Lazarus Island Explained

Lazarus Island
Native Name:Pulau Sakijang Pelepah
Local Name:-->
Native Name Link:Malay language
Nickname:-->
Coordinates:1.2223°N 103.8554°W
Location:Singapore Strait
Area M2:or
Area Ha:-->
Length M:-->
Width M:-->
Coastline M:-->
Country: Singapore
Country Admin Divisions Title:Region
Country Admin Divisions:Central Region
Country Admin Divisions Title 1:Planning Area
Country Admin Divisions 1:Southern Islands
Country Admin Divisions Title 3:Constituency
Country Admin Divisions 3:West Coast GRC
Country Area M2:or
Country Area Ha:-->
Country 1 Area M2:or
Country 1 Area Ha:-->
Country Leader Title:Member of Parliament
Country Leader Name:

Lazarus Island, also known as Pulau Sakijang Pelepah, is one of the Southern Islands in Singapore. It is south of the main island of Singapore, off the Straits of Singapore and is uninhabited. It is connected by a causeway to Saint John's Island, which is reachable by ferry.

Etymology

Lazarus island was also known as Pulau Sakijang Pelepah (alternatively spelled as Pulau Sekijang Pelepah).[1] Literally translated from Malay, 'sa', short for 'satu', means one, 'kijang' means deer, and 'pelepah' is a palm frond. Put together, it means 'Island of A Deer and Palms'.[2] In 2006, Lazarus Island and Pulau Seringat were linked by a sand bank.

The island and nearby St Johns Island was originally a penal colony and a quarantine station initially for cholera, beri-beri then later for leprosy - a termed lazaretto - which may have been later changed to Lazarus. Lepers may also have been transferred to Lazarus Island (the connection being that the biblical character. (See Order of Saint Lazarus and Leper colony.)

Notes and References

  1. Book: Chen, Junhao. A Gazetteer of the Singapore Locality Names of the Collections of the Herbarium, Singapore Botanic Gardens.. Chong. Kwek Yan. Yee. Alex T. K.. Tan. Hugh T.W.. Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore. 2014. 978-981-07-2589-1. Singapore. 15. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170128025000/https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/nus/pdf/PUBLICATION/LKCNH%20Museum%20Books/LKCNHM%20Books/gazetteer_locality_names.pdf. 2017-01-28.
  2. Web site: Lazarus Island. The Digital Nature Archive of Singapore, Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. 2016-03-08.