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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy was Onan Road upset? It was feeling a little "off-ramp".

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Onan Road is the name of a road in Singapore that connects Changi Road to East Coast Road.[1] Both Onan Road and the street it runs parallel to, Joo Chiat Road, were established by Chinese merchant Chew Joo Chiat in 1910 and given to the British government.[2] However, unlike the latter, Onan Road has not been designated as a heritage site, even though it is well known amongst locals for its cultural background and predominately Malay heritage.[2][3]

Shophouses along Onan Road have also been given conservation status by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).[3] The road was also formerly a red-light district, until prostitution and unlicensed massage parlours along Onan Road were ultimately outlawed in 2005.[4]

Religious centres

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The headquarters of the Muslim Converts Association of Singapore (MCAS), a local society for the support of new Muslim converts, is situated along Onan Road.[5][6] This building features a musalla, library, classrooms for Islamic studies, as well as shops for the purchase of Islamic related products.[7] Formerly, the building was a derelict shopping mall named The Galaxy, which was purchased by the MCAS and reopened under the name Darul Arqam Singapore on 2 June 1997.[7] Named after the prominent Sahabi and early Muslim convert, Al-Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam, the name "Darul Arqam" had caused some controversy due to a similar name being used for the Malaysian Al-Arqam extremist group, which resulted in the MCAS making a statement in 1994 and later in 2024 that they were not affiliated with any foreign groups.[8][9]

Onan Road is also home to the Masjid Taha, a community centre for the Singaporean branch of the Ahmadiyya religious group.[10][11] Despite its name, Masjid Taha is not a mosque, but was designed as a community centre and activity hall (similar to how the Abou Ben Adhem Mosque in Springfield is not a mosque, but a Shriners auditorium and masonic lodge).[12][13] It features a green dome on a square base, with the building being predominately white in colour and built in a contemporary architectural style.[14] Masjid Taha is also situated opposite Masjid Khalid, a mainstream Sunni mosque.[15]

Places of worship

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Masjid Khalid

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Masjid Khalid is a mosque located along Onan Road, established in 1907 and rebuilt in 1999.[16] The mosque holds interfaith meetings, as well as preparation and distribution of biryani rice meals during festive occasions and charity events.[17][18] The mosque was extensively renovated in 2023, adding an annex building to the main structure of the mosque.[19]

Bethany Emmanuel Church

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Founded in 1961, it is situated at the junction of Onan Road and Marshall Lane. Surrounding the church are terrace houses and landed properties.[20]

Toong Chai Presbyterian Church

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Officially constituted on 8 September 1983, the Toong Chai Presbyterian Church is the first of two churches located along Onan Road.[21] It is situated at the junction of Fowlie Road and Onan Road, with the main facade of the building facing the former.[22]

Other amenities

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The Joo Chiat Neighborhood Police Post is situated along Onan Road.[23] It was built in 1987 on the site of a former playground.[23][24] The police post is a small building in a square layout, with rooms for reception, interviews and storage, as well a multi-purpose room.[25]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Chew, Valerie (27 July 2017). "Onan Road". National Library Board. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  2. 1 2 Edwards, Norman; Keys, Peter (1988). Singapore: A Guide to Buildings, Streets, Places (1st ed.). Singapore: Times Books International. pp. 301–302.
  3. 1 2 Kong, Lily; Chang, T.C. (2001). Joo Chiat: A Living Legacy. Singapore: Joo Chiat Citizens Consultative Committee. pp. 97–99. ISBN 9789814068161.
  4. ↑ Liau, W.C. (3 April 2009). "Lights for notorious alley". The Straits Times. p. 42. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Pusat Islam yang berkesan" [An Islamic centre that leaves an impact]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 23 June 1985. p. 4. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Malay/Muslim Organisations", Majulah!, World Scientific Series on Singapore's 50 Years of Nation-Building, WORLD SCIENTIFIC, 16 December 2015, pp. 617–626, doi:10.1142/9789814759885_0070, ISBN 978-981-4759-86-1, retrieved 25 July 2026
  7. 1 2 "Islamic building". The Straits Times. 6 June 1997. p. 52. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Darul Arqam bukan Al-Arqam" [Darul Arqam is not Al-Arqam]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 25 June 1994. p. 4. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Singapore Muslim convert group denies links to Global Ikhwan, Al-Arqam". Free Malaysia Today. 5 October 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Masalah mengganggu agama lain" [The problem of disturbing other religions]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 23 February 1986. p. 5. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  11. ↑ Yusoff, Y.H. (3 April 1993). "Pelawat mungkin keliru nama Masjid Taha" [Visitors may be confused by the name of the Taha Mosque]. Berita Harian (in Malay). p. 7. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  12. ↑ "Langkah desak Qadiani turunkan papan tanda" [Qadianis urge to take down signboards]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 24 April 1985. p. 3. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Bangunan Qadiani bukan masjid" [Qadiani building is not a mosque]. Berita Harian (in Malay). 29 December 1985. p. 1. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Masjid Taha". AroundUs. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Masjid Taha (Mosque) - 118 Onan Road (S)424530". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Kuchit, A.Y. (28 July 1999). "Dua baru, dua dibaharui" [Two new, two renewed]. Berita Harian (in Malay). p. 13. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  17. ↑ "President lends a hand at briyani charity event". The Straits Times. 8 July 2019. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  18. ↑ Eunos, Nadzri (18 August 2006). "Beriani pupuk keharmonian kaum" [Biryani fosters racial harmony]. Berita Harian (in Malay). p. 8. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "Reopening of Masjid Khalid". Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Zhen, T.J. (1 June 2025). "Touring Onan Road, A Freehold Landed Estate With A "Hidden" Enclave Of Shophouses". Stacked. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "关于我们" [About Us]. Toong Chai Presbyterian Church (in Chinese). Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Toong Chai Presbyterian (Church) - 8 Fowlie Road (S)428482". www.streetdirectory.com. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  23. 1 2 "Five more police posts completed". The Straits Times. 30 October 1987. p. 22. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "Joo Chiat gets a police post". Weekend East. 5 June 1987. p. 2. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  25. ↑ "7 police posts to serve you from Monday". Weekend East. 6 November 1987. p. 4. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
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