I do not know of a place called Pulau Penyengat until I met Daeng Zainol in 2003, the caretaker of Makam Radin Mas. He told me that, if I wanted to better understand about my Bugis ancestry, I must go to Pulau Penyengat. From there I would be able to witness the people that made impact on the final stages of Malay history before loosing their sphere of influence to impending colonial interventions. These people are the Bugis; traders, warriors and kingmakers.
Pulau Peyengat is an offshore island located on the west coast of Tanjung Pinang, Bintan Island. I booked a ferry ride via online from Sindo Ferry which costs me $53.
An international passport is required with a remaining 6-month usage prior to expiry. The earliest ferry is 8.30 am from Singapore and the last ferry from Tanjung Pinang is 5.00pm their local time. Time set in Tanjung Pinang is 1 hour earlier against Singapore.
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| Masjid Raya Sultan Riau |
The most significant icon of Pulau Penyengat is Masjid Raya Sultan Riau. This mosque was build in 1832 by Sultan Abdurrahman. What made it popular was that this mosque was built using egg-white, egg shell and clay. In fact, most of the stone structures in this island were built in that manner.
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| Praying Hall and the 'Mimbar' |
