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Pulau Tekong (Singapore English pronunciation: ), also known as Tekong or Tekong Island, is Singapore's largest outlying island. It lies off the northeastern coast of the mainland, to the east of Pulau Ubin. Since the 1980s, Pulau Tekong has been used by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) as a restricted military training ground, with public access prohibited. Transport for permitted personnel is provided via the SAF Changi Ferry Terminal located at Changi Beach.
Historically, various pre-colonial maps recorded the island under different names, and the origins of the name "Tekong" remain the subject of several theories. Pulau Tekong was previously inhabited by a multi-ethnic population of Malays, Chinese and Indians who established agricultural and fishing kampongs across the island. During the British colonial period, the island played a modest role in regional trade and rubber and vegetable farming sustained its economy. During the Japanese occupation of Singapore, residents of Tekong were subjected to forced labour, and many of the island's villages were eventually abandoned following the war.
Since the 1980s, Pulau Tekong has undergone significant land reclamation to support the Singaporean military. The original island, measuring about , was expanded through reclamation along the northwestern coast by absorbing nearby islets, including the former Pulau Tekong Kechil. As of now, its total land area is around , following the completion of the northwestern polder project. Further reclamation works, particularly along the southern coast, are still underway. Once fully completed, Pulau Tekong is projected to reach a total area of between and .
Early maps and etymology In 1604, the Bugis–Portuguese cartographer Manuel Godinho de Erédia created one of the earliest maps, JOR: Regno, featuring pre-colonial Singapore in his manuscript, Declaracam de Malaca e da India Meridional com Cathay. It presents a south-north orientation of the Straits of Malacca and depicts Singapore as an island with Pulo Chagni thought to correspond to modern Pulau Tekong Besar (Big Tekong Island).Francesco Perono Cacciafoco and Zheng Zhe Darwin Shia, "Singapore’s pre-colonial place names: A philological reconstruction developed through the analysis of historical maps," Review of Historical Geography and Toponomastics 15, no. 29-30 (2020): 83.
The toponym "Pulau Tekong" appears in the Franklin and Jackson's 1828 map as Po. Tukang (Pulo Tukang). The early name could have arisen because the island served as a trading station for both residents of Pulau Ubin and the state of Johor. Tukang means merchants in this case. Additionally, between 1822 and 1852, British maps referred to the island by various names, including Great Tookong, Little Tookong, Pulo Takung, Tikong Besar and Tikong Kechi.Cacciafoco and Shia, "Singapore’s pre-colonial place names,” 109.
The origins of the name "tekong" are steeped in various legends and linguistic interpretations. One story suggests that seafarers navigating by the stars followed a particular celestial body known as the "tekong", which guided them to the island. Another tale recounts the capture of a pirate by a Chinese trading ship in Singapore's waters, where he was brought ashore and had his hair cropped, an act referred to in Malay as "ditokong," and in celebration of this event, islanders named the land Pulau Tokong or Pulau Tekong. A third theory links the name to early settlers from Pahang in modern-day Malaysia, who fled the Pahang Civil War and found refuge on the island, naming it Pulau Tekong in memory of their homeland's district, Teluk Tekong.Chen Bosheng and Leong Sze Lee, “From Desolation to Prosperity,” in A Retrospect on the Dust-Laden History: The Past and Present of Tekong Island in Singapore, (World Scientific, 2012), 15.
Linguistically, "Tekong" has multiple meanings across different languages. Tekong means "an obstacle", so-called because the island blocks the mouth of the Sungai Johor.Savage, Victor R, and Brenda S. A Yeoh, Singapore Street Names: A Study of Toponymics, (Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2013), 30. Additionally, in the Kamus Dewan dictionary, "tekong" is linked to bamboo or sugarcane segments or a rock cleft that collects rainwater. In Indonesian, "tekong" can mean "something wavy or not straight," while in the Minangkabau dialect, it denotes heaviness. Some scholars also believe that "Tekong" originates from the Chinese dialect word "taikong," meaning "ship’s captain."
History
1850s–1960s: Early development
Early settlements Pulau Tekong was home to a diverse population of migrants from China and the Malay Peninsula, forming a society of immigrants who had made the island their home for more than a century. The Malays were among the first inhabitants, primarily arriving from Pahang and Terengganu. A major wave of migration occurred between 1857 and 1863, when a civil war in Pahang devastated the region, forcing many residents to flee by boat and establish their families along the southwestern coast of Pulau Tekong. Another influx took place between 1891 and 1895, during renewed conflicts between the British ambassador and Pahang chiefs, and some of these migrants formed Kampong Pahang, while others spread across the island, founding settlements such as Kampong Pasir and Kampong Batu Koyok.
Over time, Pulau Tekong became home to numerous villages, including Kampong Selabin, Kampong Permatang, Kampong Pasir Merah, Kampong Unum, Kampong Sungei Belang, Kampong Ayer Samak, Kampong Pasir, Kampong Pengkalan Pakau, Kampong San Yong Kong Parit, Kampong San Yong Kong, Kampong Batu Koyok, Kampong Ladang, Kampong Seminei, Kampong Pahang, and the Chia Tong Quah Estate.“Singapore Road Map. Tekong,” National Archives Singapore, accessed February 22, 2025, https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/maps_building_plans/record-details/fb7c8458-115c-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad
Kampong Pahang served as the island's administrative hub, with its Penghulu (village head) coming from the village itself.Chen and Leong, “From Desolation to Prosperity,” 20. The first Penghulu, Ishak, was followed by Tengku Ahmad bin Tengku Sulong as the second, and Jemaat bin Awang as the third. Unlike other villages which focused on fishing or farming, the residents of Kampong Pahang primarily worked in administrative roles or in Changi. Pulau Tekong had a very small Indian community, with fewer than 20 Indians recorded on the island between 1957 and 1969, while the Chinese population, on the other hand, grew significantly in the early 20th century.Chen and Leong, “From Desolation to Prosperity,” 18.
Rise of businesses During the colonial era, the British actively developed Malaya by bringing in Chinese and Indian labourers. The advances of businesses were closely tied to the colonial government's policies in British Malaya, which actively fostered commercial growth and created numerous opportunities for business expansion.XS Lin, “Early Period of Chinese Society in Singapore,” In Chinese Association and Businessman, (Singapore Society of Asian Studies 1995), 8. To promote development on Pulau Tekong, the colonial government introduced a policy stating that anyone interested to farm the land could claim ownership.Chen and Leong, “From Desolation to Prosperity,” 17. This incentive attracted many Chinese settlers, who began planting gambier and pepper. As rubber plantations on the island expanded quickly, the demand for labour increased, prompting even more Chinese migrants to settle, in which they established villages such as Kampong Sanyongkong Parit, Kampong Sanyongkong, and Chia Tong Quah Estate.Chen and Leong, “From Desolation to Prosperity,” 21.
The reason for Hakka being the majority of the Chinese population is that most of the Hokkien and Teochew businessmen already had flourishing businesses on the mainland. When the Hakkas arrived, they decided to make a living on an island less inhabited. Most were inland farmers, (cultivating rubber, vegetables, and raising poultry) with a few shop owners selling sundry goods.
In contrast, the Teochew community settled along the coast, earning their livelihood through fishing, or running grocery stores that sold local goods. Generally, the island’s agriculture included crops such as rubber, vegetables, tobacco, and coconuts which were processed, dried, and exported to Singapore. Overall, agriculture and fishing were the main occupations on Pulau Tekong, supplemented by employment in industry, commerce, and public institutions.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Tekong Island played a vital role as a port. With sailboats being the primary mode of transport at the time, vessels traveling between Tanjong Sulat, Kota Tinggi, and Singapore would dock at Tekong Island when faced with rough seas. Sailors took the opportunity to trade local goods with merchants on the island while also purchasing daily necessities. Traders from Changi and Pulau Ubin were actively involved in commerce on Tekong Island, and its advantageous location spurred economic development, transforming Kampong Selabin into a thriving commercial district.
Japanese occupation On 31 January 1942, the Johore Causeway was destroyed, cutting off access to the mainland and leaving Pengerang, Tekong Island, and Singapore as the last British-held territories.Joseph Kennedy, When Singapore Fell: Evacuations and Escapes, 1941–42, (Palgrave Macmillan UK, 1989), 53, doi: 10.1007/978-1-349-20363-5. To adapt to the situation, the British forces reorganised their defense strategy by positioning the 1st Malaya Infantry Brigade on the right flank, while the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force held the central position in Singapore, and the 2nd Malaya Infantry Brigade on the left flank, covering the Pengerang area and Tekong Island.Kaushik Roy, "4 The Siege of Singapore: 4–15 February 1942". In Sepoys against the Rising Sun, (Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 2016), 129, doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004306783_007 Furthermore, as Pulau Tekong Besar was considered a more secure location, requiring fewer troops on the mainland, the British relocated heavy artillery, (two 9.2-inch guns) originally intended for Pengerang to Pulau Tekong Besar.Ong Chit Chung, Operation Matador: World War II—Britain’s Attempt to Foil the Japanese Invasion of Malaya and Singapore, (Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 2011), 75.
However, on 15 February 1942, Singapore was formally surrendered to the Japanese.Kennedy, When Singapore Fell, 1. Before the Japanese army took control of Singapore, the British had destroyed military equipment (batteries, generators, and vehicles) and left behind sugar, rice, cookies, and cloth canopies on Tekong Island.Chen, Bosheng, and Leong Sze Lee, “The Impact of World War II,” in A Retrospect on the Dust-Laden History: The Past and Present of Tekong Island in Singapore. (World Scientific, 2012), 64. Prior to the Japanese arrival on Tekong Island, women and children sought refuge in the forest, while the men stayed at road intersections to guard against any Japanese intrusion. Meanwhile, members of a local fundraising group burned all relevant documents to avoid persecution by the Japanese.Chen and Leong, “The Impact of World War II,” 65.