• The Mandarin term “德光岛” is a combination of the transliteration and paraphrase of the Malay name Pulau Tekong. In Malay, pulau means “island” and tekong means “obstacle”.
• There are various beliefs regarding the origin of the name “德光” (“Tekong”). One possibility, based on the meaning of its Malay name, is that Pulau Tekong’s location at the mouth of the Johor River was seen as an obstacle “blocking” the river.
• Pulau Tekong was once a trading station between Changi and Johor. There were also rubber plantations on the island, initiated by the British colonial government.
• In the 1980s, there were many Malays, Teochews, and Hakkas living on the island, forming a population of about 8,000. Most of the islanders were farmers, fishermen or provision store owners.
• Beginning in the mid-1980s, the Government embarked on land reclamation works to enlarge the island. By the mid-1990s, the main Tekong island – Pulau Tekong Besar – had been merged with the small neighbouring island of Pulau Tekong Kechil.
• In 1990, the Basic Military Training Centre was built on Pulau Tekong. The entire island became an exclusive military training area for the Singapore Armed Forces.
• In 2022, the Ministry of National Development announced the Pulau Tekong polder project to protect the island from the impact of rising sea levels.
• Pulau Tekong is home to several critically endangered plant species, including the mangrove plants Bruguiera hainesii and Kandelia candel.

Pulau Tekong is an island of Singapore, located in the country’s northeastern seas and situated in a strategic waterway at the mouth of the Johor River. Although lacking historical documentation, it is believed that people have inhabited the island since 400 years ago. (Lianhe Zaobao, 31/8/2020)