Kampong Bugis, Singapore

Kampong Bugis, Singapore (26 July, 2016)

Kampong Bugis Click to hear

is the name of a minor road as well as subzone in Kallang, Singapore. The neighbourhood of this subzone is bounded by Kallang Road, Sims Avenue, Sims Way, Nicoll Highway and Crawford Street. The minor road connects with Kallang Road.

Kampong Bugis, which means Bugis village, got its name from a Bugis settlement in that area, which dates back to the early part of the 19th century. The Bugis, led by their chieftain Arong Bilawa, numbering some 500 persons, left Riau to resettle in Singapore in 1820. There, they were provided by Stamford Raffles a piece of land between the Rochor River and Kampong Glam (that being the case, their original settlement is at a nearby location). They then established their village on the north side of the Rochor River, which is the present location. The road that is called Kampong Bugis is probably the main artery connecting this settlement to the outside, though the villagers probably have piers on the river bank with their sampans moored there.

Today Kampong Bugis remains just a place name, as no trace of the village is visible. The Kallang Gas Works occupied a piece of land here, but that is set to change. The road leads to Kallang Riverside Park, which offers nice views of the Kallang River mouth.

Updates on Kampong Bugis

12 March, 2017 The Straits Times reported that the waterfront area on Kampong Bugis will be transformed into a vibrant residential district. The 17.4 hectare site will be tendered out to a master developer to plan and develop it into a place with walkways and cycling paths and 4,000 homes.