Telok Blangah

Telok Blangah
Subzone of Bukit Merah Planning Area & Housing Estate
Other transcription(s)
 • Chinese直落布兰雅
 • PinyinZhíluò Bùlányǎ
 • Malay (Rumi)Teluk Belanga
 • Malay (Jawi)تلوق بلاڠا
 • Tamilதெலுக் பிளாங்கா
Interactive map of Telok Blangah

Telok Blangah (IPA: /ˈtəloʊk ˌblɑːŋɑː/ TUH-lohk BLAHNG-ah, Chinese: 直落布兰雅, Tamil: தெலுக் பிளாங்கா) is a subzone and housing estate within Bukit Merah, Singapore.

Etymology

The word "Telok Blangah" is Malay in origin, being a compound of two Malay words, with Telok meaning "bay" and Blangah being an alternative variant name of the Tapayan, a kind of stone pot or vessel.[1][2] British colonial authorities rendered the name of the subzone as "Tulluh Blangan."[3]

History

The name "Telok Blangah" first appeared in the journals of Wang Dayuan, a Chinese traveller who had explored much of Asia including Singapore, at the time known as Temasek.[4][5] After Singapore had been established as a colonial protectorate under British suzerainty, the authorities granted ownership of Telok Blangah to the Temenggong of Johor in 1824, during the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance signed by Temenggong Abdul Rahman, Sultan Hussain Shah, and John Crawfurd.[6][7] The rulership of Singapore under the Temenggong was hence restricted to Telok Blangah and the borders of Tanjong Pagar, effectively removing the Temenggong and his followers from the central parts of the country.[8][9][10] By 1825, the official residence of the reigning Temenggongs was constructed in Telok Blangah.[11] A mountain within the area, Telok Blangah Hill, was renamed to Mount Faber in 1845 in honour of a British captain, Charles Edward Faber.[12][13][14]

In the present day, the boundaries of Telok Blangah are defined as being the land that is situated behind the Keppel Harbour, between West Coast Highway and the Ayer Rajah Expressway, while being bordered by the Alexandra and Bukit Purmei planning areas on both left and right sides.[15] In addition to that, Telok Blangah is divided into five smaller subzones of housing estates, which are Telok Blangah Way, Telok Blangah Heights, Telok Blangah Rise, Telok Blangah Crescent and Telok Blangah Drive; all of which surround Mount Faber and the Telok Blangah Hill Park next to said mountain.[16][17][18]

A plot of land with the address 30 Telok Blangah Road is owned by the State of Johor, although local law enforcement still takes precedence.[19] This plot of land contains both a congregational mosque and royal cemetery which are still active and under the purview of the Islamic council of Johor.[19][20] Another Islamic cemetery near the area, the Keramat Bukit Kasita, is unofficially owned by nobility from Johor, although this is not reflected in official documents, with noble families hiring a caretaker to look after the site.[21]

Landmarks

Singapore Cable Car

Inaugurated in 1974, the Singapore Cable Car is a large scale gondola lift system which allows for aerial views of not only Telok Blangah and Mount Faber, but also of Sentosa, Keppel Harbour, and the Southern Islands.[22][23] It is also officially designated as a tourist attraction.[24]

Marang Cemetery

The Marang Cemetery is a defunct, closed cemetery at the foot of Mount Faber which was once part of a former village, Kampong Marang. Notable burials in the cemetery include the grave of Abdul Hamid Marang, a co-founder of Masjid Abdul Hamid, and the grave of Abdul Halim bin Karto, a prominent civil servant and founder of Masjid Al-Huda. The cemetery can be accessed from Exit A of the Harbourfront MRT station.

Mausoleum of Radin Mas Ayu

This mausoleum is dedicated to Radin Mas Ayu, a semi-legendary Javanese princess who had fled to Temasek along with her father in order to escape persecution in her hometown.[25][26] The story of Radin Mas is considered a tragedy by locals, who visit the mausoleum to pay their respects and tributes towards the deceased princess.[27] Although the time period of said story is unknown, later adaptations of the story place it during colonial times, after the 1820s during the rule of the Temenggongs.[28] The mausoleum is recognizable for its predominately yellow colour scheme and is regarded as a keramat as well.[29]

Infrastructure

Transportation

Telok Blangah is served by its own dedicated MRT station, the Telok Blangah MRT station, as well as the Labrador Park and HarbourFront MRT stations, while all three of them are situated back-to-back on the Circle Line.[30][31] The nearest public bus interchanges to Telok Blangah are the HarbourFront Bus Interchange and the Bukit Merah Bus Interchange, each located south and north of the residential area respectively.[32]

Education

There are three primary schools, one secondary school and one college in Telok Blangah.[33] Respectively, they are Telok Blangah Rise Primary School, CHIJ Kellock, Radin Mas Primary School, CHIJ Saint Theresa's Convent and Shelton College International.[34][35][36] As for religious education, there is a branch of the Telok Ayer Methodist Church which also functions as a school, as well as Masjid Al-Amin which contains a madrasa.[37]

Food

Seah Im Food Centre can be found within walking distance of the Harbourfront MRT station. With at least thirty-eight stalls, this hawker centre is a popular destination amongst both locals and tourists.[38]

References

  1. ↑ "Telok Blangah Way (Subzone)". eResources. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "An intro to Singapore Telok Blangah District & Telok Blangah Area". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  3. ↑ Thomson, J.T. (3 April 1844). "Plan of Singapore Town and Adjoining Districts from Actual Survey by John Turnbull Thomson, Governor Surveyor". National Archives of Singapore. Retrieved 24 August 2026. Map shows Telok Blangah (Tulluh Blangan) and others
  4. ↑ National Heritage Board (20 July 2021). "Telok Blangah's 700-year history". Roots. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  5. ↑ Ditzhuijzen, Karien (15 September 2025). "From mangroves, barbarians and pirates to an important British port: join me for a walk through the astounding Malay maritime history of Telok Blangah". Pineapple Hill Singapore. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "J Crawfurd to G Swinton". National Archives of India. 4 March 1825. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  7. ↑ Koh, K.W (2009). "Gateway and panopticon: Singapore and surviving regime change in the nineteenth century Malay world". Reframing Singapore: Memory, Identity, Trans-Regionalism. Amsterdam University Press. pp. 57–59.
  8. ↑ Takashimaha, V.C. (2016). "Mount Faber". National Library Board. Retrieved 24 August 2026. At the foot of this hill range at Telok Blangah was Temenggong Abdul Rahman's settlement, which had moved there in 1823 from the south bank of the Singapore River after persuasion by Stamford Raffles.
  9. ↑ Vernon, Cornelius (2016). "Singapore River". National Library Board. Retrieved 24 August 2026. The Temenggong's village was moved three miles to the west, along the coast between Tanjong Pagar and Telok Blangah. This cleared the river for trade and, at the same time, removed the Temenggong and his followers from the heart of the town.
  10. ↑ Ray Tyers’ Singapore: Then & Now. Singapore: Landmark Books. 1993. pp. 146–147.
  11. ↑ "Istana Temenggong di Telok Blangah" [Temenggong's Palace at Telok Blangah]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 3 July 1984. p. 5. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  12. ↑ Buckley (1907), p. 431
  13. ↑ Buckley (1907), p. 537
  14. ↑ National Heritage Board (31 December 2014). "Mount Faber Park". Roots. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "Master Plan 2019 Subzone Boundary (No Sea) (GEOJSON) | URA". data.gov.sg. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Telok Blangah Road (Secondary Road)". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Telok Blangah Drive (Secondary Road)". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "Telok Blangah Heights (Secondary Road)". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  19. 1 2 "Masjid lama di Singapura masih kekal tradisi Johor" [Old mosque in Singapore still retains Johor tradition]. Berita Harian Malaysia (in Malay). 19 February 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  20. ↑ Singapore Editorial (9 August 1989). "The Temenggongs". The Straits Times. p. 5. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Gibson, Keramat Catalogue (2022) p. 464
  22. ↑ Ng (2012) p. 28
  23. ↑ Ng (2012) p. 43–46
  24. ↑ Rogerson, Marianne (2009). In Singapore: 60 Fabulous Adventures in the City. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions. pp. 149–151.
  25. ↑ Omar, Marsita (1 May 2023). "Keramat Radin Mas". National Library Board. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  26. ↑ National Heritage Board (17 May 2022). "Makam Puteri Radin Mas Ayu". Roots. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  27. ↑ Saparin, N.H. (19 January 2003). "Pak Daeng penjaga makam Radin Mas" [Pak Daeng the guardian of the tomb of Radin Mas]. Berita Harian (in Malay). p. 11. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  28. ↑ Tay, Stacey (24 March 1989). "Courageous girl plays a golden princess". The Straits Times. p. 3. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  29. ↑ Gibson, Keramat Catalogue (2022) p. 170
  30. ↑ "HarbourFront MRT Station". Land Transport Guru. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  31. ↑ "Telok Blangah MRT Station". Land Transport Guru. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  32. ↑ "Bukit Merah Bus Services". Land Transport Guru. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  33. ↑ Kamis, Rohan; Ho, K.L. (4 March 1983). "Primary Schools in Telok Blangah". Telescope. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  34. ↑ "Singapore Map of Primary School in Telok Blangah District". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  35. ↑ "Singapore Map of Secondary School in Telok Blangah District". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  36. ↑ National Library Board (28 October 2021). "Shelton College International". Roots. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  37. ↑ Tan, Bonny (1 December 2021). "Telok Ayer Methodist Church". National Library Board. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  38. ↑ Mujibah, Fatimah (28 February 2023). "Seah Im Food Centre to reopen on March 13 after six months of upgrading". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 24 August 2026.

Quoted bibilography

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