Bukit Batok

History

Before the 1940s, Bukit Batok was heavily dominated by rubber and pineapple plantations. At the start of the 1940s, industrialization began to gradually occur in Bukit Timah. Ford Factory was one of the first factories to be built along Bukit Timah road near the current day's site. During the battle of Singapore in World War II, Bukit Batok became a significant ground for both the Allied and Axis powers. Consequently, the British's plans to industrialize Bukit Timah was short-lived and put to an abrupt halt during World War II. The factories that were built before 1942 were swiftly taken over by the Japanese during their occupation of Singapore. Ford Factory, which sits at the bottom of the Bukit Batok Hill, was occupied by Nissan, the Japanese Multination Corporation, to supply military vehicles for the Imperial Japanese Army Force. Both Bukit Batok hill (current day Bukit Batok Nature Park) and Bukit Timah hill were considered as strategic hill grounds during the Japanese occupation. These locations were key to controlling the surrounding areas and thus were the site of the fiercest battles of the war. Following the successful conquest of Singapore, General Yamashita ordered 500 Australian prisoners of war to construct a Japanese war memorial, Syonan Chureito shrine, at the top of Bukit Batok Hill. Throughout the Japanese occupation, the Japanese officials and military personnel would frequently worship their emperor in the Syonan Chureito shrine. In addition, footages of these ceremonies would be broadcast as propaganda in Japan to ensure the citizens’ continuous support for the war. However, the shrine was ultimately destroyed by the Japanese themselves at the end of the World War II as they feared that the honour of the memorial would be tarnished by the…

Geography

Bukit Batok Planning Area is bordered by six other planning areas - Choa Chu Kang to the north and northwest, Bukit Panjang to the northeast and east, Clementi to the south, Bukit Timah to the southeast, Jurong East to the southwest and Tengah to the west. Bukit Batok New Town is located within Bukit Batok Planning Area. Bukit Batok Planning Area is divided into nine subzones: {| class="wikitable" |- !Estate !Location !Notable places !Accessibility |- |Brickworks |Areas bounded by Bukit Batok Road, Bukit Batok West Avenue 2 and Bukit Batok West Avenue 3 |Millennia Institute, Dulwich College Singapore and Bukit Batok Hillside Park |Buses and Tengah Park MRT station (future) |- |Bukit Batok Central |Areas bounded by Bukit Batok West Avenue 6, Bukit Batok West Avenue 3, Bukit Batok Central, Bukit Batok East Avenue 3 and Bukit Batok East Avenue 6 |Bukit Batok MRT station, Bukit Batok Bus Interchange, Bukit Batok Community Club, Bukit Batok Library, West Mall, Bukit Batok Polyclinic, Bukit View Secondary School, Keming Primary School, Ling Hong Tong and Bukit Batok Joint Temple |Bukit Batok MRT station and buses |- |Bukit Batok East |Areas bounded by Bukit Batok East Avenue 2, Bukit Batok East Avenue 3, Bukit Batok East Avenue 4, Bukit Batok East Avenue 5 and Bukit Batok East Avenue 6 |Bukit Batok East Community Club and Bukit Batok Neighbourhood Police Centre, Hock Thong Temple, See Thian Foh Temple and Masjid Ar-Raudhah Mosque |Buses |- |Bukit Batok South |Areas bounded by Bukit Batok East Avenue 1, 3 and 6; the Pan-Island Expressway, Toh Tuck Road and the western side of the landed houses along Jalan Jurong Kechil |Bukit Batok Swimming Complex and Bukit Batok Bus Depot |Buses |- |Bukit Batok West |Areas bounded by Bukit Batok Road, Bukit Batok West Avenue 3, Bukit…

Most-observed species

• Javan Myna

  Acridotheres javanicus Cabanis, 1851 · Aves
  32,816
• Yellow-vented Bulbul

  Pycnonotus goiavier (Scopoli, 1786) · Aves
  28,182
• Black-naped Oriole

  Oriolus chinensis Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  25,359
• Spotted Dove

  Spilopelia chinensis (Scopoli, 1786) · Aves
  23,836
• Pink-necked Pigeon

  Treron vernans (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  23,363
• Asian Glossy Starling

  Aplonis panayensis (Scopoli, 1786) · Aves
  20,326
• Red Junglefowl

  Gallus gallus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  19,683
• House Crow

  Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817 · Aves
  19,578