Haji Ambo Sooloh Police Shield

I saw this shield while i was at the Senior Officer Mess Hall (Mount Pleasant) for lunch and it intrigue me as there was not only the name of the donor who presented this shield to the Straits Settlement Police in 1929, it has also the photograph of him - Haji Ambok Sooloh, Esq, J.P. 

The shield was known as the Haji Ambo Sooloh Police Shield. It was presented as a trophy to the winners of the annual Straits Settlements Police Force pistol practice and shooting competition.

Straits Settlement Police Shield presented by Haji Ambok Sooloh, Esq, J.P.

On the buttons are engraved the winners 

• 1930 (Depot)
• 1931 (Sikh Contingent)
• 1932 (Depot)
• 1933 (Sikh Contingent)
• 1934 (Depot)
• 1935 (Depot)
• 1936 (?)
• 1937 (Depot)
• 1938 (Depot)
• 1939 (?)
• 1940 (Sikh Contingent)

After that, there were 2 more buttons but not engraved. Maybe because of the preparations for war and after that the Japanese Occupation itself.  

From the newspaper archives, i also gathered there was similar shields donated by him, such as the Ambok Sooloh Shield for the Singapore Inter-School football competition, the Sooloh Cup for the Malay Volunteer Rifle Club. 

Brief description on Prominent Malay Pioneer of Singapore. 

Haji Ambo Sooloh bin Haji Omar (b. 1891–d. 1963) was a prominent Malay businessman of Bugis descent. A philanthropist and one of the founders of the Malay newspaper Utusan Melayu and President of the Ka-Satuan Melayu (Malay Union) 

There was report of Mr. Ambok Sooloh sailing on 2 October 1913 on pilgrimage to Mecca by steamer Tydeus. In a June 1927 article, the following have being made Justice of the Peace for Singapore - Haji Ambok Sooloh bin Haji Omar, Messrs. O.R.S. Bateman, S.C. de Souza, A.S.K. MacDonald, Krishna Iyer, Raghunathan and Mr. Tan Boon Guan. A patron of the Health & Strength Leaguers' Union and supporter of the Malay Football Association. He is also largely responsible in the organisation of the Singapore Malay Scouts and is an Assistant Commissioner of the Boy Scouts. 

Haji Ambo Sooloh bin Haji Omar, Esq. J.P. 
(source; NewspaperSG)

Haji Ambo Sooloh passed away at the age of 72 in 1963. His tomb is at the Jalan Kubor Cemetery.

For more details of his achievements and family background check out the website links below.

References

Haji Ambo Sooloh.(website). Infopedia, National Library Board (Last accessed 20 September 2025)

Enriching Society: Haji Ambok Sooloh Bin Haji Omar, J.P. (1891 – 1963. (website). Malay Pioneer Series - The Malay Heritage Foundation

Untitled. (1913, October 2). The Straits Times, page 19

Social & Personal. (1927, June 7). Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, page 10