Siglap

Siglap
Name transcription(s)
• Chinese	实乞纳
• Malay	Siglap
John Edmund Taylor, View along the Beach by Singlap, Singapore (1879)
Country	Singapore

Siglap is a neighbourhood located in Bedok in the East Region of Singapore. Politically, Siglap is split between Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency and East Coast Group Representation Constituency.

Etymology and History

The present area of Siglap was founded by Tok Lasam, the Chieftain or Penghulu of Siglap.^[1] He had sailed to Singapore to escape the Dutch’s attack on his kingdom in Sumatra Minangkabau.^[2] According to legend, it was said that dark thunder clouds had appeared when he first landed in the area which led to the name "Si-Gelap", derived from the Malay word ‘gelap’, meaning "darkness that conceals".^[3]

The graves of Tok Lasam, his wife and his panglima (Commander) can be found near Jalan Sempadan off East Coast Road.^[4]

Present

Siglap is a residential area on the east of Singapore where a majority live in landed homes such as freehold semi-detached houses and bungalows. The area near Siglap Centre has been redeveloped into serviced apartments and luxury condominiums housing expatriates. The few Housing and Development Board flats in Siglap were demolished in 2015 under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme. East Coast Park is also located nearby, across the East Coast Parkway.

Siglap has two community centres, Siglap Community Centre and Siglap South Community Centre. East Coast Road and Upper East Coast Road are lined with several restaurants, food courts and shops.

See also

• Siglap Secondary School, which used to be in Siglap but is now in Pasir Ris.

References

• Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2003), Toponymics – A Study of Singapore Street Names, Eastern Universities Press, ISBN 981-210-205-1.

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Coordinates: 1°18′50″N 103°56′10″E / 1.314°N 103.936°E / 1.314; 103.936