Wan's Ubin Journal

Haji Salleh bin Haji Abdul Rahim was the former headman of Kampung Sungei Durian, Pulau Ubin, from 1961 to 1962. I met his son, Haji Abdul Malek bin Haji Salleh, to learn more; Haji Salleh was believed to have been born in Kampung Bugis near Sungei Kallang. He moved into Pulau Ubin upon marrying a resident there, Hajjah Esah binti Keleh. Haji Salleh adorned in his Baju Melayu.  Photo courtesy of Haji Abdul Malek. Haji Salleh was appointed to become the penghulu (headman) of Kampung Sungei Durian by Engku Ahmad; the penghulu  of Pulau Tekong whose jurisdiction covered all of the Northeastern Islands; namely Tekong Besar, Tekong Kechil, Sajahat Besar, Sajahat Kechil, Unum, Sanyongkong, Seranggong (present-day Coney Island), Ketam, Sekudu and Ubin. Engku Ahmad was also believed to have been a descendant of royalty, having been the grandson of Tengku Abdul Jalil, son of Sultan Hussain Muazzam Shah, the sultan of Johor-Singapore from 1819 to 1835. Tengku Abdul Jalil was assigned to...

*I only just found out that Pak Ahmad's actual name is spelled "Ahamad", as stated in his NRIC, so from here on out for accuracy of documentation, I shall now refer to him as Pak Ahamad bin Kassim. I paid a visit to Pak Ahamad at one of his children's home on mainland Singapore last Saturday (13 Feb). He had not been on the island during my many visits to Ubin in recent weeks, so I thought it was timely for me to meet him, much closer to home. We chatted for a while to catch up on the latest developments on Ubin, but more significantly, I wanted to strengthen my knowledge of Pak Ahamad's life on the island, and to properly document them in this blog post. In light of Total Defence Day, I feel that it is timely for me to share with you his stories of life on Ubin under Japanese Occupation. Pak Ahamad bin Kassim is a WWII survivor, and Pulau Ubin is the island that saved him. The youngest in the family of four brothers and three sisters, Pak Ahamad was only seven wh...

Hi all! بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful It is with much glee and humility that I announce my first ever exclusive self-designed shirts for sale! Show your love for Ubin everywhere you go with this 100% polyester drifit unisex T-shirt by WUJ! It's breathable and guaranteed to keep you feeling and looking cool, too. There is currently only one design available and only available in red. God Willing, if the market is supportive and demand for these shirts is high, I will start launching more designs and in various colours. Sizes available are S, M, L and XL. Do refer to the size chart below to find the right fit for you! SHIRT INFORMATION AND SIZE CHART Description Drifit Smooth Interlock Roundneck T-Shirt Material 100% Polyester Weight 150gsm  Size S  M  L  XL   (A) Half Chest 19" ...

The Nipah Palm ( Nypa fruticans ), also spelt in English as the nipa palm, is a plant that grows in brackish water and can be found thriving in mangrove forests found commonly in Southeast Asia; Singapore included. These plants appear to be trunkless as its body is mostly submerged in mud. The nipa palms are also mostly found in calm estuaries or shallow lagoons with permanent and high inflows of freshwater, that are not exposed to waves and a high level of water salinity from the sea. The Nipah palms are believed to be in a vulnerable state, in the Red List of threatened plants of Singapore, and that most of the localities where these population of nipa palms are found are at risk of being wiped off due to national development. To date, the only populations of these mangrove trees that are protected are at places such as Sungei Buloh, Pulau Tekong and Pulau Ubin. In the eastern part of Pulau Ubin, the Nipah palms can be significantly found in two accessible areas - the first being in ...

Hi all! After gathering some recollection from former residents and cross-referencing with mukims found on the National Archives of Singapore, I've decided to revise my historical map of Kampung Sungei Durian to as accurate a depiction as possible; though it still poses its challenges. Kampung Sungei Durian in the 1980s - 1990s Kampung Sungei Durian today (2021) Nonetheless, I'm still pleased with the results! It is rather heartbreaking to see how much has been lost, but I hope that at least through my documentation, this loss won't have been in vain, God Willing! I'll be working on the historical map of Kampung Surau, soon. (The names of the current homeowners have been omitted in the interest of protecting their personal data and privacy.) Kampung Sungei Durian used to have in its recent history, prior to eviction exercises and demolition, close to 50 different structures and was home to over 30 individual families. Kampung Sungei Durian used to have its own madrasah ...