Clearing air over Ubin

Straits Times 21 Apr 13;

Keeping Pulau Ubin rustic is an attractive idea for many of the 300,000 visitors who go there each year for respite from high-density urban life. They would be pleased the Singapore Land Authority and the Ministry of National Development have promised to keep Ubin as it is "for as long as possible" and not start building on it. Of course, when land is scarce, one should never say never. It is better to be prepared for any calls in the future to use the land for some utilitarian or urban recreational purpose.

For now, it would be useful to have more clarity of the plans of the authorities, such as they are, as these may have an impact on the island's residents and its numerous day trippers. Some households recently received notices to start paying rent on a temporary occupation licence or accept resettlement benefits and move. This could have been better handled. Though Ubin residents form a small community, they are fondly regarded for clinging to a simple life even though their numbers have been declining since the 1970s. Now with disincentives to stay and incentives to leave, how many will remain?

Despite, or ironically because of, the land use uncertainty, there is room to consider feedback from a public increasingly engaged on such issues. A focus group on sustainability and identity for the 2011 Concept Plan had recommended - and noted strong public support for - protection of nature, such as on Ubin. Revisions of the plan will likely have to take account of strong civil society demand for preservation of such heritage, including nostalgic reminders of a vanished way of life.

It is not possible, of course, to preserve ageing and dwindling communities artificially as a microcosm of yesteryear. At the same time, there is merit in allowing unhurried organic evolution to take place in Ubin if no great need has emerged yet for the use of the land.