Jurong
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{{for|other meanings of Jurong|Jurong (disambiguation)}}
{{SG neighbourhood
|imagemap=
|englishname=Jurong
|chinesename=裕廊
|poj=
|pengim=
|pinyin=Yùláng
|malayname=Jurong
|tamilname=ஜூரோங்
}}
'''Jurong''' is a [[constituency]] and town of [[Singapore]], located in the western part of the mainland, in the [[West Region, Singapore|West Region]].
==Etymology==
[[Image:Jurong industrial estate ariel view.jpg|thumb|Aerial View of Jurong Industrial Estate]]
'''''Jurong''''' is probably derived from the [[Malay language|Malay]] word ''jerung'', which means a "[[shark]]". Jurong Road was cut around 1852-1853, during the time of [[John Thomson]]'s tenure as Chief [[Surveyor (surveying)|Surveyor]]. Many roads within the [[Jurong Industrial Estate]] named in the late 1960s and early 1970s drew inspiration from the nature of [[industry|industrial]] activities in the estate and related aspects of [[industrialisation]].
For the local [[Overseas Chinese|Chinese]] population, Jurong was formerly called ''peng kang'', a reference to a [[gambier]] plantation located in the area. After 1906, [[rubber]] plantations dominated the area — Bulim Estate, Lokyang Estate, Chong Keng Estate, Seng Toh Estate and Yunnan Estate, giving rise to many of the local names for areas in Jurong. Jurong was also once called "Goh's Folly", as some Singaporeans doubted the success of Dr [[Goh Keng Swee]]'s plan to develop the area.
==History==
In the early 1900s, Jurong was uncharted territory. In 1929, the first road in Jurong connected it to [[Bukit Timah]]. Jurong remained a sleepy [[rural]] area until 1959, when Singapore became a self-governing [[colony]].
The government saw [[industrialisation]] as a solution to the country's economic problems and Jurong was picked as a prime area for development. Jurong's [[coastal]] waters were deep, making it suitable for a [[port]]; the land was mostly state-owned; and [[landfill]] was readily available from the area's many [[hill]]s. It is also relatively far from [[Downtown Core|Singapore's Central Business District]] and [[residential]] areas, and thus it is suitable to locate [[heavy industry|heavy industries]] there.
In 1961, the [[Economic Development Board|Economic and Development Board]] (EDB) was formed to industrialise Jurong and [[earthworks]] began that same year. In 1962, the then [[Ministry of Finance (Singapore)|Finance Minister]] Dr [[Goh Keng Swee]], laid the [[foundation stone]] for the National Iron and Steel Mills, the first factory in the new industrial estate. In 1963, 24 factories were established. In the same year, the then [[Prime Minister of Singapore]], [[Lee Kuan Yew]], made Jurong the initial constituency on his first visit to constituencies in the Republic. At that time, Jurong was without a citizen's consultative committee. In May [[1965]], [[Jurong Port]] became operational.
In 1968, the [[Jurong Town Corporation]] was created to manage Jurong's development. By this time, 14.78 square kilometres of industrial land has been prepared, 153 factories were fully functioning and 46 more were being constructed.
With the [[Economy of Singapore|Singapore economy]] constantly expanding, finding space for new industries is an ever-present challenge. Seven [[islet]]s off the coast of Jurong were merged to create the 30 square kilometre [[Jurong Island]], which is to be the base for [[Petroleum|oil]], [[petrochemical]] and [[chemical]] industries. Construction of Jurong Island began in the early 1990s and is scheduled to be completed in 2010. A number of plants began operating there in the late 1990s. A bridge, the Jurong Island Causeway, links Jurong Island to the mainland. Access to the island is restricted which may improve its security against terrorist attacks.
Jurong is also home to the [[Jurong BirdPark|Jurong Bird Park]], the [[Chinese Garden, Singapore|Chinese]] and the [[Japanese Garden, Singapore|Japanese Gardens]], the [[Science Centre, Singapore|Science Centre]] with its [[IMAX|Omnimax]] Theatre, three [[country club|golf clubs]] and the [[Raffles Marina]]. Extensive public housing has brought an influx of residents, who are well served by [[shopping centre]]s, [[sports]] facilities, [[school]]s, good road connections and the [[Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)|Mass Rapid Transit system]].
==Jurong Group Representation Constituency==
===Members of Parliament===
*[[Lim Boon Heng]] (Jurong Central) - Minister, Prime Minister's Office
*[[Tharman Shanmugaratnam]] (Taman Jurong) - Minister for Education
*[[Grace Fu Hai Yien]] (Yuhua) - Minister of State, Ministry of National Development
*Dr [[Ong Chit Chung]] (Bukit Batok)
*[[Halimah Yacob]] (Bukit Batok East)
[[Image:Jurong Industrial Estate and Jurong Island, panorama, Nov 06.jpg|thumb|center|600px|[[Jurong Industrial Estate]] and [[Jurong Port]], with [[Jurong Island]] in the background. The Jurong Pier Flyover and the island of [[Pulau Damar Laut]], with Jurong Island Highway that leads to Jurong Island, can be seen on the left.]]
==Rail transport==
[[Image:Jurong KTMB railway line.jpg|thumb|Photo of the disused KTMB Jurong Line taken at [[Clementi, Singapore|Clementi]] section of Ulu Pandan River, heading towards [[Teban Gardens]] and Jurong. {{Coord|01|19|22|N|103|46|2|E|type:bridge}}]]
The [[Keretapi Tanah Melayu]] railway from [[Malaysia]] used to have an extension branching out from the [[Bukit Timah]] railway station to Shipyard Road and [[Jurong Port]] via [[Teban Gardens]]. This railway extension was intended for goods transportation as Jurong lacked good roads at the time. It was opened in 1965 amid much fanfare, but failed to generate satisfactory traffic. It was consequently closed in the early 1990s, and has since been partially dismantled.
==Plans for future development==
On 4 April 2008, the National Development Minister [[Mah Bow Tan]] announced a plan to develop the Jurong into a commercial hub outside the Central Business District (CBD).<ref>[[http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/339270/1/.html]]</ref> The new Jurong Lake District will offer a potential development area of 360 hectares, roughly the size of Marina Bay. The Urban Redevelopment Authority said that some 750,000m<sup>2</sup> of land will be set aside at Jurong Gateway, expected to attract billions of dollars in development, for offices, hotels, food and beverage and entertainment uses. However, analysts say that the short 10-15 years time frame may be a little tight, due to the amount of projects in progress and a dampened global economic climate.<ref>http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/339388/1/.html</ref>
==See also==
*[[Chia Thye Poh]]
*[[Chinese Garden, Singapore]]
*[[City Harvest Church]]
*[[Jurong Bird Park]]
*[[Jurong Hill]]
*[[Jurong Island]]
*[[Jurong Port]]
*[[Nanyang Technological University]]
*[[Singapore Discovery Centre]]
*[[Science Centre, Singapore]]
*[[Taman Jurong]]
*[[Teban Gardens]]
*[[Pandan Gardens]]
==References==
*Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2003), ''Toponymics - A Study of Singapore Street Names'', Eastern Universities Press, ISBN 981-210-205-1
*National Heritage Board (2002), ''Singapore's 100 Historic Places'', Archipelago Press, ISBN 981-4068-23-3
==External links==
*[http://www.lib.gov.sg/OurLibraries/library.asp?code=JRL&url=/OurLibraries/LibBranches.asp? Jurong Regional Library]
*[http://www.jurongpoint.com.sg Jurong Point shopping centre]
*[http://www.cjgardens.com.sg/ Chinese and Japanese Garden]
*[http://www.sdc.com.sg Singapore Discovery Centre]
*[http://www.science.edu.sg/ssc/index.jsp Science Centre, Singapore]
*[http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/picas/public/internetSearch/advancedSearch.jsp?thesaurusFlag=Y&simpleSearch=jurong+railway&photographOption=1&Submit=Submit Photographs of the former Jurong railway line at the National Archives of Singapore]
*[http://www.southwestcdc.org.sg/ Southwest CDC Website]
{{Places in Singapore}}
[[Category:Places in Singapore]]
[[Category:West Region in Singapore]]
[[Category:Boon Lay]]
[[Category:Jurong East]]
[[Category:Jurong West]]
[[Category:Pioneer]]
[[Category:Industrial estates in Singapore]]
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