Tok Lasam
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Penghulu Tok Lasam was a semi-legendary tribal chief of colonial Siglap, Singapore who hailed from an Indonesian island, sometimes reported to be either Sulawesi or Sumatra. Sometimes, he is credited as the founder of the pre-modern Siglap village. His grave is located off Jalan Sempadan in the Siglap neighbourhood.
Founding of Siglap
Much of the life and origins of Tok Lasam is full of legend and differs across accounts. One account states that Lasam was a Sumatran prince, sometimes named Raja Sufian, who arrived in colonial Singapore.[1][2][3] Another account states that he was from Sulawesi and fled due to the incoming Dutch.[1][2] Yet another account states he was from Pontianak, Indonesia.[4] Some accounts state that he was the youngest of a trio of brothers.[2] Either way, all accounts agree that he was the founder or at least chieftain of Siglap during colonial times.[1][2][3][4]
William L. Gibson theorizes that Tok Lasam might be the same as Abdulasam, who was the chieftain of Siglap in the 1850s and assisted the British in apprehending criminals.[2] Unlike most accounts of Tok Lasam, Abdulasam's existence has been proven through verifiable historical records from the colonial era.[2]
According to the local traditions, Lasam and his people arrived at an uninhabited area of Singapore in the 19th century during the colonial era.[1][2][4] Upon his arrival, he witnessed either a solar eclipse or stormy weather which inspired him to name the new settlement Si-Gelap (which is Malay for "The Dark One").[1][2][4][5] One account narrates that Lasam fought against rogue pirates attacking the area and successfully captured the pirate captain, which led to him being honoured by British authorities.[4][5][6] Sometime after his arrival, Lasam reportedly established the first mosque on the land, Masjid Kampung Siglap.[3]
