This set of documents comprises of the Malay and English translations of the power of attorney issued by the sons of Salim bin Awad Mumdoon, Awad and Mohamed, to Syed Ahmad bin Ali Alkaff, Syed Esa bin Abdulkader Alssadad and their partners. Also included in this set is the statutory declaration of Shaik Awad Saidan of No. 16 Raffles Quay, Singapore, who translated the document from Arabic to Malay on 15 October 1917. Syed Ahmad and Syed Esa were authorised to mortgage two of Awad and Mohamed’s houses in Singapore for a sum of $12,000. The home belonging to Awad was situated No. 182 at South Bridge Road No. 182 and the other which belonged to Mohamed was No. 53 at China Street. The money gained from the mortgages was to be used for the repair and renewal of their principal house at Beach Road. This document was sealed by the Chief of Enat, Hadhramaut, Al. Habib Ali bin Ahmad bin Sagaff bin Shaik Abubakar bin Salim. It was first translated from Arabic to Malay by Shaik Awad Saidan of No. 16 Raffles Quay, Singapore on 15 October 1917. It was subsequently translated from Malay to English by the Malay interpreter at the Supreme Court of the Straits Settlements in Singapore, N.M. Hashim, on 15 November 1917. These documents are 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.
