Johor

Johor (alt. English spelling: Johore, Jawi script:جوهر) is a state of Malaysia between 1°20"N and 2°35"N. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The capital city and royal seat of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly Tanjung Puteri. The old state capital is Johor Lama. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Ta'zim ("Abode of Dignity'). It is surrounded by Pahang to the north, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest, and the Straits of Johor to the south which is divided by the international border between Malaysia and the Republic of Singapore. Tanjung Piai, in the district of Pontian, is the most southerly point of mainland Asia

History

Main article: Sultanate of Johor

The name "Johor" originated from the Arabic word Jauhar, 'gem/precious stone' . Before the name Johor was adopted, the area south of the Muar River to Singapore island was known as Ujung Tanah or 'land's end' in Malay, due to its location at the end of the Malay Peninsula. Coincidentally, Johor is the most southerly point of the Asian continental mainland. Modern Johor history began in the early 16th century with the foundation of the Sultanate of Johor by the son of Sultan Mahmud Shah, the last Sultan of Malacca, who fled from the invading Portuguese in Malacca. The sultanate grew in economic and political importance due to its position as an East-West trading hub and eventually evolved into the Johor Empire, covering Johor, the Riau Archipelago and parts of eastern Sumatra. However, the Johor Empire failed to reconquer Malacca; in turn Johor harassed and attacked the Portuguese during the 130-year Portuguese rule in Malacca and was a constant thorn to Portuguese dominance in the Straits of Malacca.

The history of Johor from the late 1500s to the late 1600s is characterised by a series of succession struggles interspersed with strategic alliances struck with regional clans and foreign powers to maintain its political and economic hold in the Straits. In competition with the Acehnese of northern Sumatra and the port-kingdom of Malacca under Portuguese rule, Johor engaged in prolonged warfare with their rivals, often striking alliances with friendly Malay states and in particular the Dutch. In 1641 Johor in cooperation with the Dutch succeeded in capturing Malacca. By 1660, Johor had become a flourishing entrepôt, although weakening and splintering of the empire in the late seventeenth and eighteenth century reduced its sovereignty.

In the 18th century, the Bugis of Sulawesi and the Minangkabau of Sumatra controlled the political powers in the Johor-Riau Empire. However, in the early 19th century, Malay and Bugis rivalry commanded the scene. In 1819, the Johor-Riau Empire was broken into the mainland Johor, controlled by the Temenggong, and the Sultanate of Riau-Lingga, controlled by the Bugis. This is when the history of modern Johor began. In 1855, under the terms of a treaty between the British in Singapore and Sultan Ali of Johor, the control over the State was formally ceded to Dato' Temenggong Daing Ibrahim, with the exception of the Kesang area (Muar), which was finally handed over in 1877. Temenggong Ibrahim opened up Bandar Tanjung Puteri (later to become Johor's present-day capital) in south Johor as a major town.

Flag of Johor. The colour blue represents the State Government, the colour red for warriors defending the state, the white crescent and 5 sided star represent the monarchy and Islam.

Temenggong Ibrahim was succeeded by his son, Dato' Temenggong Abu Bakar, who later took the title Seri Maharaja Johor. In 1866, he was formally crowned the Sultan of Johor. Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor (1864 - 1895) was the one who gave Johor its own constitution and developed its efficient administration system and constructed the Istana Besar, the official residence of the Sultan. Due to these achievements, Sultan Abu Bakar is known by the title "Father of Modern Johor". He is immortalized at the Sultan Abu Bakar Monument. The monument is built in the seafront directly opposite the courthouse.

The increased demand for black pepper and gambier in the nineteenth century lead to the opening up of farmlands to the influx of Chinese immigrants, creating Johor's initial economic base. The Kangchu system was put in place with the first settlement of Kangkar Tebrau established in 1844. The decline of the Kangchu economy at the end of the 19th century coincided with the opening of the railway line connecting Johor Bahru and the Federated Malay States in 1909 and the emergence of rubber plantations throughout the state. Under the British Resident system, Sultan Ibrahim, Sultan Abu Bakar's successor, was forced to accept a British adviser in 1904. D.G. Campbell was dispatched as the first British adviser to Johor. From the 1910s to the 1940s, Johor emerged as Malaya's top rubber producing state, a position it has held until recently. Johor was also until recently the largest oil palm producer in Malaysia.

During World War II, Johor Bahru became the last city on the Malay peninsula to fall under the Japanese. General Yamashita Tomoyuki had his headquarters on top of Bukit Serene and coordinated the downfall of Singapore.

In 1948, Johor joined the Federation of Malaya, which gained Independence in 1957.

Geography

Physical

In the official census of 2000, the population of Johor was 2.75 million people with 54% Malays, 35% Chinese, 7% Indians and 4% others. It is the fifth largest state (18,984 km²) of Malaysia. It is the southernmost state in Peninsular Malaysia being South of Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang and North of Singapore from which it is separated by the Straits of Johor. The highest point in Johor is Gunung (mountain) Ledang (1276 m). Gunung Ledang is also known as Mount Ophir. Johor is the only state in Malaysia which has a 400 km beach stretching on both the East and the West coast.

Johor has 8 large islands with numerous smaller ones.

1. Pulau Tinggi
2. Pulau Rawa
3. Pulau Sibu
4. Pulau Tengah
5. Pulau Pemanggil
6. Pulau Aur
7. Pulau Besar
8. Pulau Lima

Weather

Johor experiences wet equatorial weather with monsoon rain from Nov until Feb blowing from the South China Sea. Average annual rainfall is 1778 mm with average temperature of between 25.5 °C (78 °F) and 27.8 °C (82 °F). Humidity is between 82 and 86%.

Hundred Year Peak Rain Fall

On 19 December 2006, continuously heavy downpour occurred in Johor. Many towns such as Muar, Kota Tinggi and Segamat were seriously flooded with water levels as high as 10 feet above ground level recorded in some areas. 15 lives were lost and many possessions were destroyed and this resulted in huge financial losses in Johor. More than 100,000 victims were evacuated to flood relief centres.

Links to Singapore

Further information: Johor-Singapore Causeway

Further information: Malaysia-Singapore Second Link

Johor is linked to Singapore via two road connections: the Johor-Singapore Causeway and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link.

The Johor-Singapore Causeway (length: 1038 m) was designed by Messrs Coode, Fizmaurice, Wilson and Mitchell of Westminster, while the construction contract was awarded to Topham, Jones & Railton Ltd of London. It started in 1909 as a railway link by Johor State Railway to connect Johor Bahru to Singapore, then the administrative headquarters of British interests in South-East Asia. Construction of the road section started in 1919 and was completed in 1923.

The causeway is a source of contention ever since Singapore seceded from Malaysia in 1965. Stagnating water caused by the Causeway has raised health concerns in Johor. Malaysia has proposed to replace the causeway with a bridge, allowing water, tide movement and ship movement from Pasir Gudang, the older port in Johor to the new port in Gelang Patah through the Straits of Johor. Singapore has rejected this proposal, after which Malaysia came up with the idea of what became known as "the crooked half-bridge", 25 m above water level, and descending halfway to link up with the low-level causeway. The railway will have a swing bridge. The project is part of the Gerbang Selatan Bersepadu project. [1] It had been previously announced that the bridge project will go ahead, even without the agreement of the Singaporean government. The bridge will become a straight bridge if the Singaporean government accepts the project. Construction work on the bridge has stopped, however, on the orders of the Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who cited the unwillingness of Malaysia to sell sand and allow the use of Malaysian airspace by Singapore as a return for Singaporean consent to the bridge's construction.

Animosity between previous leaders of both countries has abated with the rise of new leaders, Abdullah Badawi as Malaysian Prime Minister replacing Mahathir Mohamad and Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore replacing Goh Chok Tong. It has renewed talks and improved relations between countries.

Some analysts have concluded that replacing the causeway with a bridge would allow a creation of a comprehensive port system linking Johor Port and Tanjung Pelepas Port in Johor; some go on to suggest that this presents a threat to Singapore's port activity, thus explaining the initial reluctance of Singapore to agree to the causeway replacement.

The second road connection, the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link, was completed in October 1997; the link consists of a 1920 m twin-deck bridge supporting a dual-three lane carriageway linking Kampong Ladang in Tanjung Kupang, Johor, to Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim in Tuas, Singapore.

See also Geography and climate of Singapore.

Transportation hubs

Ports

Johor has two ports, Pasir Gudang Port and Port of Tanjung Pelepas.

Airports

Johor has one international airport (30 km away from the city centre), The Sultan Ismail International Airport in Senai (01’38’26’ N, 103’40’13’ E). It was opened on 6 June 1974 and has been expanded several times ever since. Currently, it has a 5 million passenger capacity with another parallel runway under construction.

The airport is also a regional hub of AirAsia, a regional low-cost no-frills airline. Malaysia Airlines also operate flights from Senai airport to some local and international destinations.

Government structure of Johor

Monarchy

Johor is a constitutional monarchy. Johor was the first state in Malaysia which adopted the constitutional monarchy system via Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Johor (Johor State Establishment Constitution) written by Sultan Abu Bakar. The constitutional head of Johor is the Sultan. This hereditary position can only be held by a member of the Johor Royal Family, who is descended from Sultan Abu Bakar. The State's Sultan since 1981 has been Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj.

State government

The state government is headed by the Chief Minister or Menteri Besar. The current Chief Minister is Dato' Abdul Ghani Othman, a former civil servant. The Chief Minister is assisted by an executive council (exco), whose members are selected from the state assembly members.

The legislative branch of Johor's government is the Johor State Assembly. The state assembly makes laws in matters regarding the state. Members of the assembly are elected every five years in an election.

Districts

The state of Johor is divided into the districts of

• Johor Bahru 1817.8 km², population 1,278,000

1. Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (Majlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru)
2. Majlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah (Majlis Daerah Johor Bahru Tengah)
3. Majlis Perbandaran Kulai (Majlis Daerah Kulai)
4. Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan Pasir Gudang

• Pontian 919.5 km², population: 143,729

1. Majlis Daerah Pontian

• Kota Tinggi 3488.7 km², population: 192,220

1. Majlis Daerah Kota Tinggi

• Kluang 2851.8 km², population: 254,631

1. Majlis Perbandaran Kluang (Majlis Daerah Kluang Utara)
2. Majlis Daerah Simpang Renggam (Majlis Daerah Kluang Selatan)

• Segamat 2851.26 km², population: 178,620

1. Majlis Daerah Segamat (Majlis Daerah Segamat Utara)
2. Majlis Daerah Labis (Majlis Daerah Segamat Selatan)

• Muar 2346.12 km², population: 328,695

1. Majlis Perbandaran Muar (Majlis Daerah Muar Selatan)
2. Majlis Daerah Tangkak (Majlis Daerah Muar Utara)

• Batu Pahat 1878 km², population: 335,368

1. Majlis Perbandaran Batu Pahat (Majlis Daerah Batu Pahat Barat)
2. Majlis Daerah Yong Peng (Majlis Daerah Batu Pahat Timur)

• Mersing 2838.6 km², population: 67,557

1. Majlis Daerah Mersing

• Tangkak

nearest to Muar

Economy

South Johor Economic Region

The South Johor Economic Region, encompassing Johor Bahru and Nusajaya is a major development zone in Johor. It will be officially known as Iskandar Regional Development, after the present sultan, Iskandar Al-haj. At 2215 km², it is two-and-a-half times bigger than Singapore and 48 times the size of Putrajaya. It is envisioned to draw investment and business to Johor and will be among the biggest development projects undertaken in Malaysia. As part of the project, the state administrative capital will be moved to Nusajaya.

Education

Johor has several institutions of higher learning. It has two universities, namely Universiti Teknologi Malaysia situated in Skudai, as well as Universiti Teknologi MARA Johor ( UiTM) in Segamat, a college university called Kolej Universiti Tun Hussein Onn in Batu Pahat [2] and several polytechnics. Johor also has a teaching college called Maktab Perguruan Temenggung Ibrahim. It has one non-profit community college called Southern College situated in Skudai. Southern College was established in 1990 owing to the generous support from the communities. It is the first non-profit community college in the country wholly funded by public donation and is open to Malaysian students of all races.[3]

At the primary level, Muslim Johorean students are required to attend Islamic religious school in addition to national school. Many Malay Johoreans have competent skills in Jawi script, the official script in Johor since 1885, which is still used in Islamic religious and Malay cultural matters in the present.

Places of interest

Major tourist attractions

Among the popular tourist destinations in Johor are:

1. Desaru - beaches & golf courses along the South China Sea
2. Johor Bahru - shopping, night market, colonial/royal district
3. Endau Rompin National Park - pristine jungle
4. Kota Tinggi 34 meter waterfall.
5. Kukup - a fishing village with seafood restaurants built over water
6. Muar - picturesque riverside town
7. Seribuat Archipelago - islands with beautiful beaches, coral reefs
8. Tanjung Piai - the southernmost tip of mainland Asia
9. Danga Bay - The new waterfront city

National parks and forest reserves

Main article: National Parks and Forest Reserves of Johor

Johor is also noted for its national parks. Johor currently has five national parks, with a combined area of more than 700 km² and several smaller recreational forest. Almost all recreational parks are based around a mountain. Johor also has the third largest mangrove forest reserve in Peninsular Malaysia (167 km²).

Mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang

Main article: Makam Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang

Cultural heritage of Johor

Culture in Johor is influenced by visitors and traders throughout history. The biggest influence would be the Bugis, Javanese and the Arabs. The strong Arab influence is apparent in art performances like Zapin and Hamdolok, musical instruments like gambus. Other visible legacies in Johor Bahru are the Arabic names of places such as Wadi Hana and Wadi Hassan in areas populated by the Arab community from Hadhramaut in the southeast of Yemen. Wadi means valley in Arabic.

Clothing

• Cekak Musang and Teluk Belanga are types of collar design of the male attire ' baju melayu'. It is said that Teluk Belanga was designed by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1866 to reminisce the shift of Johor's capital from Teluk Belanga to Johor Bahru. The Teluk Belanga design is a simple hemmed round collar with a stiff stitching called 'tulang belut' or 'eel's spine' and ended with a loop at the end to fit a 'kancing'. This collar design creates an exposed neck in contrast to the neck-covering Cekak Musang design that is a raised stiff collar of about 1-2 cm with an opening down to the chest. The collar ends have matching holes to fit buttons.
• Kurung Johor
• Kurung Riau
• Belah kebaya panjang

Zapin dance

Main article: Zapin

Zapin is a dance form which is popular in Malaysia especially in the state of Johor. It is believed to have been introduced by Muslim missionaries from the Middle East in the 14th century.

In the old days, only males were allowed to perform but nowadays, female dancers are included. It used to be performed exclusively for religious ceremonies but through the years it has become a form of traditional entertainment, hence the participation of female dancers are allowed.

The dancers usually perform in pairs and are accompanied by a traditional music ensemble normally consists of the gambus, accordion, violin, marwas (bongos), rebana (drum) and dok.

Kuda Kepang

Kuda kepang is a dance or game performed by Johoreans, especially of Javanese descent. Kuda kepang is a legless horse-shaped puppet that is straddled by the performers. Usually, a troupe of performers consists of 10 to 15 people. It is performed in wedding ceremonies and cultural celebrations. There are several possible origins of Kuda Kepang. It is said to be originated from the struggles of “Wali Songo”, a group of nine Islamic preachers in Java. Others said it originated from the movement of horses commanded by Ali, the fourth Muslim Caliph. There are several dance rhythms or patterns; the 'Sola', 'Selendang', 'Pak Tani', 'Pucuk Rebung', 'Perjuangan', and 'Mempertahankan Diri'. The bobbing movement of the performers and their horse puppet is called 'Lenggang Kiprah'.

The musical instruments used in kuda kepang performance are 'angklong', 'gendang', 'gong', 'kinong', 'jidor', 'soron kecil' and 'bonang'.

Legend of Badang

It is a story of Badang, a slave who gained super human strength by eating the sputum of a river spirit. He used this to win his release from his master. Contrary to popular belief, Badang was born in Sayong Pinang, Johor, not Singapore or Temasik as it was known then. Upon hearing his strength, he was summoned by the Seri Rama Wira Kerma of Temasik where he displayed his skills. Challengers were sent by foreign kingdoms to defeat him. Among them were King of Kalinga I from India who sent Nadi Bijaya Pikrama, a fierce wrestler and the noblemen of Perlak who sent Benderang. Badang emerged victorious from both fights and eventually stayed in Temasik until his death.

Legend of Malim Deman

Malim Deman is a king in Segamat who was in love with Princess 'Santan Bertapis'. The princess was kidnapped by a spirit and Malim Deman swore that as long as the princess is not returned, the Segamat area shall experience floods for all eternity. However, with modern town planning and irrigation, flooding is now a rare occurrence in Segamat.

Legend of Gunung Ledang

See main article Legend of Gunung Ledang

Awang's spear returned to Dayang

Awang's Spear Returned to Dayang is an incident that occurred in Parit Raja, Batu Pahat. In Malay it is translated as 'Lembing Awang Pulang ke Dayang'. It occurred in 1776 when a man called Awang returned to Parit Raja after more than 3 years abroad to marry his fiancee Dayang. Upon his return, he found out that another man called Bachok had told Dayang of Awang's death and she was to be married to him the next day. Awang showed up at the wedding and using a spear given by Raja Bugis, he speared Bachok in the stomach. Bachok, fatally injured, grabbed the spear in his stomach and speared his best man. The man then speared the next man he saw and this was repeated until the 99th person was speared. It was Dayang's father who was protecting Dayang. He did not continue the repeated spearing and died. Awang ran away to Endau and Dayang did not marry another till she died.

Hamdolok

Hamdolok originated from the exposure of Middle East culture introduced by Arabs in Johor. It is a traditional theatre performed during weddings and festivals. It is a blend of artistic characters of both the Middle-East and local Malay communities. Instruments used include the gambus, tambourine, maracas and conga drums. It was also inspired by the Bedouin celebrating the birth of Islamic prophet Muhammad playing musical instruments and reciting poetry.

Songs of Johor

The most famous song about Johor and Johor Bahru

Tanjung Puteri

Tambak Johor Tanjung Puteri

Selat Tebrau airnya biru

Di Pantai Lido tepian mandi

Sepanjang masa di hari minggu

Atas bukit Tanjung Puteri

Taman hiburan indah berseri

Pemandangan menawan hati

Jalan tambak hubungan negeri

(chorus)

Tanjung Sekijang nun di kuala

Tempat nelayan mengail gelama

Istana Hinggap di Kuala Danga

Pantai berkelah keluarga diRaja

Dari Tebrau orang berakit

Singgah Stulang membeli kopi

Pusara si Bongkok di lereng bukit

Di tepi pantai Tanjung Puteri

Cuisine

Dishes and cuisine in Johor are influenced by Arabs and the surrounding Malay archipelago. Some of the dishes are a unique blend of ingredients not found anywhere in Malaysia. Sadly, due to their difficult and sometimes complicated recipes, some are rare delights that can only be sampled in celebrations and state banquets.

• Laksa Johor is a cuisine originated from Johor. It differs from Laksa Penang by having coconut milk added during cooking.

• Mee bandung is also a dish originated from Johor, specifically from Muar. The term 'bandung' is not derived from Bandung, Indonesia but as a term for anything that is mixed from many ingredients.

• Penganan Kacau keledek is a dessert normally reserved for the Johor monarch and elites. It is made from sweet potatoes, a lot of eggs (at least 40), fresh coconut milk (not instant ones) and huge amounts of sugar. It is mixed together and stirred on a simmering heat for at least 4 hours.

• Mee rebus is the famous noodle dish which consists of Mee (a spaghetti like mixture of flour, salt and egg) and is served with a tangy, spicy brown sauce. Usually crumbs and boiled eggs are added.

• Arisa - A unique chicken dish that is very rare nowadays, and is normally served to the royalties and social elites of Johor at formal functions and celebrations.

• Sate - A favourite Malay food in Johor, mostly found in Johor Bahru and Muar.

• Telur pindang - Eggs boiled together with herbs and spices, popular during wedding feasts in Johor.

• Roti Kirai or Roti Jala - The name is derived from the word for bread and net or 'roti' and 'jala' in Malay. A special ladle with a five-hole perforation is used to make the bread looks like a fish net (picture in the works). It is usually eaten spicy with curry or sweet with 'serawa'. Serawa is made from a mixture of boiled coconut milk, brown sugar and pandan leaf.

• Nasi Beriani Gam - A biryani rice dish originating from India with a cooking method very similar to Hyderabad biryani but with spices adjusted to suit the Malay palate

• Ikan masak asam pedas - A sour stew of fish (usually mackerel), tamarind, chilli, tomatoes, okra and Vietnamese coriander (Malay: daun kesum)

• Kacang Pol
• Kuih Sirat
• Pisang Salai or Gimpi
• Otak-otak - The more famous is Otak-otak Gelang Patah.
• Mee Soto
• Burasak - It is a type of Buginese food.
• Halwa Maskat
• Kerutup ikan
• Pecal
• Tauhu bakar
• Pendaram
• Mee Siput
• Rojak Petis

Javanese-influenced cuisine

There are a few Johorean dishes with Javanese influences. These include lontong, nasi ambeng, bontrot/berkat, and ungkep.

Nasi Ambeng

Nasi Ambeng is a Javanese cuisine which is wrapped and served in a tray. It is divided into 4 serves. Formally, it is given after feasts like Yasinan and others.

Bontrot/berkat

Bontrot/berkat is a typical dish served in feasts after wedding ceremonies, Yasinan (reciting Yasin) and others. The term of bontrot/ berkat was derived from the Javanese language.

Interesting facts

• Johor is the only state which had been ruled by Sultans descended from three different dynasties, including the Sultanate of Malacca, Bendahara family and Temenggung family.

• Johor is the first state where Bugis immigrants from Sulawesi arrived. After that, they continued on to Melaka and Selangor. They had a powerful influence on the politics of Johor and Selangor.

• Johor is the only state, apart from Melaka, that has grown into an empire. During its peak, the whole of Pahang and the present day Indonesian territories of Riau archipelago and part of Sumatra Island was under Johor's rule.

• Johor sultanate is one of the two successor states of the Melaka empire. Upon Melaka's defeat to the Portuguese in 1511, the son of the last Sultan of Melaka, Sultan Mahmud Shah, had established a monarchy in Johor and had posed a constant threat to the Portuguese. The Sultanate of Perak was another successor state of Melaka which was established by the son of Sultan Mahmud Shah, Sultan Muzaffar Shah.

• The first radio broadcast in Malaya began in the year 1921 when A.L. Birch, an electrical engineer from the Johore Government brought the first radio set into the country. He then established the Johore Wireless Association and commenced broadcasting through 300 meter waves.

• Johor gave birth to the Malay opposition which derailed the Malayan Union plan. Malays under Dato' Onn Jaafar's leadership formed the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in Johor on 11 May 1946. UMNO is currently the main component party of Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

• Tanjung Kupang in Johor is also the site of the only crashed airliner (Malaysia Airlines Flight 653) hijacked from Kuala Lumpur.

• The designer of the Malaysian flag was Mohamad Hamzah, a Johorean.

• Tun Sri Lanang, the writer of 'Sejarah Melayu' or Malay Annals was born in Bukit Seluyut, Johor in 1565.

• Johor was the first state and currently the only state in Malaysia that has its own military force called Johor Military Force or 'Timbalan Setia Negeri'. It is considered a private army of the Sultan of Johor.

• The Johorean dialect of the Malay, also known as Johor-Riau Malay and originally spoken in Johor, Riau, Malacca and Singapore, has been adopted as the basis for both the Malaysian and Indonesian national languages, Malay and Indonesian, respectively. Due to Johor's location at the confluence of trade routes within and without the Malay Archipelago, as well as the former economic might and influence of Malacca and Johor, the dialect spread as the region's lingua franca since the 15th century; hence the adoption of the dialect as the basis for the national languages.

• In addition, the first headquarters of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka which is responsible for the enforcement of Malay language standards was at Sultan Ibrahim Building, Johor Bahru before being moved to Kuala Lumpur.

• BBC World Service station for the Southeast Asia region was based in Jalan Masai (present day Taman Molek) until the late 1970s when it moved to Kranji in Singapore so much so that many old timers call the old Masai road the "BBC Road" and the junction in front of Carrefour Pandan the "BBC Junction".

• Temenggung Abu Bakar started building a railway line connecting Gunung Pulai and Johor Bahru in 1869 but it was never completed. This was the first attempt to build a railway line in Malaysia, predating the Taiping-Port Weld line by 16 years. The other previous railway line in Johor was in Muar. It connected Muar and Parit Jawa. The name of that railway system is Muar State Railway(MSR) which ceased operation around 1920.

• Non-Johoreans use the word Johor to refer to the whole state of Johor but Johoreans often use the word Johor to refer to the city of Johor Bahru.

External links

• Johor Chief Minister Office Official Website
• Johor Chief Minister Office Official Website, Media and Communication Unit(MedKom)
• Johor - Articles about Johor
• Collection of Johor Maps
• History of the Johor Empire
• RM 400bil investment for SJER project when concluded
• Virtual Malaysia - The Official Portal of the Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia

1°29′14″N 103°46′52″E