Pulau Senang
Encyclopedia
Pulau Senang is a 81.7-hectare
coral
island
about 13 kilometres off the southern coast of Singapore
. Along with Pulau Pawai
and Pulau Sudong
, it is used as a military training
area for live-fire exercises. Pulau Senang is best known in the history of Singapore
as a penal settlement
experiment that failed after only three years, when a riot
against the guards broke out in 1963, killing three officers.
ers were allowed to roam freely on the island. It was thought that detainees could be reformed
through manual labour
.
The settlement started on 18 May 1960, when 50 detainees arrived with Superintendent
Daniel Dutton. Over the next three years, the number of detainees rose to 320, and they transformed the island into an attractive settlement.
Believing that through hard work, the detainees could be reformed. Dutton removed arms
from the guards. On 12 July 1963, a group of some 70 to 90 detainees rioted and burned down most of the buildings. They hacked Dutton to death and killed two other officers. 58 people were accused
of rioting and murder
ing Dutton and officers Arumugan Veerasingham and Tan Kok Hian.
Because of the large number of the accused, a special dock
had to be constructed for them. The case
went to trial
on 18 November and lasted an unprecedented 64 days. On 12 March 1964, the seven-member jury
found 18 of the accused guilty
of murder, 18 guilty of rioting with deadly weapons and 11 guilty of rioting. The remaining 11 accused were acquitted
. Those found guilty of murder were sentenced to death
, while those found guilty of rioting with deadly weapons were sentence
d to three years of imprisonment
; the rest to two years of imprisonment.
Most of those involved in the rioting were members of secret societies
who were detained without trial and had no hope of leaving the island. As a result of the riots, the penal experiment came to an abrupt end.
and Pulau Pawai
, these three islands formed the Singapore Armed Forces
southern islands military
training area and live-firing zone. As with all other military installations within the country, the entire live-firing zone is strictly off limits to all civilians at all times of the day and night.
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
about 13 kilometres off the southern coast of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Along with Pulau Pawai
Pulau Pawai
Pulau Pawai, also known as Alligator Island during the colonial times, is a 182,000 m² island located within the Singapore Armed Forces Live Firing Area. It is located off the southwestern coast of Singapore, between Pulau Sudong to its north and Pulau Satumu to its south...
and Pulau Sudong
Pulau Sudong
Pulau Sudong is a 209-hectare coral island off the southern coast of Singapore, it was enlarged through a land reclamation process during the late 1970s.-Restricted area:...
, it is used as a military training
Military education and training
Military education and training is a process which intends to establish and improve the capabilities of military personnel in their respective roles....
area for live-fire exercises. Pulau Senang is best known in the history of Singapore
History of Singapore
The history of Singapore dates to the 11th century. The island rose in importance during the 14th century under the rule of Srivijayan prince Parameswara and became an important port until it was destroyed by Acehnese raiders in 1613. The modern history of Singapore began in 1819 when Englishman...
as a penal settlement
Penal colony
A penal colony is a settlement used to exile prisoners and separate them from the general populace by placing them in a remote location, often an island or distant colonial territory...
experiment that failed after only three years, when a riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
against the guards broke out in 1963, killing three officers.
History
Pulau Senang was a penal experiment where prisonPrison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
ers were allowed to roam freely on the island. It was thought that detainees could be reformed
Rehabilitation (penology)
Rehabilitation means; To restore to useful life, as through therapy and education or To restore to good condition, operation, or capacity....
through manual labour
Manual labour
Manual labour , manual or manual work is physical work done by people, most especially in contrast to that done by machines, and also to that done by working animals...
.
The settlement started on 18 May 1960, when 50 detainees arrived with Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
Daniel Dutton. Over the next three years, the number of detainees rose to 320, and they transformed the island into an attractive settlement.
Believing that through hard work, the detainees could be reformed. Dutton removed arms
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
from the guards. On 12 July 1963, a group of some 70 to 90 detainees rioted and burned down most of the buildings. They hacked Dutton to death and killed two other officers. 58 people were accused
Criminal accusation
A criminal accusation is the process of declaring one's belief in another's liability for that other's criminal action. A criminal accusation may be informally made through a declaration made to the public at large or by the filing of a formal accusation in a court of law by a person legally...
of rioting and murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ing Dutton and officers Arumugan Veerasingham and Tan Kok Hian.
Because of the large number of the accused, a special dock
Courtroom
A courtroom is the actual enclosed space in which a judge regularly holds court.The schedule of official court proceedings is called a docket; the term is also synonymous with a court's caseload as a whole.-Courtroom design:-United States:...
had to be constructed for them. The case
Legal case
A legal case is a dispute between opposing parties resolved by a court, or by some equivalent legal process. A legal case may be either civil or criminal...
went to trial
Trial (law)
In law, a trial is when parties to a dispute come together to present information in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court...
on 18 November and lasted an unprecedented 64 days. On 12 March 1964, the seven-member jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
found 18 of the accused guilty
Guilt (law)
In criminal law, guilt is entirely externally defined by the state, or more generally a “court of law.” Being “guilty” of a criminal offense means that one has committed a violation of criminal law, or performed all the elements of the offense set out by a criminal statute...
of murder, 18 guilty of rioting with deadly weapons and 11 guilty of rioting. The remaining 11 accused were acquitted
Acquittal
In the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi...
. Those found guilty of murder were sentenced to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, while those found guilty of rioting with deadly weapons were sentence
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
d to three years of imprisonment
Imprisonment
Imprisonment is a legal term.The book Termes de la Ley contains the following definition:This passage was approved by Atkin and Duke LJJ in Meering v Grahame White Aviation Co....
; the rest to two years of imprisonment.
Most of those involved in the rioting were members of secret societies
Secret societies in Singapore
Secret societies in Singapore are generally Chinese in origin. They have been largely eradicated as a security issue in the city state. However many smaller groups remain today which attempt to mimic societies of the past...
who were detained without trial and had no hope of leaving the island. As a result of the riots, the penal experiment came to an abrupt end.
Restricted area
Since the early 1980s, the island together with Pulau SudongPulau Sudong
Pulau Sudong is a 209-hectare coral island off the southern coast of Singapore, it was enlarged through a land reclamation process during the late 1970s.-Restricted area:...
and Pulau Pawai
Pulau Pawai
Pulau Pawai, also known as Alligator Island during the colonial times, is a 182,000 m² island located within the Singapore Armed Forces Live Firing Area. It is located off the southwestern coast of Singapore, between Pulau Sudong to its north and Pulau Satumu to its south...
, these three islands formed the Singapore Armed Forces
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...
southern islands military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
training area and live-firing zone. As with all other military installations within the country, the entire live-firing zone is strictly off limits to all civilians at all times of the day and night.
Panoramic image
External links
- Coral reefs of Singapore - Live-firing islands
- "Dolphins spotted off Pulau Senang" at habitatnews
- Satellite image of Pulau Senang - Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...