Retain Pulau Ubin for nature lovers

The commentary, “Pulau Ubin and the unsettled S’pore psyche” (April 18), touched a chord with me, as I have been a regular visitor to the island since 1970. The boat fare then was S$1.00; today, it is $2.50.

The only other palpable change is the absence of granite quarries.

I have cycled to every corner of the island, its terrain different from that of East Coast Park. Only last week, I went there with friends to pick durians.

Bukit Brown is a forsaken cemetery, with tombstones covered with creepers and some cracked by tree roots. If Bidadari and its ornate tombstones can be sacrificed, then the old graveyard at Bukit Brown should give way to a road and housing.

Sentosa may attract the well-heeled, but let Pulau Ubin be retained for trekkers, cyclists and campers. Noordin Beach and Mamam Beach are the last of our enchanting beaches, while Chek Jawa (picture) is well known for its marine life.

Pulau Ubin is also famous for its mangrove forests and nature trails. Let us preserve the Bruguiera gymnorrhiza with its scarlet hypocotyl, the drongos with their beautiful tails and the tree-climbing crabs called the Episesarma singaporense.

If these are sacrificed in the name of progress, the loss would be irreplaceable for our future generations.