The tapioca plant its humble roots. That’s the story of Kampong Ubi. Right here where we stand. Kampong Ubi. A name whispering of a simpler time. A time before towering skyscrapers and bustling highways. A time when tapioca farms dotted the landscape.
Kampong Ubi a Malay village thrived. It flourished at the crossroads of Jalan Ubi and Changi Road. It expanded northwards growing like the tapioca plants themselves. Roads snaked through the village. Each named after a vegetable. Jalan Kobis Jalan Bayam Jalan Tauge. These names a testament to the abundant plant life. A reminder of a self-sufficient community.
But times changed. Development surged. The late 1980s brought about significant change. Housing and industrial developments reshaped the area. The once vibrant village faced resettlement. Families moved to nearby Bedok and Bedok Reservoir. Many of the roads disappeared. Only fragments of the old Kampong Ubi remained. A short lane in Eunos a silent echo of a bygone era.
Today Kampong Ubi is different. It’s an industrial area. A hub of automotive businesses. Dealerships workshops and body-and-paint shops dominate the landscape. Factories of multinational firms stand side-by-side with flatted factories. Small and medium-sized enterprises thrive amidst the larger corporations. Yet even within this industrial landscape traces of the past linger.
Two schools Manjusri Secondary School and Maha Bodhi School stand as symbols of education and community. Residential blocks built by the Housing and Development Board offer housing for residents. View@Ubi and Ubi Greenville estates provide modern living spaces. Ubi Grove a new BTO estate completed in the last quarter of 2023 stands next to Manjusri Secondary School. Even a reserved plot of land awaits a new place of worship.
Numerous Chinese temples still stand. Sheng Hong Temple Hong Hian Keng Temple Kew Huang Keng Temple Kim Hong Temple and more. They are located along Arumugam Road Paya Lebar Road and Ubi Road 4. These temples offer a glimpse into the spiritual heart of the community. A reminder of the enduring faith of those who lived and worked here. The Teochew Temple and Funeral Parlour on Ubi Road 4 serves the Teochew community and the general public. It’s a place where tradition and community intertwine.
The Ubi MRT station on the Downtown Line serves the area. Opened on October 21 2017 it connects Kampong Ubi to the rest of Singapore. The ComfortDelGro Driving Centre and SPF Traffic Police Department Headquarters also call Kampong Ubi home. The past and present coexist in this transformed landscape.
Kampong Ubi. It’s a story of transformation. A story of a Malay village transformed into a modern industrial area. A story of resilience and adaptation. A story worth remembering. A story that echoes in the names of its roads its temples its schools. A story that unfolds before you.