Government has no plans to develop Pulau Ubin
SINGAPORE — Several Members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday urged the Government to preserve iconic kampung buildings on Pulau Ubin, with one suggesting that the island could be gazetted as a place of cultural significance for the Republic.
Mr Lim Chong Gan, 71, was born on Pulau Ubin. He sits outside his home which doubles up as a refreshments stall for cyclists on the island. He has two children, both of whom live on mainland Singapore. Photo: Alex Westcott/TODAY
SINGAPORE — Several Members of Parliament (MPs) yesterday urged the Government to preserve iconic kampung buildings on Pulau Ubin, with one suggesting that the island could be gazetted as a place of cultural significance for the Republic.
Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency (GRC) MP Penny Low, who mooted the idea, said some resources could be set aside so that buildings, such as the old kampung houses on the island, would not be “too run-down” in the future. “After this generation of home owners, I don’t think there will be a next generation staying there,” she said.
Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng sought the authorities’ assurance that Pulau Ubin could be kept in its rustic state “for as long as possible”, as she noted the changes in Singapore’s city scape with rapid urbanisation.
“Are there plans to recognise Pulau Ubin for its special place that it holds in Singapore?” she asked.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary (National Development) Maliki Osman assured the House that these suggestions would be studied by the various agencies, while keeping Ubin in its current rustic state.
The island was in the spotlight recently, after the authorities apologised for the poorly-worded notice that led many to believe that the residents were facing eviction. This led to MPs seeking clarification about development plans for the island and how they would affect the residents.
Non-Constituency MP Lina Chiam asked if the Government would consider developing part of Ubin into a retirement village, with medical facilities and land set aside for farming so the elderly can retire on the island.
In response, Dr Maliki said there are issues associated with the idea. “We also want our retirees to actually age in place rather than go into an island. We want them to be part of the larger community because I think that’s where the social support ought to be made available also for our retirees,” he said. “For now, we are quite clear. We want to leave Ubin the way it is, for as long as we can.” Amanda Lee
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