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JUL 16, 2001 |
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Chek Jawa's natural beach should be preserved ONE of the most embarrassing questions I am frequently asked by visitors to Singapore is this: 'Singapore is a tropical island but where are your natural beaches?' It is difficult to explain that under the pressure of rapid economic development, which has made Singapore the success story it is today, we could not afford to keep most of our natural coastline. We are not lacking in beaches, but almost all are man-made, and anyone who has experienced the real thing will tell you that there is a vast difference between the two. Natural beaches have a rich diversity of marine and shore flora and fauna which man-made beaches lack. It is like comparing genuine laksa with a packaged, instant variety. The latter is just not lemak. I recall the excitement when Tanjong Chek Jawa was discovered last December off the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin. Here was a beautiful, pristine beach that had more extensive sand flats than Labrador Beach (a designated nature area); a beach forest that contained many rare plants and marine life, such as extensive beds of seagrass which are the only food source for the internationally-endangered dugong; and mangrove and rocky shores rich with treasures for both life scientists and the average Singaporean to discover. It was like a gift from heaven. But this wonderful discovery has its tragic side. Chek Jawa will soon be irrevocably destroyed by land reclamation. The draft Concept Plan 2001 has stated that Pulau Ubin will stay undeveloped for as long as possible. It has also stated that, in addition to buildings, the Urban Redevelopment Authority will look into features and places that reflect the identity of an existing area. These can be integrated into the planning and development of a town or an estate. The Government is prepared to invest heavily in education and research in the life sciences. It is also putting large sums into eco-tourism, as seen in the Southern Islands project. The cost of incorporating Tanjong Chek Jawa as a natural feature in the reclamation of Pulau Ubin would cost a lot less and benefit the life sciences, eco-tourism and all Singa-poreans immeasurably. It is something that should be urgently explored before it is too late.
GEH MIN
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