It is not everyday that someone from the government officially states on record that a place is haunted.

Such a statement would lend weight and credibility to the issue.

Pulau Pawai haunted

But that's exactly what happened in 1950, when the chairman of the Rural Board J A Harvey stated in the board's annual report:

"At any rate Pawai is supposed to be haunted by ghosts which, in the long run, kill off all who attempt to settle there. Unless the landing can be improved, it is doubtful if an attempt to lay the 'ghost' would be profitable."

This statement was reported in The Straits Time (ST) on Aug. 16, 1950, after the board's report had been tabled at a Legislative Council (precursor of Parliament) meeting the previous day.

The island's name was referred to as "Pawi" in the report for some reason, but we'll show you why we know it's Pulau Pawai further below.

Pulau Pawai wasn't the only island identified in the report though. Its neighbouring islands Pulau Sudong and Pulau Senang were also mentioned. This was what was officially stated of Pulau Sudong according to an ST report on Aug. 20, 1950:

Backlash from islanders

The people living on the islands weren't too happy with the Rural Board's claim, and this happened:

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Where the heck are these islands?

Before we go on any further, you might be wondering where the heck these islands are.

So to give you a better idea, these three islands are among 63 of them in Singapore's waters. Pulau Pawai, Pulau Sudong, and Pulau Senang are located off Singapore's southwestern coast.

Interesting insights on the islands

Pulau Pawai

The ST report on Aug. 20, 1950 revealed some interesting insights on Pulau Pawai and Pulau Sudong.

Back then, there were less than 50 people living on Pulau Pawai. Most of the islanders were Chinese who had fled there for refuge during the Japanese Occupation (1942 to 1945).

They led a kampong life, planting fruits and rearing poultry. Occasionally they'd head out into the sea to fish.

Most importantly of all, perhaps, the islanders said that there were no ghosts there:

Pulau Sudong

Over at Pulau Sudong, the ST article said that there were nearly 400 inhabitants who had lived on island for the past 100 years. Most were Malay fishermen who lived near the beaches.

There were only three Chinese families among the islanders, and they were rice distributors and fish dealers. They would buy fish from the Malays and sell them on mainland Singapore.

Some of the islanders had approached the colonial government to allow them to bury the dead on Pulau Pawai because the small cemetery on Pulau Sudong was running out of space.

Interestingly, freshwater on Sudong was red and brackish, so people had to row over to Pulau Pawai to get their supply.

The Sudong islanders also denied that Pawai was haunted. One was quoted in the report saying this:

The islands today

The islands, which are rich in biodiversity, are where some of Singapore's best coral reefs are found.

Up till the the 1980s, they were popular places for sea sports.

However, that changed, and these days, all three islands of Pulau Pawai, Pulau Sudong, and Pulau Senang are used exclusively by Mindef for live-firing exercises.

Perhaps that just as well, especially since it was once officially acknowledged to be haunted.

Top image adapted from thering.wikia.com and Google Map.

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