WHT 2024: Site 3

Site 3: 701 -709 North Bridge Rd

Address: 701-709 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198681

Wakif: Raja Siti Kraeng Chanda Pulih

Beneficiaries: Masjid Hajjah Fatimah & the poor

Summary
Well-known for her generosity, Raja Siti Kraeng Chanda Pulih was the daughter and only child of a Bugis prince and merchant from Gowa (present day Sulawesi) Kraeng Chanda Pulih and Hajjah Fatimah binte Sulaiman. Her wakaf contribution of the row of shophouses supports Masjid Fatimah which was named after her mother.

Wakaf Raja Siti Kraeng Chanda Pulih and Its Legacy

The stretch of shops from 701-709 North Bridge Road forms Wakaf Raja Siti Kraeng Chanda Pulih, established in 1883 by Raja Siti, the daughter of philanthropist Hajjah Fatimah binte Sulaiman. The net proceeds from this wakaf support various charities, including Masjid Hajjah Fatimah, named after her mother.

Raja Siti’s father, Daing Chanda Pulih, was a Bugis prince and merchant from South Sulawesi who brought Fatimah to Singapore. After his death, Fatimah combined their businesses and built a successful trading operation. Raja Siti, who carried the honorific title “Raja” as Bugis royalty, married Syed Ahmad bin Abdul Rahman Alsagoff, a member of a family known for their philanthropy.

Masjid Hajjah Fatimah, the first local mosque named after a woman, was built on the site of Hajjah Fatimah’s former residence and is the only remaining structure from the Java Road settlement.