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Kampong Glam ( ; Malay language: Kampung Gelam; Jawi alphabet: کامڤوڠ ڬلم ; ; Tamil language: கம்போங் கிளாம்) is a neighbourhood and ethnic enclave in Singapore. It is located north of the Singapore River, in the planning area of Rochor, known as the Malay-Muslim quarter.
Prior to colonisation by the British in 1819, the area was home to the Malay aristocracy of Singapore. It became prominent and more populous after the signing of a treaty between the British East India Company, Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor and Temenggong Abdul Rahman in 1819. The company was given the right to set up a trading post in Singapore under this treaty.
During the colony's early history, under the Raffles Plan of 1822, the settlement was divided according to different ethnic groups which included European Town, Chinese, Chulia, Arab and Bugis kampongs. Kampong Glam was designated for the Sultan and his household, as well as the Malay people and Arab communities, many of whom were . It was situated east of what was then the European Town.
While the Temenggong and his followers settled in Telok Blangah, Sultan Hussein, his family and followers settled in Kampong Glam. In return, the Sultan was given large areas of land for residential use in Kampong Glam under the treaty. The land was allocated to the Malays and other Muslim immigrants to Singapore, including the Malays from Malacca, the Riau Islands and Sumatra in Indonesia. It also included the Baweanese, Banjarese, Chinese and Indians.
The second half of the nineteenth century saw the rapid growth of immigrant communities in Kampong Glam, initially from Sumatra, and later from other parts of Indonesia and Malay Peninsula. This resulted in the setting up of different kampongs, like Kampong Malacca, Kampong Java and Kampong Bugis. There were also a small but successful Arab community of merchant in the area.
In the early twentieth century, commercial activities in Kampong Glam expanded as new and residential buildings were built. A multi-ethnic community soon developed there, comprising not only Malays and Arabs but also the Chinese and Indians.
Later, due to an expansion of commercial activities and an increase in immigrant settlers in Kampong Glam, the Arabs moved to areas like Joo Chiat, Tanglin and Bukit Tunggal (the stretch of Dunearn Road near the Road junction of Balmoral Road and Chancery Lane, near Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) today, was called Tunggal Road).
By the early 1920s, many Malays also moved out to designated resettlement areas in Geylang Serai and Kampong Eunos.
On 16 December 2006, a fire destroyed four at Sultan Gate at 2145 (SST). Two were vacant, one was a blacksmith shop and the other a shoe shop. Firefighters controlled the fire by surrounding it as it spread through the roof. According to eyewitnesses, the fire started from the second floor of the blacksmith shop. The blacksmith shop is one of the oldest types of shophouses in Singapore which was used for educational tours. It is the last blacksmith shop in the area.
On 20 June 2014, the One Kampong Gelam association was established to enliven and establish Kampong Glam as a vibrant cultural district. The association has since initiated changes such as better car parking systems, road closures, and Ramadan celebrations.
However, after the 1991 general elections, Kampong Glam SMC along with several neighbouring wards were absorbed into the bigger Kampong Glam Group Representation Constituency which existed for only one term and the ruling party People's Action Party had won the seats on the nomination day itself.
Subsequently, in the 1997 general elections, Kampong Glam GRC was disbanded and Kampong Glam's electoral division was reverted to Kampong Glam SMC with single-member representation that lasted until the 2001 general election whereby the redrawing of electoral boundaries saw it absorbed into Jalan Besar Group Representation Constituency, which includes parts of the Downtown Core.
Loh has since retired from politics by 2006 general election and the current MP is Denise Phua who represents Jalan Besar GRC. In the 2011 general elections, Jalan Besar GRC was dissolved and became part of the newly created Moulmein-Kallang Group Representation Constituency; Edwin Tong has since taken over the helm. But in 2015, Jalan Besar GRC was revived and both Denise Phua and Dr Yaacob Ibrahim took over the helm of the entire GRC and Edwin Tong was transferred to Marine Parade GRC's Joo Chiat ward.
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