By Khor, Kok Kheng written on 06-Feb-2009
National Library Board Singapore

Comments on article: InfopediaTalk

A tiny islet, Pulau Anak Bukom (which means 'child of Bukom' in Malay) used to lie next to its much larger and heavily industrialised parent, Pulau Bukom Besar. Through land reclamation, it was merged with its parent,  on which the enormous Shell oil refinery is located. Shell's association with the island dates back to 1891. The word 'bukum' is said to come from the Malay name for a shell called 'rangkek bukom' which is wide at one end and tapers to a narrow point, the shape of Bukom Besar prior to man-made changes to it. The word 'bukum' is also said to come from 'hukum' which is Malay (from Arab origins) for order, command, judicial decision or sentence. Pulau Anak Bukom was noted as a nesting and roosting site for resident shore birds.

Location
Pulau Anak Bukom was an islet adjacent to its much larger parent, Pulau Bukom Besar (renamed Pulau Bukom after reclamation), with Pulau Anak Bukom lying off Pulau Bukom Besar's southeastern end.

A much larger neighbouring islet to Pulau Anak Bukom is Pulau Bukom Kechil, which is located alongside the southern flank of Pulau Bukom Besar. The two islets were merged with Pulau Bukom Besar by land reclamation.

Pulau Anak Bukom was so small that it was not included in the list of islands published in the annual Singapore Facts and Pictures, nor was it depicted (or if depicted, is not named) in most official maps.  It was probably smaller than the tiny Pulau Biola (approximately four square metres).

Landuse
Pulau Bukom Besar was heavily industrialised from early days, and remains so. Pulau Anak Bukom and Bukom Kechil, having been absorbed into it, have taken on this character. Pulau Bukom Besar is the site of the enormous Shell oil refinery. Shell's association with the island dates back to 1891 when the company used the island to store kerosene.

Historical name
Appropriately enough, 'bukum' is said to come from the Malay name for a shell called 'rangkek bukom'. The shell, which is wide at one end and tapers to a narrow point, resembles the shape of Pulau Bukom Besar prior to man-made changes to it.

'Bukum' is said also to come from 'hukum', which is Malay (of Arab origins) for order, command, judicial decision or sentence.  This meaning connotes the piratical past of the southern islands, and/or the tradition where the rajah  (Malay ruler) used the island as an isle of laws to try cases there, hence the name emerging probably through its intermediate form, 'berhukum' or 'beri hukum' to give an order.

'Anak' is Malay for child, offspring, issue, and the relationship of a component part to the whole.  This is apt as land reclamation has made Pulau Anak Bukom a component part of Pulau Bukom Besar.

Bird Sanctuary
The Nature Society (Singapore) (NSS) considered Pulau Anak Bukom to be an important nesting and roosting site for resident shore birds.  One of Singapore's worst oil spills took place in its vicinity (from an tanker at Pulau Busing terminal) in January 1997.  Eight months later, an assessment by the NSS found that the numbers of larger wading birds in the southern islands, such as the great bill heron and the Pacific reef egret, were quite healthy with nine individuals spotted. They fed on fish in the sea and did not rely on the mangrove shoreline (which was more greatly affected by the spill) as smaller birds did.  Some of these larger birds were even nesting on Pulau Anak Bukom.



Author
Khor Kok Kheng



References
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(Call No RSING 959.57 DUN [HIS])

Ministry of Culture, Singapore. (1979). Singapore Facts and Pictures 1979 (p.255).
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(Call No. RSING 915.9570014 SAV [TRA])

SNP Corporation Ltd. (1998-1999). Singapore Street Directory 1998/1999 (p.12).  Singapore:  SNP Corporation Ltd.
(Call No. RSING 959.57 SSD [DIR])