Plans for new Living Lab on Pulau Ubin unveiled at Ubin Day 2015

Community groups celebrate the adoption of “Ubin Way”

13 June 2015 - A new Ubin Living Lab with facilities for students and researchers, new bat houses, as well as floating wetlands prototypes, are some of the new installations that visitors can expect on Pulau Ubin by end 2015 (Please see media factsheet for details.)

Rolled out under The Ubin Project, these initiatives were first unveiled by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last year, in conjunction with his launch of Ubin Day 2014 in November last year.

Ubin Day is a community event which celebrates the different facets of the island, organised by more than 20 community groups including Team Seagrass, Nature Society (Singapore) and Butterfly Circle, and supported and facilitated by relevant agencies. First held in 2002, this is the fourth time Ubin Day is being organised.

At the event, Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee also encouraged participants of Ubin Day 2015 - which include volunteers, nature groups, grassroots leaders and residents of Siglap - to adopt the “Ubin Way”, a Code of Conduct guiding ecologically and socially responsible behaviour on the island, so that the island can remain a familiar and rustic destination for current and future generations of Singaporeans. Initiated and drawn up by nature lovers, grassroots leaders, Ubin operators, educators and volunteers, the “Ubin Way” encourages visitors to:

• Relive and experience the kampong lifestyle
• Appreciate and conserve our cultural heritage
• Discover and cherish the diversity of nature
• Respect one another and bond with the community
• Care for Ubin, and be considerate towards its environment

“Since the launch of The Ubin Project, many Singaporeans have come forward to share with us their ideas on how we can sensitively enhance Ubin and keep it rustic. By the end of this year, we can see some of these ideas come to fruition, with the development of the Ubin Living Lab, various species recovery and habitat enhancement programmes and cultural mapping initiatives. But, what make the island truly special are our people - the residents, volunteers and visitors – who activate, discover and celebrate the island. I hope that everyone who visits Ubin will embrace the Ubin Way, so that the island will remain a special place for all Singaporeans, where our children and their children can build lasting memories” said MOS Lee.

This year, the annual Siglap Day was held in conjunction with Ubin Day. Guest-of-Honour Minister Khaw, together with Ministers of State for National Development Desmond Lee and Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman (also Adviser to East Coast GRC Grassroots Organisations), spent the afternoon on the island with Siglap residents participating in various Ubin Day 2015 activities and reliving the kampong experience. Some of the other activities organised by Siglap grassroots organisations include a showcase of a Malay wedding, and tours of House 363B (a traditional Chinese Kampong House) and the Sensory Trail.

The Ubin Day 2015 will take place on 13 and 14 June. The event is open to public. Visitors can participate in activities such as guided nature walks, birdwatching, mangrove and quarry kayaking, and coastal clean-ups at the event.