Wan's Ubin Journal

Photo: Facebook/ Outward Bound Singapore SINGAPORE: Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) camps on Pulau Ubin will be used as a quarantine facility as part of measures to deal with the Wuhan virus, the Ministry of National Development (MND) said on Tuesday (Jan 28). In response to CNA queries, an MND spokesperson said the Government will ensure that anyone who has been served with a quarantine order will be housed in "appropriate locations". "In addition to selected chalets and university hostels, OBS camps in Pulau Ubin have also been identified as a Government Quarantine Facility (GQF)," the spokesperson added. The camps will undergo a "thorough cleaning process", in accordance with guidelines from the Ministry of Health, to make sure they are safe to stay in. "As people staying at the GQFs are not supposed to come into contact with others, this eliminates the possibility of the spread of virus through person-to-person contact," ...

Hi all! Second Minister for National Development, Mr Desmond Lee, together with former and current Ubin residents, NParks staff and FUN members during Pesta Raya@Ubin 2019. Photo courtesy of NParks. In today's post, I would like to share on the conservation efforts of Pulau Ubin, more particularly towards its heritage. Pulau Ubin as we all know is a haven for recreation, leisure and biodiversity to many Singaporeans and visitors from all over the world. It is very easy to overlook the idea that Pulau Ubin was but a thriving community, what more with the rapid re-forestation in the former kampungs giving passersby the illusion that Ubin had always been a no man's land. It is only but a sliver of what form of kampungs they find left that people would chance upon the heritage and stories that lie behind them. On the island, you may find various groups and individuals from all walks of life sharing their interests and stakes here - forming a network known as the ...

By Melody Zaccheus (Nov 24th, 2019) Sisters Goh Xin Eng (left), 69, and Goh Guat Lai, 63, looking at old photos pasted on the wall of the first storey of the Pulau Ubin building where they run the Sin Lam Huat eatery that was first opened and operated by their parents. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG Pulau Ubin's town centre boasts a second-generation eatery that has become a beloved makan (eating) spot for some of the National Parks Board (NParks) staff attached to the island, as well as cyclists, fishing enthusiasts and other day-trippers. The Sin Lam Huat coffee shop's home-style dishes, served up in generous portions, has made the cheerful joint a favourite stop on any visit to the island. It is run by sisters Goh Xin Eng, 69, and Goh Guat Lai, 63, who are often mistaken for twins. Their parents started the business about 60 years ago after migrating from Hainan, China. They planted roots in Ubin and had four children. The ageing two-storey structure is...

By: Melody Zaccheus, Housing and Heritage Correspondent (Nov 24th, 2019) Pulau Ubin's kampung landscape is being given a boost with moves underway by the National Parks Board (NParks) to restore seven homes and an old coffee shop in its town centre. The project kicked off last month and is addressing problems such as leaking roofs, damaged floorboards and broken windows. In some cases - such as house no. 239 in Jalan Endut Senin - the structures will be given a top-to-toe restoration in what is the first major initiative by NParks to maintain occupied homes on the island. The exterior of house No. 239 at Jalan Endut Senin after restoration works.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG Six of the seven long-term occupants of the homes have died over the past year or so with their next of kin in the process of taking over the tenancies. For instance, the former occupant of No. 239 was Mr Tan Leong Kiat, who died at age 89 in May last year. His son, ice-kachang hawke...

Updated: Jan 17th, 2020 06:52 PM Hi all; and considering that this is the first post of 2020 on WUJ, a very Happy New Year to you! I came across this Facebook article by Ria Tan from WildSingapore which reminded me of the constant vulnerability that Pulau Ubin faces when it comes to redevelopment in an ever rapidly-modernising Singapore. Photo courtesy of Ria Tan As highlighted in her post, among the more notable features conceptualised in Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) Master Plan 2030 include a road link from Punggol which cuts across Ubin and into Pulau Tekong, before circling back into the mainland at Changi East as well as the reclamation along the eastern shores of Ubin, which would potentially bury Pulau Sekudu and the entire Chek Jawa Wetland Reserve. Her other concerns raised include the reclamation along Pasir Ris and Changi shores. However, the proposal for a "Pan-Ubin" road link and reclamation along the eastern shorelines of Ubin ...