Murai, Singapore

The Western Water Catchment is a planning area located in the West Region of Singapore. The planning area borders Tuas and Pioneer to its south, Sungei Kadut, Choa Chu Kang and Tengah to its east, Jurong West to its southeast, Lim Chu Kang to its north and the Straits of Johor to its west. It is the largest planning area by land area, covering nearly a tenth of Singapore Island. It is also one of the two main water catchments in Singapore, the other being Central Water Catchment.

The area currently houses four reservoirs, Tengeh Reservoir, Poyan Reservoir, Murai Reservoir and Sarimbun Reservoir. Part of the Western Water Catchment is also a live-firing area in which it is used by the Singapore Armed Forces for training purposes.

The SAFTI Live Firing Area commenced operations in 1968 and was revamped in 2008, the eastern part began operations in 2002 and has been extended to Lim Chu Kang Tracks 11 and 13.

History

Districts

There are 21 districts in Western Water Catchment. Except for Cleantech, Murai North, Nanyang Bridge, Nanyang Crescent, Nanyang Gateway and part of Peng Kang Hill (NTU), visiting to these districts and unauthorised photography or filming in these districts is not allowed by law. Deadly force may be used against trespassers, security guard or military gate warden will ask trespassers to leave, if not police will be called.

# Ama Keng
# Bahtera
# Bajau
# Cleantech
# Jalan Bahar
# Kapal
# Kranji Camp
# Lorong Danau
# Murai
# Murai North (Opened from 10 January 2025)
# Nanyang Bridge
# Nanyang Crescent
# Nanyang Gateway
# Pasir Laba
# Peng Kang Hill
# Poyan
# SAFTI City
# Sarimbun
# Sungei Gedong
# Thousand Oaks
# Wrexham

Infrastructure

Military

There are seven main military bases in the Western Water Catchment. These include Pasir Laba Camp, Choa Chu Kang Camp at Lorong Danau (where the RSAF's 201 Squadron is based; it has Fighter control, SAM control, Surveillance and ASP), Sungei Gedong Camp (HQ Armour), Kranji Camp II & III, Mowbray Camp ( SAF MP Command) and Tengah Air Base. A military aerostat, widely referred to as a blimp locally, is tethered to the ground at Choa Chu Kang Camp as part of testing for use as long-range air defence radar in Singapore. Additionally, there are various live-firing ranges in the Western Water Catchment; these include the Multi-Mission Range Complex, MATADOR Range, M203 Range, several SAFTI ranges and the Poyan 300m Range.

The ''SAFTI City Urban Training Facility'' was opened on 19 March 2025. Features do include 3 decommissioned MRT trains, 2 decommissioned buses, 2 decommissioned taxis, offices, hospitals and residential buildings, to simulate homeland operations. The names do include: Kremlin Hotel, Bahtera Hospital, Thousand Oaks Offices, North Oaks Park, Murai Path, Poyan Station, Sarimbun Market, Neo Tiew Ferry Pier and Wrexham Bus Interchange.

Half of the Western Water Catchment lies within the SAFTI Live Firing Area boundary. The boundary is within Bahtera Track, Lim Chu Kang Road, New Lim Chu Kang Road, Jalan Bahar, Nanyang Avenue, Nanyang Crescent, Nanyang Drive, PIE, the production of Singapore Rail Test Centre (SRTC), Singapore Rail Test Centre (SRTC), Tengeh Reservoir and Straits of Johor. A few parts are opened to public for various reasons (e.g. short intersection of Old Choa Chu Kang Road, Pasir Laba Road and the whole of Sungei Gedong Road). The remaining half are still military training areas. Those are the places that have been fenced off:

In the Murai area, there are more military training areas which are the Murai Urban Live Firing Facility (MULFAC), Murai Urban Training Facility (MUTF) and MEXCON. These will be affected under the proposed Lim Chu Kang Road realignment project for the expanded Tengah Air Base, along with the construction of the new SAFTI City. The facility was located within an existing training area in Lim Chu Kang, in the vicinity of Jalan Murai. The MUTF is built to resemble a typical town, and has features such as single-level houses; a commercial district comprising multi-function, multi-storey buildings; a residential district; as well as an industrial district. The MUTF was permanently closed in 26 August 2022 to be given for the construction of the new Lim Chu Kang Road and Tengah Airbase, with training being shifted to SAFTI City. The stretch of Lim Chu Kang Road between Neo Tiew Road and Old Choa Chu Kang Road will be permanently closed and given to make way for an expanded Tengah Air Base.

Home Team Academy

Western Water Catchment houses the Home Team Academy (HTA), which is located along Old Choa Chu Kang Road, and the Civil Defence Academy (CDA), which is located along Jalan Bahar, next to the Muslim cemetery. The SPF ProCom (Protective Security Command) camp is located at Mowbray road, adjacent to the SAF Mowbray Camp.

Education

Western Water Catchment houses the main campus of Nanyang Technological University and National Institute of Education, located at the boundary with Jurong West.

Cemetery

Western Water Catchment houses the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery, which is the largest cemetery in Singapore. It is located at the junction of the Old Choa Chu Kang Road, Lim Chu Kang Road and Jalan Bahar. Within its grounds, are several columbaria, including the state-run Choa Chu Kang Columbarium, and two private facilities, namely The Garden of Remembrance, a Christian columbarium and Ji Le Memorial Park, a Buddhist facility.

Reservoirs

This water catchment has 4 reservoirs. There are two road connections to connect reservoirs - Wrexham Road from Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim to Wrexham Avenue for connecting via Tengeh Reservoir, and Lim Chu Kang Coast Road to cross via Poyan Reservoir, Murai Reservoir, Sarimbun Reservoir and ending at Jalan Kapal.

Tengeh Reservoir

Tengeh Reservoir ( Malay: ''Tadahan Air Tengeh;'' Chinese: 登格蓄水池) was formerly a river, Sungei Tengeh, which emptied into the Straits of Johor and was dammed to become a reservoir in the early 1980s (which is part of Western Water Catchment Scheme). It is located at Wrexham and Bajau districts. Construction of the reservoir began on 11 March 1977.

Tengeh Reservoir is part of the SAFTI Live Firing Area (South) and has restricted access since 19 January 1992. It is accessible from the side road of Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim called Wrexham Road and running through the Wrexham Bridge via TRMC Gate A. It is also accessible from another side road of PIE/Upper Jurong Road called Pasir Laba Road and running through the Wrexham Drive via TRMC Gate B.

The southern side of Tengeh Reservoir is the Raffles Country Club, and the golf areas can see the reservoir clearly. The Raffles Country Club construction began on 29 October 1987. The government of Singapore has made the second large acquisition of land for the project by requiring Raffles Country Club to vacate its plot as the site offers the "most suitable location" to run the HSR tracks after the bridge crossing and to place the tunnel portal leading to the tunnels that would take the HSR to the Jurong East terminus. The site has to be vacated by July 31, 2018, to be used for HSR crossover tracks and a siding facility to temporarily house a train near the border for safety or operational reasons. It is renamed to Singapore Rail Test Centre, the northern perimeter is called Peng Kang View from May 2024. Peng Kang View also has built a new Instrumented Battle Circuit (IBAC).

On 3 November 2011, Public Utilities Board (PUB) and Economic Development Board (EDB) decided to install floating solar panels at Tengeh Reservoir, which is part of S$11 million project. The 60 MW facility became operational in July 2021.

Poyan Reservoir

Poyan Reservoir ( Malay: ''Tadahan Air Poyan;'' Chinese: 波扬蓄水池) was previously part of the river Sungei Poyan and its delta, which was dammed to become a reservoir. Sungei Poyan emptied into the Straits of Johor. It is located in SAFTI City, Poyan and Bajau districts. Construction of the reservoir began on 11 March 1977.

At the same year, Mediacorp has filmed the drama "Behind Bars" (Season 1 Episode 28) at that location, the Poyan Temple was there, as "Temple Hill". However, at that location, there is a cash train visible at the location since 2007 and 3 additional trains (C151 003/004, C751B 321/322 and 345/346) were added since 2023.

It is part of SAFTI Live Firing Area (South), which has restricted access and is accessible from TRMC Gate E, Gate F, Gate G, Gate H and Gate I. In April 2019, some of the roads at Poyan Reservoir were also named - Poyan Drive, Poyan Avenue, SAFTI City Avenue and Danau Grove. The road name, ''Jalan Sungei Poyan'' still exists for a short section from Danau Grove to Old Choa Chu Kang Road.

At the reservoir, only the Mobility 3rd Generation raft is deployed to load and unload military vehicles when crossing from the western side to the eastern side.

Murai Reservoir

Murai Reservoir ( Malay: ''Tadahan Air Murai;'' ) was formerly Sungei Murai, which was dammed in early 1980s, to create a reservoir. It is located in Murai, Murai North and Thousand Oaks districts. Construction work had begun in November 1977.

It is part of SAFTI Live Firing Area (North), of which is restricted to only from the TRMC Operations Room and accessible from Gate J and Gate K. The Murai IBAC (Instrumented Battle Circuit) is west of Murai Reservoir, which can be accessed through Jalan Murai from New Lim Chu Kang Road at TRMC Gate J, together with the Murai Urban Live Firing Facility (MULFF).

There is also a road east of Murai Urban Training Facility which goes from Lim Chu Kang Road to Jalan Murai, called Murai Farmway and was expunged since the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to the area and the reservoir has been restricted since October 1999. Murai North and Thousand Oaks had four dirt roads named - Lim Chu Kang Track 11 and Track 13, most of it were expunged by December 2023 and only Track 13 was renamed to Thousand Oaks Avenue. Also, with the opening of New Lim Chu Kang Road from 8 June 2025, even the road - ''Jalan Murai'' was expunged and the remaining parts in the SAFTI LFA were renamed to Murai South Lane and Murai North Drive. Lorong Melukut and Lorong Puyoh is renamed to ''Oakville Road'' and ''Oakville Park Street'' respectively for modern military reasons as it is still within the restricted Thousand Oaks area but the Murai North is already acquired for the Tengah Air Base extension.

Sarimbun Reservoir

Sarimbun Reservoir ( Malay: ''Tadahan Air Sarimbun;'' Chinese: 莎琳汶蓄水池) was constructed by damming Sungei Sarimbun and widening of Sungei Karang, Sungei Hantu, and Sungei Sarimbun. It is located in Sarimbun, Sungei Gedong, Bahtera and Kapal districts. Construction work began in November 1977.

It is part of SAFTI Live Firing Area in the north, which has restricted access since 19 January 1992 and only accessible through the TRMC Operations Room. The gate is accessible through the road named Jalan Bahtera and is called TRMC Gate P and Gate Q. The public can cut through from Bahtera Track to enter Sarimbun Reservoir area.

Sarimbun was where General Tomoyuki Yamashita landed his troops during World War II, and was engaged in the Battle of Sarimbun Beach. Sarimbun is also home to many small vegetable and fruit farms and health farms. Sarimbun also hosts multiple permanent campsites, especially on Jalan Bahtera. These campsites include the Singapore Scout Association's Sarimbun Campsite, Girl Guides Singapore's Camp Christine, and Ministry of Education's Jalan Bahtera Adventure Centre. These will be closed down by 2032 and will be replaced by expanded SAFTI Live Firing Area.

Etymology

''Sarimbun'' is a Malay place name, and existed probably since the early nineteenth century. The Franklin and Jackson's ''Plan of Singapore'' (1830) refers to Sungei Sarimbun, or Sarimbun River in Malay, as "Serimhone".

''Rimbun'' means "luxuriant", "in great quantity" or "thick".

Other place names with ''Sarimbun'' include Pulau Sarimbun, a small island in the Straits of Johor off the coast at Sarimbun. Pulau Sarimbun is within the SAFTI Live Firing Area as shown in the map.

Islands

There are three islands in the Western Water Catchment - Pulau Bajau, Pulau Pergam and Pulau Sarimbun. Pulau Bajau is a hypsographic island within Poyan Reservoir. It is part of the SAFTI live firing area.

Etymology

Pulau Bajau means Bajau island, in which Bajau is an indigenous ethnic group residing in the state of Sabah in east Malaysia, Indonesia and southern Philippines.

Transport

Bus

Western Water Catchment Area has very few public bus connections in the vicinity – 172, 179, 199, 405 and 975. All buses are operated by SMRT Buses.

* 172, which operates between Choa Chu Kang and Boon Lay interchanges, serves the military and Home Team installations along Jalan Bahar and Old Choa Chu Kang Road.
* 179 and 199 operates from Boon Lay Bus Interchange and provides bus connections between NTU and nearby MRT stations, Boon Lay and Pioneer.
* 405, which operates from Boon Lay Interchange, and provides connectivity to Choa Chu Kang Cemetery and direct connectivity to SAFTI City us Stop 31009 is renamed to bef SAFTI City as a result, previously bef Jln Sungei Poyan, and u-turn immediately before the entrance to SAFTI City* 975, which operates from Bukit Panjang Interchange, via Choa Chu Kang, also goes through the Old Choa Chu Kang Road, Choa Chu Kang Cemetery, New Lim Chu Kang Road and Lim Chu Kang Road, terminating at Lim Chu Kang Road End.

Besides public bus services, NTU internal campus shuttle buses provide a free alternative to public buses for commutes between Pioneer MRT station and NTU as well as within the campus.

MRT

There are currently no operational MRT stations within Western Water Catchment. Tawas, Nanyang Gateway, Nanyang Crescent and Peng Kang Hill stations of the upcoming Jurong Region line (JRL) are currently under construction and will be completed by 2029. These stations will improve accessibility between NTU, CleanTech Park and Jurong West.

References

{{Places in Singapore