Hari Raya light-up salutes kampung spirit

Hari Raya light-up salutes kampung spirit

THIS year's Hari Raya light-up promises to be bigger and more spectacular - and carry a deeper meaning.

For a month from June 4, a 2.8km stretch of Geylang Serai from Still Road to Lorong 101 Changi Road will be filled with lights and festivities that will appeal to Muslims and non-Muslim ahead of Hari Raya Puasa on July 6.

This year's light-up will be 500m longer than last year's. Associate Professor Fatimah Lateef, a member of this year's Hari Raya light-up committee, said it will be themed "Deepening our kampung spirit" and will aim to "reinforce, strengthen and resurrect that feeling".

A common motif present throughout the light-up will be that of the weave, a pattern with strong significance to the Malay community and which also symbolises the concept of unity and close-knit ties.

Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin, another member of the light-up committee and MP for Marine Parade GRC, said: "It's not just about shopping and eating (but) how you bring people together."

A new addition to the festivities this year will be a series of interactive exhibits, including a giant set of drums and a huge gong. There will also be a pavilion which takes inspiration from traditional long kampung houses which served as meeting points for families and friends.

Organisers hope the pavilion, which will be decorated with lampu colok or celebratory lights, will serve as a place where visitors can sit and interact with each other.

The occasion is also an opportunity for visitors to understand the "true meaning of Islam".

Dr Fatimah said: "Recently, there's been a lot of talk about Islam, misperceptions... During some of the (breaking of fast) sessions, we will have a religious leader come down to explain the real meaning of Islam."

Dr Fatimah, a Marine Parade GRC MP, said this includes elements such as friendship, honesty, open relationships and a close-knit family.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy a wide variety of activities, including a performance by popular singer Sufie Rashid, silat (Malay martial arts) and kompang (drums) performances, sarong tying, calligraphy and a ride on a Hippo Bus.

Rahman Shah Ismail, a 23-year-old student who visits the light-up every year with his family, is pleased with this year's plans. "It's good to let others know what Islam really is about, given the situation around the world."

~News courtesy of My Paper~

Pulau Ubin to get a coastal boardwalk

Pulau Ubin to get a coastal boardwalk



REGENERATION EFFORTS: The 500m boardwalk at Noordin Beach, which will reopen when restoration works are done. (PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD)

MORE will be done to protect Pulau Ubin's flora and fauna, including plans to restore its northern shoreline, build a coastal boardwalk and support the recovery of endangered plants and animals.

Announcing these initiatives yesterday at Pulau Ubin, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Desmond Lee said more must be done to protect the rich biodiversity teeming on the island.

Noting that it has more than 720 native plant species and over 500 animal species, including some not found on mainland Singapore, he added: "This is remarkable but we must do more.

"We have plans to restore Ubin's eroding shoreline, which will serve as a base for more of Pulau Ubin's flora and fauna to be restored in the near future."

Shoreline restoration was one of the earliest priorities for The Ubin Project, announced in 2014 to generate ideas from the public on how to retain the island's rustic charm.

Erosion has badly affected about 40m of northern Ubin, threatening critically endangered species like the Eye of the Crocodile tree and leading to the closure of Noordin Beach - a popular camping site - in 2013 for public safety.

A year-long study, which was concluded this month by the National Parks Board (NParks), found that changes in wave conditions partly as a result of ship wakes, or waves generated by the movements of vessels, as well as changes in land use were among the key causes of erosion.

NParks has identified possible measures to restore the shoreline, such as using man-made rock structures and sand to widen the existing beaches, growing more mangroves and adding wooden poles along the shoreline to mitigate the impact of waves.

NParks will call a tender and works are expected to start next year and end by 2020.

An impact assessment will be done, said NParks' director for Pulau Ubin, Robert Teo.

"Until we call a tender, we won't be sure how much (the work) is going to cost. It depends on the magnitude of the designs and the amount of work that's going to be done," he added.

A coastal boardwalk of about 500m, part of which will extend into the sea, will be built at Noordin Beach, which will reopen when restoration works are completed. From the boardwalk, visitors can view coastal mangroves and hills.

Yesterday, NParks also unveiled a design for new otter holts - which are dens for the critically endangered Oriental Small-clawed Otter. By the end of this year, two holts will be installed on the island which will allow researchers to monitor and study their behaviour.

Other species' recovery efforts include installing 30 bat boxes across the island for bats to roost, and reintroducing endangered native orchids to parts of the island.

At the event to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity, which was yesterday, Mr Lee joined more than a hundred participants to plant 100 saplings at the mangrove arboretum in the Ubin Living Lab.

Among them were executive manager Sean Lam, 47, and his wife and son.

He said: "This is one of the last places in built-up Singapore where you can enjoy such nature. Without the mangroves, the soil will be eroded and the next generation, they won't have anything to see."

~News courtesy of My Paper~

Sentosa brings back kid-friendly beach festival for second run

Sentosa brings back kid-friendly beach festival for second run

The Sentosa FunFest 2016 will run from May 28 to Jun 5 at Palawan Green in Sentosa.

A kid-friendly beach festival is returning for a second run during the June school holiday period, Sentosa Development Corp said in a press release on Thursday (May 12).

The Sentosa FunFest 2016 will take place from May 28 to Jun 5 at Palawan Green in Sentosa, SDC said. It will be open from 10am to 7pm daily, with last admissions at 4.30pm. Admissions are priced at S$28 for adults and S$18 for children aged three to 12 years old.

The festival will feature a bubbly foam pool, a sand pit and a water slide, among other attractions. There will also be live DJ performances and snack and beverage kiosks.

From Jun 11 to Jul 17, the area will also be transformed into the fictional world of Equestria for a free My Little Pony-themed event.



A digital interactive space featuring My Little Pony at Sentosa. (Photo: Sentosa Development Corp)

Featuring "larger-than-life displays, 3D artistic illusions and digital interactive features", guests will be able to interact with digital projections of characters from the popular cartoon from 10.30am to 7pm daily during the event period.

“School holidays make for great family time and bonding at Sentosa, and we want to create a fun-filled atmosphere for these memories," said Sentosa Leisure Management's head of events and programming Steven Chung.

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~