Sentosa: Encyclopedia II - Sentosa - History

Sentosa - History

This island was once a fishing village known as Pulau Blakang Mati, which in Malay means the "Island (pulau) of Death (mati) From Behind (blakang)". During the Second World War, it was a British military fortress containing Fort Siloso.

The British set up defending artillery guns in Fort Siloso which were then pointed to the south, facing the sea in expectation of a seaward Japanese assault. However, the Japanese eventually invaded and captured Singapore from the north, after having done the same to Malaya (now known as West or Peninsular Malaysia).

Following the surrender of the Allied Forces on February 15, 1942, the island became a prisoner of war camp, housing Australian and British prisoners of the Japanese.

In 1967, the British gave Sentosa to the newly independent Government of Singapore. A year later, the government decided to develop the island into a holiday resort for local visitors and tourists. It was renamed “Sentosa”, which means tranquillity in Malay, from a suggestion by the public.

In 1989, Chia Thye Poh, a political prisoner and Member of Parliament, was released from 22 years of imprisonment without trial on the mainland, and confined to a one-room guardhouse on Sentosa and made to pay the rent, on the pretext that he was now a "free" man. Chia was also made to purchase and prepare his own food. Because he had no money, he was offered a job as assistant curator of Fort Siloso. He turned down the offer.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki