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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Kingoflettuce (talk | contribs) at 09:26, 12 December 2024 (←Created page with ''''Haji Ambo Sooloh'''{{Efn|Also spelt as "Ambok Sooloh"{{sfn|Ng|2017|p=188}} or "Embok Suloh".{{Sfn|National Heritage Board|2012|p=55}}}} (1891–1963) was a Malay businessman and philanthropist. Born in Singapore to a wealthy Bugis family, Sooloh was one of the founders of the Malay-language newspaper ''Utusan Melayu''. He also served as the chairman of the Singapore Malay Union (Kesatuan Melayu Singapura) fro...'). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Haji Ambo Sooloh (1891–1963) was a Malay businessman and philanthropist. Born in Singapore to a wealthy Bugis family, Sooloh was one of the founders of the Malay-language newspaper Utusan Melayu. He also served as the chairman of the Singapore Malay Union (Kesatuan Melayu Singapura) from 1934 to 1939.

Early life

Sooloh's father, Omar Ali, emigrated from his hometown of Pontianak to Singapore in 1880 and soon became the de facto leader of Bugis-Malay businessmen in the region. He died in 1921, leaving his youngest son, Sooloh, to oversee his property and trading empire.

Career

In 1927, Sooloh was appointed as a Justice of the Peace. In 1934, on behalf of the entire Malay community in Singapore, he presented Sir Shenton Thomas with a letter affirming "their loyalty to the country and the British Government." The same year, Sooloh was chosen to succeed the recently deceased Mohamed Eunos bin Abdullah as chairman of the Singapore Malay Union (Kesatuan Melayu Singapiura).

Sometime in 1938, twenty Malay Union members—including the future President of Singapore Yusof Ishak—began discussing the idea of a Malay-language newspaper fully owned and managed by Malay people; Sooloh was tasked with raising funds for the project. A year later, the vision was realised with the publication of Utusan Melayu's first issue.

Sooloh was also a patron of both the Darul Taklam football club and the Malay Soccer Association (Persatuan Bolasepak Melayu).

Later years and legacy

Sooloh died in 1963, aged 72. He was buried near his father at the country's oldest Muslim cemetery in Jalan Kubor. Two years after Sooloh's death, the three-storey house that Sooloh, his two wives, six daughters, and four sons had lived in was torn down. A lane in a former Malay settlement (present-day Kaki Bukit) was once named after Sooloh.

Notes

1. Also spelt as "Ambok Sooloh" or "Embok Suloh".

References

Citations

1. Ng 2017, p. 188.
2. National Heritage Board 2012, p. 55.
3. ^ Musa Kasbi 1988, p. 4.
4. Sulaiman 1988, p. 6.
5. Zaccheus 2014.

Works cited

• "Kampong Glam Heritage Trail" (pdf). National Heritage Board. October 2012.
• Musa Kasbi (26 January 1988). "Ambo Sooloh helped set up Utusan Melayu". The Straits Times. p. 4.
• Ng, Yew Peng (2017). What's In The Name? How The Streets And Villages In Singapore Got Their Names. World Scientific. ISBN 9789813221475.
• Sulaiman, Jeman (7 November 1988). "The rise of Malay newspapers". The Straits Times. p. 6.
• Zaccheus, Melody (5 September 2014). "Uncovering secrets of 19th century Singapore".