onan bin Rajidin. This is significant as Onan is a known figure – he later owned much property and Onan Road is named after him. P. D. Arme is another well-known figure in the community and for the sports meet he acted as a Bugis Prince.
Darul Adab Club 1906 AGM committee members elected comprised 5 Indian Muslims and 1 Arab.
Darul Adab grounds played a major role for matches in 1899 to 1901. By 1901 it was referred to as “the Old Darul Adab Club ground at Jalan Besar” (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser 9 November 1901 pg 2); This was also the last mention of Darul Adab Grounds. In 1902 the grounds at Esplanade were already being used instead (The Straits Times 11 April 1902 pg 4)
In 1907 it was reported that the grounds had been sold off – the occasion was the Darul Adab sports meet with Capt NM Hashim giving a short speech (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser 5 August 1907 pg 8). Hashim will later play a significant role in advocating for a university (1936) and for leading a splinter group from the Malay Union (1939).
Club house address was given as Race Course Road in 1906 (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser 11 July 1906 pg 2). In 1907 it was reported that a match was played at the “Darul Adab portion of the Raffles Reclamation ground”, suggesting that the ground for the Club’s use had not shofted and wa presumably leased. (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser 19 August 1907 pg 8). Then in 1908, Darul Adab Club met on the night of Friday, 27 November, to discuss the conditions of the Tramway Cup competition (among the Malay Football Clubs of Singapore) (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser 28 November 1908 pg 12)
Darel Ta’alam Association (Rochore)
“The Darul Ta’ Allum Association” was exempted from Registration on 27 July 1894 (SSGG 1896)
The club is seen to represent Kampong Rochore area, having its club premises at 55 Sumbawa Road (Weekly Sun, 8 Nov 1913, p.5). An 1897 report stated “Darel Ta’alam Association (Rochore)” (Straits Budget 2 February 1897 pg 4). In 1929 its address shifted to 95, Minto Road which was still in the Kampong Rochore district (SSGG 1929).
Biannual (half-yearly) General Meetings were reported in 1897 (two biannual general meetings), 1910 (only one found), and 1930 (only one found) (see Table 3).
Collaborations and debates
One of the earliest collaborations across these three early clubs was a debate, “Mejelis [Majlis] Muzakrath”, in 1894 concerning the permissibility of putting the bride’s name on wedding invitations. The first debate on 26 Aug 1894 involved “Perskutuan [Persekutuan] Hasbab Askedan” and “Persekutuan Darul Adab” Bintang Timor 21 August 1894 pg 3. A second debate also involved Darul Ta’lam [Ta’allam] (Bintang Timor 1 September 1894 pg 2)
However as the matter was seen as not yet resolved, another debate was announced for the coming Sunday (16 September) with Datok Luar, Johor, invited as their judge (“Hakim”) (Bintang Timor 11 September 1894 pg 2). This third debate as reported on 5 October 1894: The debate was hosted by Darul Adab Club at their premises, and attended by 3 to 4 shorthand reporters (Bintang Timor 5 October 1894 pg 2).
The two letters written on 21 August 1894 and 1 September 1894 to Bintang Timor, and addressed to Harbab Askedan Cub, were both signed off by S.M.A., who appears to be none other than Syed Mohamed bin Ahmed Alsagoff (1836 – 1906) or Nong Chik, residing in the large walled compound popularly known as Kota Nong Chik at Java Road, Kampong Rochor next to Kampong Gelam.
The second letter, reporting on the debates, occasioned an interesting use of words and expressions indicating the cosmopolitan nature of the society it addressed and the still experimental nature of the use of terms and proverbs. S.M.A. used Arabic-origin Malay terms and provided the English translations in brackets – “muzakarah (debate)” and “ishtajarkan (publish)” – and then proceeded to also cite a “perumpama’an Hindustani” (a Hindi proverb).
Playing host to visiting dignitaries
An honorary member of Darul Adab Club, Sultan of Siak His Highness Sultan El Syed Al Sharif Hashim Abdul Jalil Saif Al Din, Sri Indra Putra, came to visit and was entertained for dinner on Saturday night 31 Aug 1907 “with a concert and rejoicings”. The President of the Club at that time was Sheik Ahmad Baodin, an Arab (The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly) 5 September 1907 pg 10). It is noteworthy that the Sultan of Siak was also an Arab (the Arab dynasty having taken over Siak’s throne in 1784). The club’s venue was described as “comfortable quarters in Race Course Road.” (Straits Budget 5 September 1907 pg 10)
Hosting key Malay Union meetings
In 1926, Darul Taalam opened their clubhouse at 55 Sumbawa Road to the Singapore Malay Union and provided the refreshments for a very important meeting – one that discussed the proposal for the Malay Settlement and the formation of a sub-committee for its execution.
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