The AMLA Amendments - Association of Muslim Professionals

KARYAWAN Issues / Community Pioneering Malay Entrepreneurs
‘Haji Yusoff was a very thrifty man and invested his profits in real estate. He bought houses
and lands in various parts of Singapore such as Selegie Road, Middle Road, Serangoon
Road, Arab Street, Malabar Street, Kallang Road, Joo Chiat Road and Kandahar Street.’
Haji Yusoff’s father, Haji Mohamed Noor Bin Haji Ali was born in Solo in Java, Indonesia. Sometime in the mid 1850s, he
stopped in Singapore on his return trip from pilgrimage to Mecca. While in Singapore, he noticed a wealth of trading
opportunities in this growing seaport. Haji Mohamed Noor decided that he would strike his fortunes there and set up his
home in a hut in Kandahar Street, running a food stall in Rochor.
Around 1853, Haji Mohamed Noor married Kamsinah, a woman of Javanese descent. Haji Yusoff was born in 1855. He
studied in a religious class at the Sultan Mosque and studied Malay at home. Haji Mohamed Noor did not allow Haji Yusoff
to go into the food business so his 22 year old son started the songkok (Malay traditional cap for men) business. Haji Yusoff
then decided to specialise in the tali pinggang (belt) business upon his return from pilgrimage in 1885.
Haji Yusoff became an expert in the business of tali pinggang and songkok. His tali pinggang and songkok could be found
in all stores selling such items. His goods were in high demand especially during the Haj season when pilgrims en route to
Mecca would stop in Singapore and buy his products. His tali pinggang trademark was that of a crocodile and elephant,
each of the two standing on either side and pulling the belt between them.
He monopolised the tali pinggang and songkok market in Singapore and was also the main importer and exporter for
these goods. He was thus known as Haji Yusoff ‘Tali Pinggang’ – Haji Yusoff the Belt Merchant. His tali pinggang and
songkok were exported to Mindanao in the Philippines, Brunei, Miri, Sarawak, Johore, Penang, and the islands in the
Malay Archipelago such as Siak, Bengkalis, Mentok, Sulawesi, Bugis and Palembang.
Haji Yusoff was a very thrifty man and invested his profits in real estate. He bought houses and lands in various parts of
Singapore such as Selegie Road, Middle Road, Serangoon Road, Arab Street, Malabar Street, Kallang Road, Joo Chiat Road
and Kandahar Street. He also had some properties in Malaya, namely in Batu Pahat and Penang. Besides those properties,
Haji Yusoff owned rubber, coconut and palm plantations in Changi and about 100 hectares of palm plantation in Batu
Pahat. His prized possession must be Gedung Kuning which he purchased on July 30th, 1912.
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Hidup kayu berbuah, hidup manusia berjasa
(Just as a tree bears fruits, a man lives to benefit others)
Although Haji Yusoff was busy with his business, he made time to serve the Malay/Muslim community. He was a nazir
(Management Committee member) of the Sultan Mosque for 30 years from 1914 to 1944. As a nazir, he was responsible for
raising funds for the mosque and looked after the development of the mosque. The mosque was looking for a trustworthy
businessman who would safeguard the mosque’s funds. Since Haji Yusoff was the only one among the community leaders
who had a cheque book and a bank account at the time, he was entrusted with this responsibility.
Haji Yusoff started a free madrasah (Islamic school) in a room on the first floor of the Sultan Mosque, which he named after
his father. Madrasah Haji Mohamed Noor functioned for more than 10 years before it ceased its operations when Singapore
was occupied by the Japanese in 1942. The madrasah’s tarbus (Moroccan Fez hat)-wearing teacher, Ustaz Jaafar, was later
appointed by the Japanese to become the Governor of Sumatra.
Haji Yusoff also held the haul (completion of one year) ceremony annually at Gedung Kuning. The haul ceremony was
to commemorate the death anniversary of his ancestors and foster community bonding. The gates of Gedung Kuning
never turned away anyone. Widows and orphans often came to the house to ask for zakat (alms). And for the poor who
did not get the chance to go to Gedung Kuning, Haji Yusoff’s will provided funds for two mosques to prepare food for
them during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Haji Yusoff could be considered as one of the wealthiest Singaporeans of his time but he remained humble, choosing not to
flaunt his wealth. Some wealthy philanthropists had roads, buildings, hospitals, gardens named after them, but not Haji Yusoff. He
chose to contribute to the local community the best way he knew – quietly. My father often said, “What the right hand gives, the
left hand must not know.” I suppose Haji Yusoff lived up to that saying, preferring God’s blessings to human praises.