 The Western Islands originally comprised 27 islands, once home to the native Malay islanders in the past.In the 1990s, the government decided to reclaim land to form one major island, called Jurong Island.It was subsequently formed from the amalgamation of several offshore islands, chiefly the seven main islands of Pulau Ayer Chawan, Pulau Ayer Merbau, Pulau Merlimau, Pulau Pesek, Pulau Pesek Kechil, Pulau Sakra and Pulau Soraya.