Jewel Of Muscat arrives
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Jul 4, 2010 - Sunday Times
Jewel Of Muscat arrives
by Jeremy Au Yong
THE Jewel of Muscat was welcomed to Singapore in fine style on Saturday, with everyone from the sailors to the VIPs determined not to let the bad weather ruin the occasion.
The planned festivities for the ship, a gift from the Sultanate of Oman to Singapore, carried on uninterrupted even as heavy rain fell for long periods during the day.
Foreign Minister George Yeo was the first to brave the bad weather as he headed out to sea early in the morning to greet the ship as it entered Singapore waters.
Despite the heavy downpour, Mr Yeo turned down an umbrella and chose to brave the rain with the sailors on the open deck of the ship.
Later, he would write on his Facebook page that the 'arrival of the Jewel in wind and rain gave a hint of voyage trials'.
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Jewel of Muscat delegation visits Kampong Glam
By Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid | Posted: 04 July 2010 2033 hrsSINGAPORE: The delegation of the Jewel of Muscat from Oman was given a special welcome to the historical Kampong Glam district on Sunday morning.
The delegation included the personal representative of Sultan Qaboos of Oman, Sayyed Harib Thuwani Al-Said, and the ambassador of Oman, Sheikh Humaid Ali Al-Maani.
Senior Minister of State from Singapore's Foreign Ministry, Zainul Abidin Rasheed, played host.
The delegation viewed various cultural acts and toured the district including a walk along Muscat Street.
Zainul Abidin Rasheed, who is also the chairman of the Malay Heritage Foundation, said the exchange not only signifies the bilateral exchange of trade and commerce but also the beauty of arts, culture and traditions.
He said: "The threads of history link this Singapore neighbourhood, called Kampong Glam, to the Middle East.
"Then located by the sea, Kampong Glam was named after the gelam tree, whose bark was used by sailors to seal gaps in their boats.
"As it was the seat of the Malay sultanate in Singapore and the centre of the Muslim community, Kampong Glam naturally attracted Arab traders who came to Singapore.
"The influence of these Arab traders remains visible today in the names of some of the streets in Kampong Glam, one of which is called Muscat Street.
"Singapore and Oman are working together to give Muscat Street (between Arab Street and Kandahar Street) a distinctly Omani flavour. This is another symbol of our close ties.
"This is more than just a ship. It symbolises the warm and close relations between the Sultanate of Oman and Singapore, and essentially reflects a determination to recreate the historical bilateral and regional links between us."
The dhow is a gift from the Sultanate of Oman to Singapore, as a symbol of the historical, cultural and trade links shared between the two countries for many centuries.
It arrived in Singapore on Saturday after some four months at sea.
The captain and crew, including two Singaporeans, also gave first-hand accounts of their journey.
They shared how they had to deal with stormy weather conditions while navigating the 9th century Arabian dhow.
Captain Saleh Said Al Jabri said: "This is now 21st century. There are a million of ships crossing....and trying to avoid all the ships was a dangerous itself and a challenge. Crossing the ocean, with rain, waves and the big sea, it was dangerous."
Captain Saleh Said Al Jabri, who is retiring after spending over 20 years at sea, said the voyage is something that is close to his heart.
He said: "Very good, bring maritime heritage and promote Oman at the same time. It's about our forefathers, how they live. I'm very touched, I've cried. I will miss the ship. I did not think that I will leave the ship at the end, because it has become part of my life, part of my body. I have taken care of it more than I have taken care of my family in these four months."
Singaporean Jeff Khoo, a 27-year-old officer with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, was part of the dhow's crew during the first leg from Oman to India.
He shared what it was like being part of the team.
"The experience for me has been tremendous, very unique situation that I found myself in. I was doing something that was completely different and spending a month completely removed from everything that I'm used to.
"I have not been a professional sailor by training or experience. It was partially because of this project that I learnt how to sail.
"It was a great and very humbling experience, because I found myself there and having to learn all these new things - how to handle the ropes, how to help maintain the ship, how to essentially be a useful crew member.
"It turned out to be the longest leg. In some ways it could have been the safest - we had decent weather. Our concern was not too much wind but too little wind. We spent quite some time drifting, waiting for the wind, as they would have done in the 9th century.
"Before I left Singapore for Oman - this was in late January this year - I first had to learn how to sail properly.
"So I went for a very good course conducted by one of our marinas in Singapore and spent five days out (at sea), and under a very competent instructor. At the end of it, I had a certain amount of confidence that when I got to Oman, I would not be completely clueless."
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actually Singapore has so much history that was not recorded but i think they can be found outside of Singapore such as Arab, Cohin india and southern china.....i think younger generation singapore do not know they existed.
In the 3rd and 4th century there was already depicted an Emporium locate in S.E. Asia.
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The early Arab traders were part in shaping Singapore basically from the Hadramut region (now part of Yemen).
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the Catholics publish a book tittle the Mustard Seed in which it depict ST Francis Xaiver passing thru Singapore many times come on shore and conducted Mass.
Wonder where is the Virgin Soil where he consecrated Singapore........
First Catholics Sermon in Singapore.
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probably somewhere near Singapore River.