The Forgotten British Outpost: Ben Coolen
By Eugene Quah
November 2024 FEATURE
IN THE HEART of Singapore’s bustling Central Business District, Bencoolen Street hums with activity. Locals and tourists alike traverse this busy thoroughfare, many descending 43m below to board trains at Bencoolen MRT station. Yet, for all its familiarity, the street’s namesake remains a mystery to most. Few Singaporeans or Malaysians can pinpoint the location of the original Bencoolen. Its Hokkien name, Mang-ku-lu toa lo (Mangkulu main street), is much closer to the actual pronunciation of its namesake, Bengkulu—a contraction of...
Eugene Quah
is an independent researcher and writer who is working on a book tentatively called “Illustrated Guide to the North Coast of Penang”. He rediscovered the joys of writing after moving back to Penang from abroad.
