Pulau Tekong
| Native name: Pulau Tekong | |
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Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) at Pulau Tekong.
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 Pulau Tekong
Location of Pulau Tekong within Singapore
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| Geography | |
| Location | Southeast Asia |
| Coordinates | 1°24′29″N 104°03′21″E / 1.40806°N 104.05583°ECoordinates: 1°24′29″N 104°03′21″E / 1.40806°N 104.05583°E |
| Archipelago | Malay Archipelago |
| Area | 24.43 km2 (9.43 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Region | North-East Region |
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Pulau Tekong, also known colloquially as Tekong, is the largest of Singapore's outlying islands, with an area of 24.43 km2. The island is still expanding due to land reclamation works on its southern and northwestern coasts which will eventually subsume many of its surrounding small islets, including Pulau Tekong Kechil.
Pulau Tekong is found off Singapore's northeastern coast, east of Pulau Ubin. Geographically, it is nearer to Johor, Malaysia than the Singapore main island itself. The Pulau Tekong Reservoir is also on the island.
Pulau Tekong appears in the Franklin and Jackson's 1828 map as Po. 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 merchant in this case.
Tekong means "an obstacle", so called because the island blocks the mouth of the Sungai Johor. Pulo Tekong Besar came under the Changi district, and the island had a sizeable population, being the largest island off Singapore and two miles from Fairy Point. Ferries plied from the pier at that point and the island daily. After 1920, it was mostly known for its rubber plantations.
The island was once home to 5000 inhabitants, the last of which moved out in 1987. 60 percent of the inhabitants were Chinese, out of which 70 percent were Hakkas and 30 percent were Teochews, and 40 percent were Malays. There were a few Indians as well. 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 eke out a living on an island less inhabited. Most were farmers, fishermen and shop owners selling sundry goods.
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