Recollection: Syed Gulab Shah
On 15 September 1956, an obituary was published in the newspaper:
“The Grand Old Man of the Muslim community of Singapore, Mr. Syed Gulab Shah bin Qurban Hussain Albahkri has died at his home in St. Francis Road. He was 90.”
Syed Gulab Shah was a Bukhari Sayyid from Haripur, a town in Mansehra District of Pakistan. He was said to be the 33rd direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, whose forefathers had settled in Haripur for over 200 years.
Syed Gulab Shah came to Malaya at the age of 18 years old to join the Johor Military Force. When Sultan Abu Bakar established the modern Sultanate of Johor in 1886, he recruited individuals from the Northwest Frontier Province of British India for his army.
After serving the Sultan of Johor for 10 years, Syed Gulab Shah got married and moved over to Singapore where his wealth and influence rapidly grew. In Singapore, he started his own businesses, Colonial Printing Press and Sunshine Dairy Farm. The latter was lauded for its clean milk production and considered a model dairy farm in Singapore.
Throughout his life, Syed Gulab Shah received multiple commendations from the British government.
In 1916 for example, he received praise from Major-General Sir Dudley Ridout (General Officer Commanding the Troops in the Straits Settlements) for his effort in raising money from the Punjabi and Hazari community during the First World War called “Our Day” Fund.
Similarly in 1918, he received praise from Captain A. R. Chancellor (Inpector-General of Police, Straits Settlements) for monetary contribution in aid of Arab stokers of the grounded French Mail, a steamship that got stranded on a sandbank near Singapore’s coast.
He also served in various civic and welfare organisations such as the Mohammedan Advisory Board and the Child Welfare Society, and was noted for his contributions to various charitable institutions.
Perhaps one of the more interesting facts about Syed Gulab Shah is that he was one of the three founders of Fathul Karib Football Club in 1898. It was through his guidance and sheer hard work that Fathul Karib became one of the leading football clubs in Singapore and a founding member of the Malaya Football Association.
Syed Gulab Shah Bukhari was undoubtedly a high standing individual in Singapore’s history.
I believe it is very important for us not to forget the successes and sacrifices of individuals like him, who had given so much to our community and society during their lifetime.
