Wan's Ubin Journal

Hi all! In today's post, I will be sharing about the impact that the ongoing COVID-19 disease outbreak has left on Ubin based on my engagement with the residents there during my impromptu visit with my mom last Sunday (Feb 23). When news first came out about the COVID-19 making its way into our shores back in late January, I was slightly concerned on how things would go and I knew we would have to be extremely vigilant. In fact, just days after the first local transmission cases were reported and after the Ministry of Health had raised the DORSCON level to "Orange", it became clear that there were going to be some slight inconveniences to be faced - such as additional precautionary measures taken in an effort to stop the spread of this mostly-unknown novel coronavirus. I did not hesitate to suspend WUJ Kampung Clean-Up until further notice. I did not take any chances upon myself to put the lives of the elderly residents at risk given the nature of how...

Hi all! "Ubin is like this huge, you know!" While I was clearing up my room, I chanced upon a very old photo album that I have not seen in a long time. Like any cliche nostalgic film/ drama would be, I paused my cleaning spree to flip through the album. To my surprise, it was an entire collection of the times I spent with my mom on Ubin - probably about a dozen years ago or more. In today's post, I'm gonna dwell a little further back in time - maybe somewhere back between 2005 to 2006; to the memories of the first few times where I stepped foot on Ubin as a small, chubby little boy. During this time, I was in my lower primary school years. There is not really much to remember about those years; other than the many memories that I had just mostly playing around with my classmates during recess (because I was a good boy and was too afraid to get reprimanded by my teachers in class). And of course, like any other school kid, the things we look forward ...

UPDATED: 12 Feb 2020, 09:27 PM 10 February 2020 UPDATED STATEMENT ON CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) 1.       In light of the recent developments in the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation in Singapore, which includes the DORSCON level being raised to “Orange”  by the Ministry of Health (MOH) with effect from 7 Feb 2020, WUJ Kampung Clean-Up will be suspended until further notice. 2.       Given the nature in which the monthly clean-ups require close interaction and slightly prolonged exposure with other participants and with the residents – who are mostly elderly – WUJ has, in line with the guidelines implemented by the MOH, suspended the above-mentioned activity as a precautionary measure in the interest of public health and safety. 3.       WUJ urges everyone to remain vigilant yet calm, and to be socially responsible; this includes observing good personal hygiene and when unwell, wearing a ...

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 ...