Islanders' Day celebrates the heritage of Singapore's indigenous people
SINGAPORE - A smattering of boats and shacks along a small coastal section of West Coast Park marks the last community space of Singapore's indigenous Orang Laut, or sea people.
Gesturing at the docking point, a guide told attendees of Hari Orang Pulau, or Islanders' Day, about threats – including the risk of development – faced by the space, which sits on state land.
The day-long festival on June 14, held by initiative Orang Laut SG, celebrated the culture and stories of Singapore's coastal communities that once lived off the land and sea. Most of them were relocated to the mainland to make way for national development.
Braving the heat, dozens of people attended talks by former islanders, learnt maritime skills, and participated in a high octane two-hour-long Joget Dangkong dance, a communal dance that was once common on special occasions in the Southern Islands.
'This is an important day for us, because we want to make sure that our culture is not left in the textbooks,' said Mr Firdaus Sani, 37, who founded Orang Laut SG in 2020 to preserve the disappearing memories and heritage of Singapore's seafaring folk.
The event was held at West Coast Park to highlight its importance as an embarking point for Southern islanders when they first arrived in Singapore, added Mr Firdaus, whose maternal grandparents lived on Pulau Semakau until they were moved to the mainland in 1977.
Addressing an audience of former inhabitants of offshore islands and their descendants, Education Minister Desmond Lee said it was important for Singapore to understand its roots as the country moves forward, as such knowledge strengthens confidence in its identity and unique diversity.
The West Coast GRC MP announced that a work group will be set up for representatives of these indigenous groups to collaborate with government agencies, including the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore Land Authority as well as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
He said: 'We are going to come together and work hand in hand with you... to see how we can further the initiatives, further the community building.'
There is a sense of urgency in recording the stories of offshore islanders now, as many of those with such memories were very young when they left the island, said speakers at the first panel of the day on the histories of Singapore's islands.
Said National University of Singapore cultural geographer Hamzah Muzaini: 'You hear a lot about Jurong Island and how great it is as our energy and petrochemical complex, but we don't hear about the cost that has come because of this development of the island.
'So I think it's important to focus on these islands that have not really been spoken much.'
The festival has also been a platform for former islanders to share their side of history.
Former Pulau Semakau islander Rohaini Rani, who taught participants southern islander cuisine, said was surprised that people had asked about her history and life on the island, not just her dishes.
Speaking in Malay, the 70-year-old told participants that being moved to a flat felt like being trapped in a bird cage, but the re-location was said to be a necessary one back then.
'We had to ask neighbours for help to navigate the community,' she recalled.
Likewise, retired seamstress Tan Kue Lang, who had joined one of the festival's guided tours on her personal mobility device, happily fielded questions from facilitators and attendees after they discovered that she had lived on Pulau Seraya, one of 14 islands reclaimed for Jurong Island.
The 71-year-old, whose family had lived on the island for three generations, said she had no regrets missing a trip to Jakarta for the festival.
Ms Tan shared that she did not have a chance to bid farewell to her island home, as the government had reclaimed it in the 1970s when she was in confinement on the mainland, after delivering her child.
The mother of three added: 'If now the government asks me to go back, I will go back.'
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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Islanders' Day celebrates the heritage of Singapore's indigenous people
SINGAPORE - A smattering of boats and shacks along a small coastal section of West Coast Park marks the last community space of Singapore's indigenous Orang Laut, or sea people. Gesturing at the docking point, a guide told attendees of Hari Orang Pulau, or Islanders' Day, about threats – including the risk of development – faced by the space, which sits on state land. The day-long festival on June 14, held by initiative Orang Laut SG, celebrated the culture and stories of Singapore's coastal communities that once lived off the land and sea. Most of them were relocated to the mainland to make way for national development. Braving the heat, dozens of people attended talks by former islanders, learnt maritime skills, and participated in a high octane two-hour-long Joget Dangkong dance, a communal dance that was once common on special occasions in the Southern Islands. 'This is an important day for us, because we want to make sure that our culture is not left in the textbooks,' said Mr Firdaus Sani, 37, who founded Orang Laut SG in 2020 to preserve the disappearing memories and heritage of Singapore's seafaring folk. The event was held at West Coast Park to highlight its importance as an embarking point for Southern islanders when they first arrived in Singapore, added Mr Firdaus, whose maternal grandparents lived on Pulau Semakau until they were moved to the mainland in 1977. Addressing an audience of former inhabitants of offshore islands and their descendants, Education Minister Desmond Lee said it was important for Singapore to understand its roots as the country moves forward, as such knowledge strengthens confidence in its identity and unique diversity. The West Coast GRC MP announced that a work group will be set up for representatives of these indigenous groups to collaborate with government agencies, including the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore Land Authority as well as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. He said: 'We are going to come together and work hand in hand with you... to see how we can further the initiatives, further the community building.' There is a sense of urgency in recording the stories of offshore islanders now, as many of those with such memories were very young when they left the island, said speakers at the first panel of the day on the histories of Singapore's islands. Said National University of Singapore cultural geographer Hamzah Muzaini: 'You hear a lot about Jurong Island and how great it is as our energy and petrochemical complex, but we don't hear about the cost that has come because of this development of the island. 'So I think it's important to focus on these islands that have not really been spoken much.' The festival has also been a platform for former islanders to share their side of history. Former Pulau Semakau islander Rohaini Rani, who taught participants southern islander cuisine, said was surprised that people had asked about her history and life on the island, not just her dishes. Speaking in Malay, the 70-year-old told participants that being moved to a flat felt like being trapped in a bird cage, but the re-location was said to be a necessary one back then. 'We had to ask neighbours for help to navigate the community,' she recalled. Likewise, retired seamstress Tan Kue Lang, who had joined one of the festival's guided tours on her personal mobility device, happily fielded questions from facilitators and attendees after they discovered that she had lived on Pulau Seraya, one of 14 islands reclaimed for Jurong Island. The 71-year-old, whose family had lived on the island for three generations, said she had no regrets missing a trip to Jakarta for the festival. Ms Tan shared that she did not have a chance to bid farewell to her island home, as the government had reclaimed it in the 1970s when she was in confinement on the mainland, after delivering her child. The mother of three added: 'If now the government asks me to go back, I will go back.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
‘I lived on Pulau Samulun, now Jurong Shipyard': Musician remembers life before reclamation
SINGAPORE - Jurong Island, home to energy and chemicals firms with their glittering network of complexes, is not always remembered as such. For musician Mohd Nazir Dolah, it is a lost cluster of islands where the 74-year-old was raised in harmony with a sea teeming with life. Much of his childhood was spent diving in the azure waters off Pulau Samulun and Pulau Merimau, where he lived, with goggles fashioned from wood and rubber bands by his father, and sailing around on a small boat known as the kolek. Pulau Samulun was turned into Jurong Shipyard, while Pulau Merimau is one of 14 islands reclaimed by the government for its vision of a regional chemical hub. With the sea in his backyard, Mr Nazir said in Malay: 'Since I was six, I was eager to swim in the sea whenever I had the chance.' As Singapore's offshore islands were developed by the Government, Mr Nazir was among scores of villagers who were re-located to the mainland. On June 14, they gathered at a festival, named Hari Orang Pulau (Islander Day), at West Coast Park to celebrate their heritage and history through workshops, performances and talks. At the day-long event by ground-up initiative Orang Laut SG, researchers urged attendees who once lived on the islands to record their stories, noting the dwindling community harbouring these memories. The sea was more than a playground for the islanders, recounted Mr Nazir . It was a cornucopia of fish, crabs and shrimp that his family depended on for a living. 'I loved to eat raw prawns when they fall off the net. My father didn't get mad at me,' he said with a smile. 'They were very sweet, very tasty.' The clear waters off the reclaimed island of Pulau Samulun were particularly plentiful with catch, he added. 'My mother would say, 'We're not rich, but we're happy'.' By the time he turned 13, the village chief told the villagers that the Government wanted to take the island, offering each family a house and a few thousand dollars in compensation, he said. There was even an offer from Malaysia to move to Pahang, where they would get a plot of land to grown palms. Some islanders contacted a lawyer as they felt the money was insufficient, while others simply did not want to move. But his family followed the village chief's instructions, and moved to Pulau Merlimau, where his father worked for JTC as a surveyor. It was there that Mr Nazir started to pursue his dream of appearing on radio and television with his family band that specialised in ghazal, a genre of traditional Malay music. The band was so popular that they would travel by boat to Pulau Bukom, Pulau Sudong and other islands in the south to perform for weddings and competitions. But life on Pulau Merlimau came to a swift end. At the age of 20, Mr Nazir and his family moved to the mainland when Pulau Merlimau was reclaimed for the creation of Jurong Island. When asked how he felt now that the islands of his youth were gone, he said: 'It's just memories now.' After moving to the mainland Singapore, Mr Nazir would tell others that he is from Jurong Shipyard, because hailing from the islands was seen as a source of shame. The leader of the family band Orkes Melayu Mutiara said: 'It was sad that people looked down on us for being island people, but we couldn't run away from that reality.' His mindset changed only recently, through a movement by descendants of islanders, like Orang Laut SG founder Firdaus Sani, and his daughter Irma Yanti, who view their roots as a badge of pride. Said Ms Irma, 43, a vocalist for the band: 'For me, even though I have never been (on the island) before, I feel that we have this sense of history because of my father.' On June 14, Mr Nasir, his daughter and the rest of the band would help revive another tradition from the islands here by leading the Joget Dangkung. The communal dance was once a staple at weddings in Singapore's Southern Islands and continues to be practiced in Indonesia's Riau archipelago. These days, when asked where he is from, Mr Nazir has a different answer: 'I lived on Pulau Samulun, now Jurong Shipyard.' He told ST: 'Now I am proud. 'Now we have a day for island people, so everyone knows where we come from.' Additional reporting by Hadyu Rahim and Amirul Karim Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
07-06-2025
- Straits Times
Nee Soon mosque reopens on Hari Raya Haji after $15m facelift
Congregants during Hari Raya Aidiladha prayers at the recently upgraded Masjid Darul Makmur in Yishun on June 7. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG SINGAPORE - The $15 million facelift to spruce up Masjid Darul Makmur has not only refreshed an icon in Nee Soon, but the process has also strengthened the local community spirit, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim. At the mosque's reopening on June 7 - Hari Raya Haji - Associate Professor Faishal noted that the Muslim community had put up with inconveniences during the two-year renovation, which included having to conduct their religious rites at a temporary site. Agreeing, Nee Soon GRC MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, who was also at the event, said the upgrading involved a lot of logistics, as well as support from the Singapore Land Authority and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis). Prof Faishal said: 'This is the pride of Nee Soon residents, whereby with the strong community spirit, with the right support from grassroots organisations and government agencies, I think we can achieve better,' he said. Darul Makmur mosque was first opened in 1987. After it closed in April 2023 for upgrading, the former North View Secondary School in Yishun Ring Road was designated as a temporary prayer site for congregants. The completion of upgrading works means the mosque can now accommodate 4,000 worshippers, up from 3,000 previously. Barrier-free access with ramps, as well as a new lift, were also added. Speaking to the media after Hari Raja Aidiladha prayers, Prof Faishal urged the Malay/Muslim community here to continue to feel blessed in Singapore, where there is harmony and they can perform their religious rites with peace of mind anywhere in the country. 'This is something not available in many parts of the world,' said Prof Faishal, who was an MP in Nee Soon from 2011 to 2025. He was fielded in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC at the recent general election, which the PAP retained in a walkover. Echoing a sermon delivered earlier by Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, he also urged the community to have the notion of gratitude, and to continue playing its part in Singapore's quest to develop as a nation. As part of Singapore's humanitarian efforts for Gaza, more than 10 tonnes of korban meat will be channeled to Palestinians there, said Prof Faishal. Meanwhile, the meat that will be sent to Singapore will be distributed to the less privileged in the community, including zakat beneficiaries, families of incarcerated individuals and migrant transient workers. Korban refers to the Islamic ritual of slaughtering farm animals such as sheep and lambs, followed by the distribution of the meat to worshippers and the needy. Prof Faishal noted that this year's Hari Raya Haji korban had 5,700 orders for overseas livestock on SalamSG, a platform for key mosque programmes. This is about a 20 per cent increase from 2024. Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (right) greets congregants before the Hari Raya Aidiladha prayer at the recently upgraded Masjid Darul Makmur. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG The livestock will be slaughtered in Australia before the meat is chilled, packed and sent to Singapore – an arrangement that began in 2020 due to the pandemic. At the event, Prof Faishal also gave an update on Singaporean pilgrims in Mecca. He said all of them are doing well amid the intense heatwave. 'I urge them to keep looking out for one another. I also urge them to look at their health, and also ensure that they drink lots of water and also (have a) good rest,' he said. (From left) Nee Soon GRC MP Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi; Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim; Executive Chairman of Darul Makmur Mosque Mohd Fairus Abdul Manaf; and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam greet a congregant after Hari Raya Aidiladha prayers at the recently upgraded Masjid Darul Makmur. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG Temperatures in Mecca exceeded 40 deg C this week as more than a million Muslim pilgrims poured into the holy city for the annual haj. In 2024, at least 1,301 pilgrims died after temperatures soared to 51.8 deg C. 'We pray that they continue to remain safe and able to do their religious deeds... I look forward to welcoming them when they come back,' said Prof Faishal. Besides Prof Faishal and Dr Syed Harun, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam also attended the mosque's reopening. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
