A letter to Minister Mah Bow Tan

2026-05-08

The writer is a botanist by profession. He also volunteers as a nature guide during his free time to schools, nature groups and friends. He believes that the few nature areas in Singapore should be kept for our children and has been campaigning for the preservation of Chek Jawa. After the National Development Ministry announced that reclamation would be put off to preserve Chek Jawa, he wrote a letter to thank National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan for the decision.

　　Dear Minister Mah Bow Tan,

　　Thank you so much for this wonderful gift of Chek Jawa. Your announcement moved me to tears, especially the focus on our children. To me, they are like the same sweet refrain that had begun and then ended in a song.

　　Children, especially my child, had been my inspiration to speak up at the public forum in May last year. It meant a lot to me that you ended this episode on the same note.

　　And I am sure Chek Jawa will become an evergreen song. Your ministerial decision for long-term deferment of reclamation will be sung by many generations to come.

　　Children are our hope and destiny. Nature areas like Chek Jawa, provide our children with a most wonderful playground to grow up with us parents. It is where we can build tangible and sweet memories with them.

　　The first roots that we build together at a beloved piece of land or sea will ultimately become the foundation for a family and nation of caring people. I am very happy to say that Chek Jawa has brought out the best of these caring people in Singapore.

　　I recalled my emotions of finding the remains of a boat half buried near the mangrove at Chek Jawa one day. What was left of it were the keel, the ribs and rusty engine parts. I was told that a group of Vietnamese refugees came ashore a few years ago. To avoid being put back to sea, they hastily burnt the boat upon landing.

　　I was very moved by the story. It dawned on me how we as caring people have “landed” too. We too have “burnt our boat”, and called Chek Jawa our home. This is our pledge for a place of permanence in our lives.

　　The boat also signifies the eventful “journey” that many of us have embarked upon with our children in our hands and with hope in our hearts. Each of us will have a unique story to tell our children about Chek Jawa.

　　Thank you once again Mr. Mah and all the officers in MND. And to all the countless individuals who had helped Chek Jawa in one way or another —— thank you from the bottom of my heart.

　　Cheers,

　　Joseph Lai

　　16 Jan 2002

　　致马宝山部长的信● 叶琦保译

　　作者从事植物研究工作,在工余时间义务为学校、自然组织和朋友充当向导,带领他们参观自然生态区。他向来大力呼吁保留仄爪哇湾,认为我们应该为后代保留所剩无几的自然生态区。国家发展部在1月14日发出文告,表示乌敏岛长期不填土,仄爪哇湾将保留现状后,作者写了这封信,向国家发展部长马宝山致谢。

　　敬爱的马宝山部长：

　　感谢您珍贵的礼物——仄爪哇湾。您的宣布让我感动得流泪,特别是您提到,不论我们做什么决定,都是为了下一代。对我来说,您的谈话就像是动听的副歌,最终构成一首完美的歌曲。

　　乌敏岛仄爪哇湾。

　　孩子,特别是我的孩子,是促使我在去年五月的一个公众对话会上直率发言的原因。您在总结问题时也提到孩子,这对我来说有着特别的意义。

　　我肯定仄爪哇湾会成为一首百听不厌的金曲；您无限期展延填土工程的决定,也会受到世世代代的歌颂。

　　孩子是我们的希望和未来,像仄爪哇湾这样的生态地区,提供他们一个奇妙的游乐场所,让他们在父母的陪伴下成长。父母和孩子可以在那里创造美好的回忆。

　　在一片大家喜爱的土地或海滩,我们共同建立的根,最终将成为建立大家互相关怀的家庭和社会的基础。我很高兴看到仄爪哇湾让许多人表现出他们对社会的关心。