Ayam Jantan Tanah Daeng

My first visit to Pulau Penyengat was in 2007, in the company of Pak Daing Zainal of Makam Radin Mas. At that time, the island, though beautiful, seemed in need of preservation and renewal. I believed then that Pulau Penyengat had the potential to serve as a focal point for heritage tourism and scholarship, providing a platform to rediscover the cultural and intellectual identity of the Malay world.

The Grand Mosque of the Sultan of Riau was the first sight that greeted us as we stepped off the jetty and onto the island. Its bright yellow and green walls stood out against the blue of the sky, almost as if announcing our arrival to Pulau Penyengat. The Grand Mosque of the Sultan of Riau (Indonesian: Masjid Raya Sultan Riau) stands proudly on Penyengat Island, just off the coast of Tanjung Pinang on Bintan Island, Indonesia. Built in 1844, this mosque is one of the most iconic landmarks of the Riau Islands and remains an important attraction for both visitors and pilgrims. With its striking yellow and green walls and its unique use of lime, sand, and egg whites as binding material, the mosque has stood the test of time as a living symbol of faith and resilience.

During my recent return, I observed significant transformation in how the island presents itself. Pulau Penyengat has emerged as a curated historical centre, inviting both visitors and researchers to re-examine the foundations of Malay identity and its contributions to regional history.

Contrary to the notion of being merely the site of Bugis settlement, Pulau Penyengat historically functioned as a centre of knowledge and culture. From the time of Raja Ali Haji, it has served as an intellectual anchor, shaping the Malay identity across Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Its legacy continues to remind us of the shared roots that define the uniqueness of Malay civilisation today.

I was sharing about Pulau Penyengat’s geopolitical story which can be traced back to the anthropological landscape of the Orang Laut who once made their homes along Sungei Carang, where their mastery of the seas and loyalty shaped the fortunes of rulers in the Johor-Riau world; over time.

This seafaring foundation gave way to a more strategic militarisation, most powerfully embodied in Raja Haji Fisabilillah’s establishment of a fire base at Bukit Kursi, a bold assertion of Bugis strength and defiance against Dutch encroachment, which not only guarded the heart of Riau but also announced the island’s role as a fulcrum of power in the region. 

From that martial origin, Penyengat grew into more than a fortress, becoming the beating cultural and intellectual centre of the Malay world, where figures like Raja Ali Haji anchored identity and thought, leaving a legacy that still ties its early seafaring roots, its Bugis heroism, and its flowering as a capital of ideas into one continuous arc of history.

Thank you Raje Farul and your friends, for guiding us.

Penyengat Island itself was once the royal seat of the Riau-Lingga Sultanate, a Malay kingdom that flourished during the 18th and 19th centuries. During this period, the rulers of Riau played a central role in navigating the political struggles of the Malay world, particularly in their encounters with European colonial powers. Though the island fell into decline after the sultanate dissolved in the early 20th century and remained abandoned for decades, efforts in recent years have restored much of its heritage, allowing visitors to reconnect with its glorious past.

Raja Ali Haji bin Raja Haji Ahmad

Among the treasures of Penyengat are the remains of the old palace, the royal tombs, and, most famously, the grave of Raja Ali Haji — a celebrated Malay scholar, historian, and poet. He is best remembered for writing Bustanu’s Salatin and Tuhfat al-Nafis, as well as compiling the first systematic grammar of the Malay language (Kitab Pengetahuan Bahasa) in 1850. His contributions ensured that Penyengat became not only a political centre but also a centre of intellectual and cultural life for the Malay world.

Today, the island stands as both a heritage site and a cultural landmark. The mosque is still in use, drawing worshippers and visitors alike, while the island itself tells a story of power, scholarship, and identity that continues to inspire Malays across the region.