Jalan Kubor, Singapore

Jalan Kubor Singapore on Google Street View

Jalan Kubor, Singapore (Jun 2024)

Jalan Kubor is a minor road in Kampong Glam, Singapore. It connects Rochor Canal Road to North Bridge Road. Victoria Street splits it into two separate parts. The northern section borders on a Malay cemetery for which the road was named. It cuts through the oldest Muslim burial ground in Singapore. The cemetery dates back to the early 19th century. There are three distinct sections: one for royals of the Johor Sultanate, another for Muslims in general, and one of mostly Indian Muslims.³

The land in the Jalan Kubor area expanded when a prominent Arab merchant, Syed Omar Aljunied, donated the land adjacent to the royal burial ground as a waqf, or charitable endowment, for a Muslim cemetery in 1852. It became the burial place of many prominent Malays and Muslims from the 19th to the early 20th century.⁴

Located next to the royal burial plot is the Tittacheri Muslim cemetery, designated for the burial of Indian Muslims. The Masjid Malabar was built on this land and opened in 1963.³

Over time, the cemetery became overcrowded, and it was closed to further burials in stages, beginning with the royal section in 1875, the Malay burial ground in 1901, and the Indian Muslim burial ground after World War II, though the final burial conducted there was as late as 1963.⁵

Map of Jalan Kubor, Singapore

Sights along Jalan Kubor

Malay Cemetery (GPS: 1.30425, 103.85863)

References

Singapore Street Names - A Study of Toponymics by Victor R Savage and Brenda S.A. Yeoh (2013, 2023), ISBN 978-981-4408-35-6
What's in the Name? How the Streets and Villages in Singapore Got Their Names by Ng Yew Peng (2018), ISBN 978-981-32-2139-0
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalan_Kubor_Cemetery
ROOTS:
https://www.roots.gov.sg/resources-landing/online-exhibitions/jalan-kubor-cemetery
Atlas Obscura:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jalan-kubor-cemetery