This is a set of documents related to the power of attorney granted by Syed Abdulrahman bin Ali bin Oman bin Ali Aljunied to Syed Oman bin Mohamed bin Oman Alsagoff and Syed Mohamed bin Junid bin Oman bin Ali Aljunied on 9 July 1917. It contains a copy of the original document written in Arabic, along with two translations in Malay (Jawi) and English. Also included is the statutory declaration of the Arabic to Malay translator of the document, Shaik Awad bin Saidan, published on 9 October 1917. Syed Abdulrahman appointed these men in his capacity as the executor of the will of his late father Syed Ali bin Oman bin Ali Aljunied, who was in turn, the executor of the will of his late son Syed Oman bin Ali Aljunied. Among other actions, the appointees Syed Oman and Syed Mahomed were authorized to take possession if the goods belonging to the deceased Syed Oman if they resided in the hands of someone else and to receive the rent of the High Street, North Bridge Road, and Boat Quay houses and all else on the land grant no. 297. They were also expected “to pay out all alms especially reserved for burial grounds and the salaries of the religious teachers and also all that [was] allotted for Mecca, Meduirah, and Arabia, the usual payments towards the secondary mosque as detailed in the will of Syed Oman” and to distribute the remainder of Syed Oman’s estate among his heirs according to Mohammadan Law. This document was verified and sealed by the Kathi of Tarim, Shaik Ali bin Salim bin Oman Arfan Ba Rajak. It was translated from Arabic to Malay by Shaik Awad bin Saidan of No. 16 Raffles Quay, Singapore on 26 September 1917. It was subsequently translated from Malay to English by the Malay interpreter for the Supreme Court of the Straits Settlements in Singapore, N.M. Hashim, on 3 October 1917.This document is part of the John Koh collection which comprises of various legal documents in Arabic, Jawi, and English, and serves as a record of the 19th and early 20th century colonial legal systems in Singapore and the interactions of various ordinary individuals with the law.
