BERITAmediacorp: Heritage Trail to Pulau Ubin brings Nor Syazwan closer to his family roots

Hi All!

My sincerest apologies for one week of hiatus on Wan's Ubin Journal as I was involved in a cycling accident on Pulau Ubin on Saturday, August 18th, 2018. Ironically enough, it happened while I was involved in the "Jejak Warisan Pulau Ubin" or "Pulau Ubin Heritage Tour" which was organised by the Woodlands Malay Activities Executive Committee (MAEC) and attended by nearly 80 residents from Woodlands. More about this tour (and accident) in a later post!

"I feel that there's a lot more that can be done for our youths because our kampong heritage is a very important part of our Malay heritage."

BERITAmediacorp, Singapore's Malay news broadcasting network, was also present at the event to document and provide coverage (not a surprise anyway since the event was also attended by Sembawang GRC MP Amrin Amin). The one thing that I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams, was to have an entire segment on the news dedicated to what I have done on Pulau Ubin. I was surprised and equally humbled to have been featured in the final piece for the news on that day and I would love to share with you the clip that aired on Singapore's TV screens at 8.25 p.m. that night. Enjoy!

Within an hour since its premiere, a news article too was published in the BERITAmediacorp website by Said Mahadi Said Iziddin, the reporter who joined us and provided the coverage. The following verses are excerpts taken from the full article, which I have translated from Malay to English for your reading pleasure!

The whole article and news segment can also be found on the BERITAmediacorp website.

"Heritage trail to Pulau Ubin brings Nor Syazwan closer to his family roots  

SINGAPORE: More than 80 Woodlands residents, mostly aged between 13 and 26 years old, headed down to Pulau Ubin on Saturday morning (18 August) to retrace and relive the island's heritage.

To make matters interesting, the tour was the brainchild of the Woodlands Malay Activities Executive Committee (MAEC) who were very inspired with the efforts placed by a young man who was retracing his family heritage and origins on Pulau Ubin. 

This in turn removes the stereotypical perception that millennials do not care about finding out about their ancestral roots. 

BERITAmediacorp too joined on the exciting tour that was also attended by MP Sembawang GRC, Amrin Amin.

EFFORTS IN FINDING LATE GRANDFATHERS' HOME

Among one of the places visited was the former residence of the late Sulong Yunos. 

His wife and kids lived there till he passed away in 1989.* 

After nearly five months** of searching, the late Mr Sulong's grandchild, Mr Nor Syazwan Abdul Majid, finally found where his late grandfather's house once stood. 

"I feel that there is a lot more that can be done for our youths here as the kampong heritage is a very important part of our Malay heritage," shared Mr Nor Syazwan. 

Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health Amrin Amin was extremely fond to go down to the site itself where Syazwan's grandparents earned a living on Pulau Ubin. 

"I am in awe with the steps taken by Mr Syazwan because he wants to know and really understand his family origins," said Mr Amrin. 

In light of the Heritage Trail organised by Woodlands MAEC, Syazwan shared his family's history with the youths there. 

Mr Amrin, who is also the adviser for Woodlands, urged the youths to fathom on the heritage and history of Singapore. 

"We want to improve ourselves. I believe that is the underlying message of this heritage trail; where we fathom on our heritage, our history so as to bring us confidence and the ability to allow us to face the challenges of this generation," added Mr Amrin. 

After visiting the site of Syazwan's late-grandfather's house, the participants also had a chance to dwell into the beauty of the kampong environment in Pulau Ubin. 

Aside from having fun through cycling, playing sepak takraw and performing the dikir barat, the participants of the heritage trail were also invited to a feast at one of the resident's homes. 

"Lots of things. Lots of history. Lots of stuffs that we can no longer see in our HDB neighbourhoods," shared one participant. 

Another participant said: "We can a learn a lot about our history which we have forgotten. For example, I am always in the city ... this is my first time here on Pulau Ubin." 

This morning's visit is the fifth edition of the Heritage Trail where residents are invited to explore and learn about Singapore's heritage. 

-BERITAmediacorp/tq"

* My late grandfather passed away in 1981, and my late grandmother eventually moved out to the mainland with her children in 1989.

** The whole search spanned only over a span of less than a month, and took place back in March-April 2018 which was five months before the date of this news coverage. 

On behalf of the reporter, I would like to apologise for the discrepancy presented and that the information had been corrected by me.

Praise be to God, for the way things have developed and how my journey in Pulau Ubin has unfolded and developed over time. I am in awe with how far I've come and I know that there is still a long way to go. But this journey is not a lonely one as for each day that passes, I have gained more support, encouragement and blessings from the people around me - and that itself is a kampong spirit right there.

I would like to thank the Woodlands MAEC team, Mr Amrin Amin and the BERITAmediacorp team for this historic feature and involvement in my Ubin journey, but of course the most prominent people in my journey all along have been you!

From the bottom of my heart, thank you!