Towering commercial figure who cared for the public, Syed Omar bin Ali Aljunied (born 1792 - died 1852)

Sitting on the fringes of Chinatown, the Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka is not the kind of building that imposes itself on its surroundings, despite carrying the distinction of being Singapore’s oldest place of worship. The mosque expresses its character in a more humble, unshowy way. Like the philanthropist it is named after, Masjid Omar has gone about its long years in a quiet, unassuming fashion. Its heart lies in its service to the community. Founded in 1820 by Syed Omar bin Ali Aljunied, Masjid Omar quickly became a focal point for the Muslim community in early colonial Singapore, gathering Arab traders, Malaccan businessmen, local Malays and a fair number of immigrants from the numerous islands of Indonesia. “Syed Omar was a religious man and most of his income went to charity or wakafs (religious endowments),” says Syed Alwi bin Abdullah Aljunied, a fifth-generation Aljunied and the son of Syed Omar’s great grandson Abdullah. Besides founding a number of mosques including the Masjid Omar, Syed Omar also paid for wells to be dug at Fort Canning, Telok Ayer and Selegie Road, among other places. Before the establishment of a comprehensive water delivery system, these wells were of great benefit to various communities. While Syed Omar always had the resources to ensure the quality of water for his own household, he remained concerned about the common man and contributed towards the colonial administration’s upgrading of waterworks and other public health facilities. “He gave to all communities, not only his own people benefited from his philanthropy,” says Syed Alwi. “As Muslims, we believe that wealth is given to you by God – it is not solely your efforts that have made you rich. As such, you cannot only think of yourself or hoard the wealth.” Syed Omar was an Arab merchant initially based in Palembang, Indonesia, having made his way to this part of the world from the town of Tarim in Hadramaut, present-day Yemen. He was famed as a man of ethics and principles, as well as being a leader of the Arabs in the region. Aware of the sheer volume of trade and influence a prominent trader like Syed Omar could bring to the fledgling British colony of Singapore, the colony’s founder Sir Stamford Raffles invited him to set up operations here. Syed Omar accepted the invitation, and his trading operations spanned the United Kingdom, Yemen, Indonesia and Singapore. The SOA – Syed Omar Aljunied – brand of textiles became a household name. He cut a towering figure in early Singapore’s commerce – his descendant Syed Alwi recalls stories from his childhood of workers emptying fleets of Bugis prahus (trading ships) of their goods, all bound for Syed Omar’s warehouses. Syed Omar’s payment collection agents also made their rounds on bullock carts – such was the volume of monies to be collected. But for all his illustriousness in commerce, Syed Omar became as well known, if not even more so, for his philanthropy and contributions to the community. He distributed his wealth for public utilities, most prominently through the donation of land. The Pauper’s Hospital, which later became Tan Tock Seng Hospital, was established on a plot of land on Pearl’s Hill in the Chinatown area gifted by Syed Omar in 1844. He also contributed to the maintenance and operation of the hospital. Another prominent example of Syed Omar’s open-hearted charity was his donation of land in the City Hall area, on which St Andrew’s Cathedral was built. Syed Omar’s influence and wide-ranging contributions gave him a strong standing in the community. He represented the Muslim and Arab communities in their dealings with the colonial government, and was always available for those seeking advice. These consultations regularly took place on a platform with a shaded roof (a balei) outside Syed Omar’s house close to the Singapore River. Today, the Aljunied area in the east of Singapore speaks of the Aljunied family repute. However, according to his descendant Syed Alwi, Syed Omar sought the simple, inherent rewards of public service, not the eminence of his name. “He was not the type who believed in making a great name for himself. When Syed Omar passed away, he did not have a big grave – his grave was as ordinary as anybody else’s,” says Syed Alwi. “He was not looking for recognition. All he did was for the benefit of the people.” Syed Omar’s descendants carried on his legacy of service, helping reconstruct the Masjid Omar, building madrasahs (religious schools) and donating more land for burial grounds among other contributions. His spirit of service continues in the Aljunied family, one of the oldest in Singapore. “We should not simply be proud of Syed Omar’s name, but rather take the example of what he did for the country and community,” says Syed Alwi, who serves on the committee of the Masjid Omar. “I hope that his example will continue to inspire the coming generations to do whatever they can, within their capabilities.” Cushioned by peaceable greenery, the Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka is nestled in the shadow of the Ministry of Manpower building, which sits atop an old road that used to be named after Syed Omar. While this signpost bearing the name of a man who can truly be called one of Singapore’s pioneer philanthropists is gone, his example and his paradigm of service lives on. By Alvin Chua