Palace of Ghosts: Singapore's Untold History

At the peak of his reign in the mid 1920s, Sultan Ibrahim of Johor, Sultan Abu Bakar’s son, was reputed to be the wealthiest man in the world. In addition, the loans that his State of Johor provided to the British bankrolled their global Empire. Where did all the money come from?  One of the perennial themes of Palace of Ghosts is wealth. More specifically, wealth accumulation over time. The most visible sign of this outcome was the flamboyant and ostentatious lifestyle of Sultan Ibrahim of Johor in the 1920s and 1930s. He was a product of his times when the rich lived large and cast caution to the monsoon winds. His outrageous playboy antics provide an entertaining subplot to parts of Palace of Ghosts and get him into all sorts of trouble. However, the wealth of the Sultans of Johor did not, of course, just happen. It started with Abu Bakar, and Chapter 5 of Palace of Ghosts , “A Royal Quest”, tells the story of how it happened. Economic Development The economic profile of the e...

Within Singapore's District 10, there is an upmarket neighbourhood named Tanglin. Much of the story of Palace of Ghosts takes place here. While the meaning of Tanglin is believed to be derived from the Teochew Chinese language, meaning “great east hill peaks”, the neighbourhood took its name from a house that was called Tang Leng, built by William Napier in 1854. The location of Tanglin, indicated in red, can be seen on the map of Singapore below.  Historically, this was the first suburb outside the original settlement located around the Singapore River to its southeast. It was considered a desirable location because it was away from the noise, dust and smells of the crowded settlement. It was green and the climate was thought to be better than in the coastal areas. It was reached by Orchard Road which was a track first put down during the 1830s and gradually improved thereafter. As the name suggests, the area was previously used for orchards and plantations, the latter being main...