SINGAPORE, Jan 4 — Sir Stamford Raffles will not be standing alone along the north bank of the Singapore River, not for the next few days at least.
The statues of four other historical figures — Sang Nila Utama, Tan Tock Seng, Munshi Abdullah and Naraina Pillai — were unveiled along the Singapore River today, as part of activities to commemorate Singapore’s bicentennial.
They will be there until January 8, before being moved to different locations along the Singapore River promenade for the rest of this year.
The four new statues were commissioned by the Singapore Bicentennial Office (SBO), who said that they represent the wider cast of historical figures that arrived in Singapore in 1819 and earlier.
- Sang Nila Utama was a Palembang prince who saw a vision of a lion and established the Singapura Kingdom in 1299.
- Tan Tock Seng came to Singapore in 1819 and was a philanthropist and a leader of the Chinese community. He was best known for being the main donor to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
- Munshi Abdullah set foot in Singapore in 1819 and served as the interpreter and secretary to Raffles. He was also known for his early literary contributions to the Malay community.
- Naraina Pillai came to Singapore in 1819, starting out as a clerk before becoming a successful entrepreneur. He contributed greatly to the Hindu community, including the construction of the Sri Mariamman temple in 1827.
The SBO said that the Singapore bicentennial is not just about marking the 200th year since Raffles landed on Singapore's shores, but also to recognise “the diverse communities and people who have shaped Singapore over the years”.
SBO’s executive director Gene Tan said: “1819 is an important point in our history, but before and after the British also came many people and communities. Even the four statues represent only a fraction of the huge cast of characters who contributed to the evolution of Singapore in our longer history of 700 years.
“Through the various events planned throughout 2019, we hope that Singaporeans will be able to broaden their understanding of how different communities, including their own, had a part to play in Singapore’s history.” — TODAY
