The Story of Palace of Ghosts

What should readers expect when they begin their journey through the pages of Palace of Ghosts?

Palace of Ghosts is a narrative history, sometimes referred to as a creative work of nonfiction, or historical nonfiction. It tells a chapter of history that appears to have been overlooked, but not completely undocumented. Some of the events and characters have been written about before, but often compartmentalised into their particular era. As such there is no existing or obviously explained link between them all. Their moments in the grand arc of historic storytelling seem to be isolated from one another. But in the truth, they are not; they are very much connected to each other. The story arc of Palace of Ghosts looks past the artificial truncations that various administrations over the centuries make from time to time, each peddling their own version of official history.

As we consider how the present engages with the past, and the how past influences the future, todays’ residents of Singapore are also connected to previous residents, regardless of race and of the events that happened in between. We walk the same streets as they did, we frequent many of the same buildings they did, we breath the same air, experience the same weather and we look at the same seascape from the shores of the island. Knowing that someone has stood on the same land as where your feet now stand provides a sense of belonging: a sense that your city was their city too.

Palace of Ghosts is a multilayered narrative history that includes not just Singapore, but also  the immediate vicinity of what are now considered its satellite cities of Johor Bahru and Batam and the islands of Riau. It concerns certain leading figures in the community. They were well known to their fellow residents, sometimes possessing near celebrity status. They and their contributions to Singapore life are now inexplicably overlooked. They are unheard of by most contemporary Singaporeans.

On one level Palace of Ghosts is an epic tale of adventure featuring these larger-than-life characters. Their actions and experiences, and the events in which they were involved, provide riveting stories and accounts of how they helped shape the development Singapore as it inherited the ancient mantle of the old Johor-Riau Sultanate.

The cast of characters are many and varied: merchants and traders; adventurers and sea captains; governors and administrators; philanthropists and tycoons; nobility and royalty. They were community stalwarts in their own right but were also representative of the kind of figures who shaped Singapore’s development over the course of more than 200 years. Through their eyes a social and economic history of Singapore unfolds. They both created events and were driven by them, navigating the challenges as best they could. There are examples aplenty of thwarted ambition, quests for recognition, enormous wealth, love, loss, betrayal and tragedy. But throughout we see resilience and undaunted perseverance: those very same qualities which account for the modern-day miracle of today’s Singapore. They are clearly still recognisable and relevant in spite of the intervening centuries. 

The story’s beginning predates the so-called founding of Singapore in 1819. Instead it focuses on a different start point, the downfall of Singapore’s predecessor trading hub: the Port of Riau. The story then takes the reader from there, all the way into the contemporary digital age. It provides a continuous story arc and attempts to address the paradox between the continuity and erasure of history, however inadvertently the latter may occur.

On another level, the story of the people and events are told through the lens of the lost mansions and palaces, including the most magnificent royal palace that ever stood in Singapore, in the Malay peninsula or on the islands of Riau and Sumatra: Istana Tyersall. In some senses Palace of Ghosts is a biography of the palaces. Few other historical icons offer a better lens through which to discover a hidden history.

For a while, during their heyday, they were considered the epicentre of the social scene, with a procession of international VIPs visiting and enjoying the Sultan's hospitality. Istana Tyersall was the greatest palace that had been seen by anyone living in Southeast Asia at the time, overshadowing all other would be competitors in grandeur. They were built to project royal prestige and status, and they were built in Singapore even though the royal family that built them was that of Johor. The Sultans of Johor considered Singapore as their home, some of them were born and died there; some of their royal grave sites remain on Singapore’s soil. The location of the palaces echoed an age-old reality which was that Johor, Singapore, the Riau islands were, together, oriented to the south and to the great archipelago beyond to the east. In other words’ the opposite direction to which they are bound today. 

Going one level deeper still, Palace of Ghosts reveals a seamless history that sweeps away figuratively erected screens that compartmentalise historical episodes and instead connects today’s residents back to the 18th century and beyond. It offers depth and meaning, including historical memory and a collective consciousness, to a population who are often described as uninterested in history. Some contend that Singaporeans only think about the future, but yet their vulnerability, about which they are constantly reminded, and the pressure they experience from fast-paced modernity suggests something is missing. Something that might offer reassurance and inspire confidence about the future.

Palace of Ghosts is written for the reader who has a hunger for finding out unusual secrets, hidden truths, enjoys historical drama, has an interest in Singapore and Southeast Asia, but also the history of the world’s great cities. Singapore certainly belongs to this exclusive club. Though not a travelogue, the reader of Palace of Ghosts will likely be someone who enjoys the historical dimension of the travel experience and is naturally curious about what they see, hear or read about the place they are visiting. A typical reader is someone who values off beat interests and diversions outside of their nine-to-five jobs. They want to get to the very heart of a story and won’t settle for a superficial brush off or unanswered questions. It may even appeal to paranormal enthusiasts. I want readers to feel fascinated by the events that transpired and exhilarated that they are now part of a special group of people who are in-the-know and therefore have a deeper understanding and consciousness.