Johor
Encyclopedia
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia
. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru
, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri (Malay
for Princess' Cape). The old state capital is Johor Lama
.
Johor is surrounded by Pahang
to the north, Malacca
and Negeri Sembilan
to the northwest, and the Straits of Johor
to the south which separates Johor and the Republic of Singapore
.
Johor is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ta'zim, or "Abode of Dignity", and as Johore in English.
to Singapore
island was known as Ujong Tanah or 'land's end' in Malay, due to its location at the end of the Malay Peninsula
. Coincidentally, Johor is the most southern point of the Asian continental mainland.
, the son of Mahmud Shah, the last Sultan of Malacca
who fled from the invading Portuguese in Malacca. Johor sultanate was one of the two successor states of the Melaka empire. Upon Malacca's defeat to the Portuguese in 1511, Alauddin Riayat Shah II established a monarchy in Johor which posed a threat to the Portuguese. The Sultanate of Perak
was the other successor state of Malacca and was established by Mahmud Shah's other son, Muzaffar Shah I. During Johor's peak the whole of Pahang
and the present day Indonesian territories of the Riau archipelago and part of Sumatra
Island was under Johor's rule.
A series of succession struggles were interspersed with strategic alliances struck with regional clans and foreign powers, which maintained Johor's political and economic hold in the Straits. In competition with the Aceh
nese 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 with 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 divided up into the mainland Johor, controlled by the Temenggong, and the Sultanate of Riau-Lingga, controlled by the Bugis. In 1855, under the terms of a treaty between the British in Singapore and Sultan Ali of Johor
, control of the state was formally ceded to Dato' Temenggong Daing Ibrahim, with the exception of the Kesang area (Muar
), which was 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.
Temenggong Ibrahim was succeeded by his son, Dato' Temenggong Abu Bakar, who later took the title Seri Maharaja Johor by Queen Victoria of England
. In 1886, he was formally crowned the Sultan of Johor. Sultan
Abu Bakar of Johor (1864–1895) implemented a state constitution, developed a British-style administration and constructed the Istana Besar
, the official residence of the Sultan. For his achievements, Sultan Abu Bakar is known by the title "Father of Modern Johor".
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, which created 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 to the Japanese. General Yamashita Tomoyuki had his headquarters on top of Bukit Serene and coordinated the downfall of Singapore
.
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.) In 1948, Johor joined the Federation of Malaya
, which gained Independence in 1957.
In the official census of 2000, the population of Johor was 2.75 million with 54% Malays, 35% Chinese, 7% Indians and 4% others. It is the southernmost state in Peninsular Malaysia
, and is located between the 1°20"N and 2°35"N latitudes. The highest point in Johor is Gunung Ledang (1276 m). Gunung Ledang is also known as Mount Ophir. Johor also has a 400 km coastline on both the East and the West coasts.
Johor has 8 large islands with numerous smaller ones, namely Pulau Aur
, Pulau Besar
, Pulau Dayang, Pulau Lima, Pulau Pemanggil
, Pulau Rawa
, Pulau Sibu
, Pulau Tengah
and Pulau Tinggi
.
with monsoon rain from November until February blowing from the South China Sea
. The average annual rainfall is 1778 mm with average temperatures ranging between 25.5 °C (78 °F) and 27.8 °C (82 °F). Humidity is between 82 and 86%.
On 19 December 2006, a continuous heavy downpour occurred in Johor, which led to the 2006-2007 Malaysian floods
. Many towns such as Muar
, Kota Tinggi
and Segamat
were seriously flooded with water levels as high as 10 feet (3 m) above ground level recorded in some areas. 15 lives were lost and many possessions destroyed, and this resulted in huge financial losses in Johor. More than 100,000 victims were evacuated to flood relief centres.
Johor is linked to Singapore via two road connections: the Johor-Singapore Causeway
and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link
. The Causeway also carries a railway line, which is now part of the main rail route linking Singapore with Thailand via Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Butterworth.
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. Construction of the causeway started in 1919 and was completed in 1923.
It was preceded by a railway ferry link in 1903 which connected Johor Bahru to Singapore, then the administrative headquarters of British interests in South-East Asia. In 1909 this ferry link connected with the Johore State Railway which opened that year between Johore Bharu and Gemas, providing a direct rail route with the rest of the Federated Malay States. Prior to 1909 travellers between Singapore and the Federated Malay States had to travel by sea between Singapore and Port Dickson.
The causeway has been 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 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 rejected this proposal, after which Malaysia came up with the idea of what became known as "the crooked half-bridge", 25m above water level, and descending halfway to link up with the low-level causeway. The railway was to have a swing bridge
. The scheme was part of the Gerbang Selatan Bersepadu project. It had been previously announced that the bridge project would go ahead, even without the agreement of the Singaporean government. The bridge would become a straight bridge if the Singaporean government accepted the project. Construction work on the bridge stopped, however, on the orders of the former 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's 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.
Johor is a constitutional monarchy
. Johor was the first state in Malaysia to adopt the constitutional monarchy system via Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Johor
(Johor State 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
. Until 2010 the State's Sultan since 1981 had been Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj. His Majesty died on Fri, 22 Jan 2010. Tunku Ibrahim Ismail Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar was proclaimed as the new Sultan of Johor on Sat, 23 Jan 2010.
Johor was the first state and currently the only state in Malaysia that has its own military force called the Royal Johor Military Force
or 'Timbalan Setia Negeri'. It is a private army of the Sultan of Johor located at Johor Bahru City.
The legislative branch of Johor's government is the Johor State Legislative Assembly. The state assembly makes laws in matters regarding the state. Members of the Assembly are elected by citizens every five years by universal suffrage.
Ranking Population Johor (Metro Area):
, Johor Bahru Tengah, Kulaijaya, Pasir Gudang and Nusajaya is a major development zone in Johor. It was named after the late 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 intended to draw investment and business to Johor and will be among the biggest development projects in Malaysia. The state administrative capital will be moved to Nusajaya. Residential areas include Bukit Indah
and Horizon Hills
townships.
Johor has several institutions of higher learning. It has three universities, namely Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
situated in Skudai, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia in Parit Raja, Batu Pahat (UTHM), Universiti Teknologi MARA
Johor ( UiTM) in Segamat
and UiTM City Campus in Johor Bahru
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.
Johor Education Foundation (Yayasan Pelajaran Johor) also establish tertiary education opportunity in Johor state. It offers studies from various field such as engineering, business, economics & hospitality for all Malaysian as well as qualified students from anywhere around the world.
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.
As of 30 June 2008, there are 243 secondary schools in Johor educating 277 059 students. The total number of teachers in Johor at that time was 18212 which translates to overall teacher-student ratio of 15.21. The complete list of schools in Johor can be found in Wikipedia. Among them are SMK Taman Selesa Jaya 2
and Foon Yew High School
.
Port, the Port of Tanjung Pelepas
and the Tanjung Langsat Port
.
The airport is 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.
Among the popular tourist destinations in Johor are:
– who first set foot in Malaysia in Johor before continuing on to Melaka, Linggi
, Selangor
, Pahang
and Terengganu
– Java
nese and the Arab
s. They had a powerful impact on the politics of Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Selangor. 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
.
, 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 Indonesia
n national languages, Malay and Indonesian
, respectively. Due to Johor's location at the confluence of trade routes within Maritime Southeast Asia
, 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.
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 Setulang membeli kopi
Pusara si Bongkok di lereng bukit
Di tepi pantai Tanjung Puteri
In the old days only males were allowed to perform it, 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.
The dancers usually perform in pairs and are accompanied by a traditional music ensemble normally consisting of the gambus, accordion, violin, marwas (bongos), rebana (drum) and dok.
There are various types of Zapin in Johore namely Zapin Melayu, Zapin Pekajang, Zapin Tenglu, Zapin Pulau, Zapin Parit Mastar, Zapin Lenga and so on. These variants are caused by the districts and on how the dance is performed.
The musical instruments used in kuda kepang performance are 'angklong', 'gendang', 'gong', 'kinong', 'jidor', 'soron kecil' and 'bonang'.
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.
.
It occurred in 1776 when a man called Awang returned to Padang (now known as Parit Raja, Muar) after more than 3 years abroad to marry his fiancee Dayang. Upon his return, he found out that another man called Bachok at Pa'achok 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 twin 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 until she died.
, maracas and conga drums. It was also inspired by the Bedouin celebrating the birth of Islamic prophet Muhammad playing musical instruments and reciting poetry.
. Some dishes are a blend of ingredients not found anywhere else in Malaysia. Due to their difficult and sometimes complicated recipes, some can only be sampled during celebrations and state banquets.
influences. These include lontong
, nasi ambeng and bontrot or berkat – both traditionally served after feasts like wedding ceremonies, Yasinan and others; and ungkep.
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri (Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
for Princess' Cape). The old state capital is Johor Lama
Johor Lama
Johor Lama is a principal historical place of interest and ancient capital of Johor. It is situated in modern Kota Tinggi district....
.
Johor is surrounded by Pahang
Pahang
Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
to the north, Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
and Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
to the northwest, and the Straits of Johor
Straits of Johor
The Straits of Johor is a strait that separates the Malaysian state of Johor to the north from Singapore to the south....
to the south which separates Johor and the Republic of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Johor is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ta'zim, or "Abode of Dignity", and as Johore in English.
Etymology
The name "Johor" originated from the Arabic word Jauhar, 'gem/jewel' . Malays tend to name a place after natural objects in great abundance or having visual dominance. Before the name Johor was adopted, the area south of the Muar RiverMuar River
The Muar River or Sungai Muar is a river which flows through the states of Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang in Malaysia. The river also flows through Muar town.- History :...
to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
island was known as Ujong Tanah or 'land's end' in Malay, due to its location at the end of the Malay Peninsula
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
. Coincidentally, Johor is the most southern point of the Asian continental mainland.
History
In the early 16th century, the Sultanate of Johor was founded by the Alauddin Riayat Shah IIAlauddin Riayat Shah II of Johor
Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II was the first Sultan of Johor. He ruled Johor from 1528 to 1564. He founded the Johor Sultanate following the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511. He was the second son of Mahmud Shah of Malacca. Thus, Johor was a successor state of Malacca and Johor's sultans...
, the son of Mahmud Shah, the last Sultan of Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
who fled from the invading Portuguese in Malacca. Johor sultanate was one of the two successor states of the Melaka empire. Upon Malacca's defeat to the Portuguese in 1511, Alauddin Riayat Shah II established a monarchy in Johor which posed a threat to the Portuguese. The Sultanate of Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
was the other successor state of Malacca and was established by Mahmud Shah's other son, Muzaffar Shah I. During Johor's peak the whole of Pahang
Pahang
Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
and the present day Indonesian territories of the Riau archipelago and part of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
Island was under Johor's rule.
A series of succession struggles were interspersed with strategic alliances struck with regional clans and foreign powers, which maintained Johor's political and economic hold in the Straits. In competition with the Aceh
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
nese of northern Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
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 with the Dutch. In 1641, Johor in cooperation with the Dutch succeeded in capturing Malacca. By 1660, Johor had become a flourishing entrepôt
Entrepôt
An entrepôt is a trading post where merchandise can be imported and exported without paying import duties, often at a profit. This profit is possible because of trade conditions, for example, the reluctance of ships to travel the entire length of a long trading route, and selling to the entrepôt...
, although weakening and splintering of the empire in the late seventeenth and eighteenth century reduced its sovereignty.
In the 18th century, the Bugis
Bugis
The Bugis are the most numerous of the three major linguistic and ethnic groups of South Sulawesi, the southwestern province of Sulawesi, Indonesia's third largest island. Although many Bugis live in the large port cities of Makassar and Parepare, the majority are farmers who grow wet rice on the...
of Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
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 divided up into the mainland Johor, controlled by the Temenggong, and the Sultanate of Riau-Lingga, controlled by the Bugis. In 1855, under the terms of a treaty between the British in Singapore and Sultan Ali of Johor
Sultan Ali of Johor
Sultan Ali Iskandar Shah ibni Hussein Muazzam Shah was the 19th Sultan of Johor, who succeeded his father, Sultan Hussein after the latter died of natural cause in 1835. Over the next twenty years, Sultan Ali's claims to the office of Sultan of Johor were only recognised by some merchants and a...
, control of the state was formally ceded to Dato' Temenggong Daing Ibrahim, with the exception of the Kesang area (Muar
Muar (town)
Muar, also known as Bandar Maharani is a town geopolitically situated in Muar District in the region or area of Muar in northwestern Johor, Malaysia...
), which was 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.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In 1886, he was formally crowned the Sultan of Johor. Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Abu Bakar of Johor (1864–1895) implemented a state constitution, developed a British-style administration and constructed the Istana Besar
Istana Besar
Istana Besar or Grand Palace is the royal palace of the Sultanate of Johor which is located in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.-Overview:Standing tall in the city of Johor Bahru, the palace was built in 1866 by Sultan Abu Bakar...
, the official residence of the Sultan. For his achievements, Sultan Abu Bakar is known by the title "Father of Modern Johor".
The increased demand for black pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
and gambier
Uncaria
Uncaria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It has about 40 species. Their distribution is pantropical, with most species native to tropical Asia, three from Africa and the Mediterranean and two from the neotropics. They are known colloquially as Gambier, Cat's Claw or Uña de...
in the nineteenth century lead to the opening up of farmlands to the influx of Chinese immigrants, which created Johor's initial economic base. The Kangchu
Kangchu
The Kangchu system was a socio-economic system of organization and administration developed by Chinese agricultural settlers in Johor during the 19th century. The settlers organized themselves into informal associations , and chose a leader from among themselves...
system was put in place with the first settlement of Kangkar Tebrau established in 1844. The decline of the Kangchu
Kangchu
The Kangchu system was a socio-economic system of organization and administration developed by Chinese agricultural settlers in Johor during the 19th century. The settlers organized themselves into informal associations , and chose a leader from among themselves...
economy at the end of the 19th century coincided with the opening of the railway line connecting Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
and the Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...
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
Oil palm
The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...
producer in Malaysia.
During World War II, Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
became the last city on the Malay peninsula to fall to the Japanese. General Yamashita Tomoyuki had his headquarters on top of Bukit Serene and coordinated the downfall of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Johor gave birth to the Malay opposition which derailed the Malayan Union
Malayan Union
The Malayan Union was a federation of the Malay states and the Straits Settlements of Penang and Malacca. It was the successor to British Malaya and was conceived to unify the Malay Peninsula under a single government so as to simplify administration. The Malayan Union later became the independent...
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
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence...
coalition.) In 1948, Johor joined the Federation of Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
, which gained Independence in 1957.
Geography
Johor is the 5th largest state by land area and 3rd most populated state in Malaysia, with a total land area of 19210 km² (7,417 sq mi), and a population of 3,233,434 as of 2010.In the official census of 2000, the population of Johor was 2.75 million with 54% Malays, 35% Chinese, 7% Indians and 4% others. It is the southernmost state in Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
, and is located between the 1°20"N and 2°35"N latitudes. The highest point in Johor is Gunung Ledang (1276 m). Gunung Ledang is also known as Mount Ophir. Johor also has a 400 km coastline on both the East and the West coasts.
Johor has 8 large islands with numerous smaller ones, namely Pulau Aur
Pulau Aur
Pulau Aur, known locally as Aur Island, lies about 65 km east of Mersing, Johor, Malaysia. It is part of the Johor Marine Park.Its corals, lagoons and offshore pools make it a tourist attraction...
, Pulau Besar
Pulau Besar (Johor)
Besar Island is an island off the east coast of Johor, Malaysia. It is accessible by boat from Mersing town...
, Pulau Dayang, Pulau Lima, Pulau Pemanggil
Pulau Pemanggil
Pemanggil Island sits 45 km east of Mersing, the take-off point to most islands off the Southern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It is situated next to Tioman, requires a 4- to 5-hour ride by boat from Mersing...
, Pulau Rawa
Pulau Rawa
Rawa Island is a coral island off the east coast of Johor, Malaysia, 16 km by boat from Mersing town. It is popular with tourists from Malaysia and Singapore, who come to enjoy its relatively unspoiled white sand beaches, snorkelling and scuba diving. Nearby islands include Pulau Harimau and Pulau...
, Pulau Sibu
Pulau Sibu
Pulau Sibu, also known as Sibu Island, is a small island off Malaysia's eastern coast, facing the South China Sea. It is actually made up of several islands namely Sibu Besar Island, Sibu Tengah Island, Sibu Kukus Island and Sibu Hujung Island....
, Pulau Tengah
Pulau Tengah
Tengah Island is an uninhabited island. It lies nine nautical miles off the coast of Mersing on the South China Sea off the east coast of Johor, Malaysia. It is 45 minutes away by boat from Mersing....
and Pulau Tinggi
Pulau Tinggi
Pulau Tinggi, otherwise known as Tinggi Island is a large sparsely inhabited island, which rises 2000 ft above sea level off the east coast of Johor, Malaysia. It was nicknamed the "General's Hat Island" by Chinese seamen hundreds of years ago...
.
Climate
Johor has a tropical rainforest climateTropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, is a tropical climate usually found along the equator...
with monsoon rain from November until February blowing from the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. The average annual rainfall is 1778 mm with average temperatures ranging between 25.5 °C (78 °F) and 27.8 °C (82 °F). Humidity is between 82 and 86%.
On 19 December 2006, a continuous heavy downpour occurred in Johor, which led to the 2006-2007 Malaysian floods
2006-2007 Malaysian floods
The 2006–2007 Malaysian floods are a series of floods that hit Malaysia during December 18, 2006 to January 13, 2007. The floods were caused by above average rainfall, which was attributed to Typhoon Utor which had hit the Philippines and Vietnam a few days earlier. By the third week of January...
. Many towns such as Muar
Muar (town)
Muar, also known as Bandar Maharani is a town geopolitically situated in Muar District in the region or area of Muar in northwestern Johor, Malaysia...
, Kota Tinggi
Kota Tinggi
Kota Tinggi is a town in the state of Johor of Malaysia, located around 42 kilometers north-east of Johor Bahru, on the road to Mersing. Hometown of Azizul Hanipah. Kota Tinggi can also be reached by ferry from Changi terminal in Singapore where tourists need to pass through the immigration check...
and Segamat
Segamat
Segamat is a town and district located in the north of the state of Johor in Malaysia, bordering two other states of Malaysia . It is located roughly 172 kilometres from Johor Bahru, the capital city of Johor State. It is 95 km travel distance via North-South Expressway from Johor Bahru to...
were seriously flooded with water levels as high as 10 feet (3 m) above ground level recorded in some areas. 15 lives were lost and many possessions destroyed, and this resulted in huge financial losses in Johor. More than 100,000 victims were evacuated to flood relief centres.
Links to Singapore
Johor-Singapore Causeway
The Johor–Singapore Causeway is a 1,056-metre causeway that links the city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia across the Straits of Johor to the town of Woodlands in Singapore. It serves as a road, rail, and pedestrian link, as well as water piping into Singapore.The causeway is connected to the...
and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link
Malaysia-Singapore Second Link
Malaysia–Singapore Second Link is a bridge connecting Singapore and Johor, Malaysia. In Singapore, it is officially known as the Tuas Second Link. The bridge was built to reduce the traffic congestion at the Johor–Singapore Causeway, and was opened to traffic on 2 January 1998...
. The Causeway also carries a railway line, which is now part of the main rail route linking Singapore with Thailand via Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Butterworth.
The Johor-Singapore Causeway
Johor-Singapore Causeway
The Johor–Singapore Causeway is a 1,056-metre causeway that links the city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia across the Straits of Johor to the town of Woodlands in Singapore. It serves as a road, rail, and pedestrian link, as well as water piping into Singapore.The causeway is connected to the...
(length: 1038 m) was designed by Messrs Coode, Fizmaurice, Wilson and Mitchell of Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, while the construction contract was awarded to Topham, Jones & Railton Ltd of London. Construction of the causeway started in 1919 and was completed in 1923.
It was preceded by a railway ferry link in 1903 which connected Johor Bahru to Singapore, then the administrative headquarters of British interests in South-East Asia. In 1909 this ferry link connected with the Johore State Railway which opened that year between Johore Bharu and Gemas, providing a direct rail route with the rest of the Federated Malay States. Prior to 1909 travellers between Singapore and the Federated Malay States had to travel by sea between Singapore and Port Dickson.
The causeway has been 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 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 rejected this proposal, after which Malaysia came up with the idea of what became known as "the crooked half-bridge", 25m above water level, and descending halfway to link up with the low-level causeway. The railway was to have a swing bridge
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
. The scheme was part of the Gerbang Selatan Bersepadu project. It had been previously announced that the bridge project would go ahead, even without the agreement of the Singaporean government. The bridge would become a straight bridge if the Singaporean government accepted the project. Construction work on the bridge stopped, however, on the orders of the former Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
, 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
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. He is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. He is the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew....
in Singapore replacing Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong is the Senior Minister of Singapore and the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 28 November 1990 to 12 August 2004, succeeding Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime...
. 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's replacement.
The second road connection, the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link
Malaysia-Singapore Second Link
Malaysia–Singapore Second Link is a bridge connecting Singapore and Johor, Malaysia. In Singapore, it is officially known as the Tuas Second Link. The bridge was built to reduce the traffic congestion at the Johor–Singapore Causeway, and was opened to traffic on 2 January 1998...
, 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
Tanjung Kupang
Not to be confused with Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara and Tanjung Pinang in Riau IslandsTanjung Kupang is a small village near Nusajaya in Gelang Patah, Johor, Malaysia.-Malaysia Airlines Flight 653:...
, Johor, to Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim in Tuas
Tuas
Tuas is largely an industrial zone located in the western part of Singapore. The Tuas Planning Area is located within the West Region, and is bounded by Tengeh Reservoir to the north, Strait of Johor to the west, Straits of Singapore to the south, and the Pan Island Expressway to the east.It is...
, Singapore.
Monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
. Johor was the first state in Malaysia to adopt the constitutional monarchy system via Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Johor
Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Johor
Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Johor, or Johor State Constitution was the state constitution of Johor...
(Johor State Constitution) written by Sultan Abu Bakar
Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor
Sultan Sir Abu Bakar ibni Daing Ibrahim was the 21st Sultan of Johor. He was also informally known as "The Father of Modern Johor", as many historians accredited Johor's development in the 19th century to Abu Bakar's leadership...
. The constitutional head of Johor is the Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
. This hereditary position can only be held by a member of the Johor Royal Family, who is descended from Sultan Abu Bakar
Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor
Sultan Sir Abu Bakar ibni Daing Ibrahim was the 21st Sultan of Johor. He was also informally known as "The Father of Modern Johor", as many historians accredited Johor's development in the 19th century to Abu Bakar's leadership...
. Until 2010 the State's Sultan since 1981 had been Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj. His Majesty died on Fri, 22 Jan 2010. Tunku Ibrahim Ismail Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar was proclaimed as the new Sultan of Johor on Sat, 23 Jan 2010.
Johor was the first state and currently the only state in Malaysia that has its own military force called the Royal Johor Military Force
Royal Johor Military Force
The Royal Johor Military Force is an independent military formation raised in 1885 under the control of the Sultan of Johor. Today the force performs mainly ceremonial functions....
or 'Timbalan Setia Negeri'. It is a private army of the Sultan of Johor located at Johor Bahru City.
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 10 members executive council (exco), whose members are selected from the state assembly members.The legislative branch of Johor's government is the Johor State Legislative Assembly. The state assembly makes laws in matters regarding the state. Members of the Assembly are elected by citizens every five years by universal suffrage.
Districts
The State of Johor is divided into the districts of:- Johor BahruJohor Bahru DistrictThis article refers to a district in the state of Johor in Malaysia. For other uses, see Johor Bahru The Johor Bahru district is located in the southern part of Johor, separated from Singapore by Straits of Johor. It covers an area of 1,871 km² and has a population of over 1.2 million...
1817.8 km², population 1,386,569 (2010)- Majlis Bandaraya Johor BahruMajlis Bandaraya Johor BahruMajlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru or Johor Bahru City Council is a local authority which administrates Johor Bahru city centre and other areas of the Iskandar Malaysia area. This agency is under Johor state government...
(Abbreviation as MBJB or City Council of Johor Bahru. It includes areas of Johor Bahru Downtown, Tampoi, Pelangi, Pasir Pelangi, Rinting, Tasek Utara, Pandan, Permas Jaya, Kangkar Tebrau, Kempas, Larkin, Majidee, Mount Austin, Kawasan Tebrau.) (Official Website: http://www.mbjb.gov.my)
- Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru
-
- Majlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru TengahMajlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru TengahMajlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah or Johor Bahru Tengah Municipal Council is a local authority which administrates Central Johor Bahru District and other areas of the Iskandar Malaysia area. This agency is under Johor state government...
(MPJBT includes areas of Masai, Plentong, Ulu Tiram, Gelang Patah, Skudai, Pulai, Nusajaya, Lima Kedai.) (http://www.johordt.gov.my/mpjbt/bm/utama/kaw_pentd.htm)
- Majlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah
-
- Majlis Perbandaran Pasir GudangMajlis Perbandaran Pasir GudangMajlis Perbandaran Pasir Gudang or Pasir Gudang Municipal Council is a local authority which administrates Pasir Gudang and other areas of the Iskandar Malaysia area. This agency is under subsidiary of Johor Corporation and Johor state government...
(MPPG includes areas of Pasir Gudang Industrial Estate, Taman Kota Masai, Taman Pasir Putih, Air Biru, Taman Tanjung Langsat, Taman Scientex, Taman Nusa Damai, Kampung Kong Kong, Kampung Sg. Tiram.)(http://www.mppg.gov.my/)
- Majlis Perbandaran Pasir Gudang
- KulaijayaKulaijayaKulaijaya District is a district in the state of Johor in peninsular Malaysia around the town of Kulai. It covers Kulai Town, Ayer Bemban, Bukit Batu, Kangkar Pulai, Kelapa Sawit, Saleng, Sedenak, Seelong, Senai, and Sengkang.- Administration :...
753.45 km², population: 251,650 (2010)- Majlis Perbandaran Kulaijaya (previously known as Majlis Daerah Kulai) (Includes areas of Senai, Kulai Town, Sedenak, Ayer Bemban)
- Pontian 919.5 km², population: 155,541 (2010)
- Majlis Daerah Pontian
- Kota TinggiKota TinggiKota Tinggi is a town in the state of Johor of Malaysia, located around 42 kilometers north-east of Johor Bahru, on the road to Mersing. Hometown of Azizul Hanipah. Kota Tinggi can also be reached by ferry from Changi terminal in Singapore where tourists need to pass through the immigration check...
3488.7 km², population: 193,210 (2010)- Majlis Daerah Kota Tinggi
- KluangKluangKluang is a town and district located roughly in the middle of the state of Johor in Malaysia. Kluang lies about 110 km north of Johor Bahru, east-southeast of Batu Pahat, west of Mersing and south of Segamat...
2851.8 km², population: 298,332 (2010)- Majlis Perbandaran Kluang (previously known as Majlis Daerah Kluang Utara)(Includes the capital district of Kluang,and most of the northern part of Kluang district)
-
- Majlis Daerah Simpang Renggam (previously known as Majlis Daerah Kluang Selatan)(Includes Simpang Renggam and most of the southern part of Kluang district
- SegamatSegamatSegamat is a town and district located in the north of the state of Johor in Malaysia, bordering two other states of Malaysia . It is located roughly 172 kilometres from Johor Bahru, the capital city of Johor State. It is 95 km travel distance via North-South Expressway from Johor Bahru to...
2851.26 km², population: 189,820 (2010)- Majlis Daerah Segamat (Majlis Daerah Segamat Utara) (Includes areas of Jementah, Buloh Kasap, Batu Enam and Gemas Baharu)
-
- Majlis Daerah Labis (previously known as Majlis Daerah Segamat Selatan) (Includes areas of Tenang Station, Chaah, Bekok and Pekan Air Panas)
- MuarMuar (town)Muar, also known as Bandar Maharani is a town geopolitically situated in Muar District in the region or area of Muar in northwestern Johor, Malaysia...
2346.12 km², population: 247,957 (2010)- Majlis Perbandaran MuarMajlis Perbandaran MuarSee also Muar town and Muar district.Majlis Perbandaran Muar or Muar Municipal Council is a local authority which administrates Muar District. This agency is under Johor state government...
(previously known as Majlis Daerah Muar Selatan) (Includes areas of Bukit Pasir, Bukit Bakri, Parit Jawa, others)
- Majlis Perbandaran Muar
- LedangLedangLedang is a new district in Johor, Malaysia. The district's principal town is Tangkak. The new Ledang district covers Tangkak town, Tanjung Agas, Kesang, Sungai Mati, Serom, Sagil and Bukit Gambir. The district is formerly the northern part of the Muar district which is separated from the southern...
970.24 km², population: 136,852 (2010)- Majlis Daerah Tangkak (previously known as Majlis Daerah Muar Utara)(Includes areas of Bukit Gambir, Sagil, Serom, Kesang, others)
- Batu PahatBatu PahatBatu Pahat is a district in the state of Johor, Malaysia. It lies south-east of Muar, south-west of Kluang, north-west of Pontian, and south of Segamat and the new Ledang district. The capital of the district is Bandar Penggaram, Batu Pahat....
1878 km², population: 417,458 (2010)- Majlis Perbandaran Batu Pahat (previously known as Majlis Daerah Batu Pahat Barat)(Includes most of the western part of the district,from Semerah in the north to western Rengit in the south,and the city of Batu Pahat (city),)
-
- Majlis Daerah Yong Peng (previously known as Majlis Daerah Batu Pahat Timur)(Includes the eastern part of Batu Pahat from Ayer Hitam in the south to Parit Sulong in the north)
- MersingMersingMersing is a town in Mersing District in the northeast corner of the state of Johor, Malaysia.Mersing town is a lively tourist town visited by Malaysians and foreign tourists....
2838.6 km², population: 70,894 (2010)- Majlis Daerah Mersing
Ranking Population Johor (Metro Area):
| Rank | Districts | Population 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johor Bahru Johor Bahru Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland... |
2,374,778 |
| 2 | Batu Pahat Batu Pahat Batu Pahat is a district in the state of Johor, Malaysia. It lies south-east of Muar, south-west of Kluang, north-west of Pontian, and south of Segamat and the new Ledang district. The capital of the district is Bandar Penggaram, Batu Pahat.... |
519,800 |
| 3 | Muar Muar Muar may refer to* Muar District, a district in Johor, Malaysia* Muar , a town in the district of Muar.* Muar River * Muar River... |
510,376 |
| 4 | Kluang Kluang Kluang is a town and district located roughly in the middle of the state of Johor in Malaysia. Kluang lies about 110 km north of Johor Bahru, east-southeast of Batu Pahat, west of Mersing and south of Segamat... |
394,800 |
| 5 | Kota Tinggi Kota Tinggi Kota Tinggi is a town in the state of Johor of Malaysia, located around 42 kilometers north-east of Johor Bahru, on the road to Mersing. Hometown of Azizul Hanipah. Kota Tinggi can also be reached by ferry from Changi terminal in Singapore where tourists need to pass through the immigration check... |
279,600 |
| 6 | Segamat Segamat Segamat is a town and district located in the north of the state of Johor in Malaysia, bordering two other states of Malaysia . It is located roughly 172 kilometres from Johor Bahru, the capital city of Johor State. It is 95 km travel distance via North-South Expressway from Johor Bahru to... |
287,400 |
| 7 | Pontian Pontian, Johor Pontian is a district in southwest Johor. It is located 62km from Johor Bahru, the state capital of Johor. It is also located at Miles 37 from Johor Bahru. The name Pontian is also used in the names of two towns in the district, Pontian Besar and Pontian Kechil, of which the latter serves as its... |
208,050 |
| 8 | Mersing Mersing Mersing is a town in Mersing District in the northeast corner of the state of Johor, Malaysia.Mersing town is a lively tourist town visited by Malaysians and foreign tourists.... |
107,400 |
| 9 | Kulaijaya Kulaijaya Kulaijaya District is a district in the state of Johor in peninsular Malaysia around the town of Kulai. It covers Kulai Town, Ayer Bemban, Bukit Batu, Kangkar Pulai, Kelapa Sawit, Saleng, Sedenak, Seelong, Senai, and Sengkang.- Administration :... |
275,105 |
| 10 | Ledang Ledang Ledang is a new district in Johor, Malaysia. The district's principal town is Tangkak. The new Ledang district covers Tangkak town, Tanjung Agas, Kesang, Sungai Mati, Serom, Sagil and Bukit Gambir. The district is formerly the northern part of the Muar district which is separated from the southern... |
155,978 |
Iskandar Malaysia
The Iskandar, Johor (also known as Iskandar Development Region and South Johor Economic Region), encompassing Johor BahruJohor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
, Johor Bahru Tengah, Kulaijaya, Pasir Gudang and Nusajaya is a major development zone in Johor. It was named after the late Sultan Iskandar Al-haj. At 2215 km², it is two-and-a-half times bigger than Singapore and 48 times the size of Putrajaya
Putrajaya
Putrajaya is a planned city, located 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, that serves as the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The seat of government was shifted in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, due to the overcrowding and congestion in the Kuala Lumpur areas...
. It is intended to draw investment and business to Johor and will be among the biggest development projects in Malaysia. The state administrative capital will be moved to Nusajaya. Residential areas include Bukit Indah
Bukit Indah
Bukit Indah is a mature township located in the heart of Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia, Johor. The township was developed by SP Setia Berhad. Bukit Indah, which was launched in 1997, has a population of over 60,000 with over 10,000 houses.The township is the winner of the Johor State Landscape Award...
and Horizon Hills
Horizon Hills
Horizon Hills, situated in Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia is Gamuda Land’s first township out of the Klang Valley. Jointly developed with UEM Land, the township spans over 1,200 acres....
townships.
Education
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia is the oldest public engineering and technological university in Malaysia. The university specialises in technical studies, with separate faculties for Education, Pure Sciences, Management, and Human Resources Development. It is the country's major source of graduate...
situated in Skudai, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia in Parit Raja, Batu Pahat (UTHM), Universiti Teknologi MARA
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Universiti Teknologi MARA is a coeducational public university with its main campus located in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.It is the flagship institution of the Universiti Teknologi MARA...
Johor ( UiTM) in Segamat
Segamat
Segamat is a town and district located in the north of the state of Johor in Malaysia, bordering two other states of Malaysia . It is located roughly 172 kilometres from Johor Bahru, the capital city of Johor State. It is 95 km travel distance via North-South Expressway from Johor Bahru to...
and UiTM City Campus in Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
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.
Johor Education Foundation (Yayasan Pelajaran Johor) also establish tertiary education opportunity in Johor state. It offers studies from various field such as engineering, business, economics & hospitality for all Malaysian as well as qualified students from anywhere around the world.
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.
As of 30 June 2008, there are 243 secondary schools in Johor educating 277 059 students. The total number of teachers in Johor at that time was 18212 which translates to overall teacher-student ratio of 15.21. The complete list of schools in Johor can be found in Wikipedia. Among them are SMK Taman Selesa Jaya 2
SMK Taman Selesa Jaya 2
SMK Taman Selesa Jaya 2 is a day school in Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. The enrollment of students is controlled by the state Education Department of Johor. Its official school code for the record at the Johor Bahru District Education Office is JEA 1084. It does not have a formal name in English but it...
and Foon Yew High School
Foon Yew High School
Foon Yew High School is the largest Chinese independent high school in Malaysia. It is the only Chinese independent high school which has two campuses: one in Stulang Laut, the other in Kulai...
.
Ports
Johor has three ports, the Pasir GudangPasir Gudang
Pasir Gudang is an industrial town located 35 km east of Johor Bahru in Malaysia . It is the eastern end of the Johor Bahru metropolitan area. The population is around 100,000. It is connected by the 4 lane Pasir Gudang Highway, a trunk road, and a railway line to Johor Bahru...
Port, the Port of Tanjung Pelepas
Port of Tanjung Pelepas
The Port of Tanjung Pelepas is a port for container ships located on the eastern mouth of the Pulai River in south-western Johor, Malaysia. Receiving its maiden vessel on 10 October 1999 on a three-month trial operation, it set a world record as the fastest growing port with of containers handled...
and the Tanjung Langsat Port
Tanjung Langsat Port
Tanjung Langsat Port is the third port in Johor, Malaysia, designed to complement the Port of Tanjung Pelepas and Johor Port in Pasir Gudang...
.
Airports
Johor has one international airport (30 km away from JB 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 since. Currently, it has a 5-million passenger capacity, with a parallel taxiway under construction.The airport is a regional hub of AirAsia
AirAsia
AirAsia Berhad is a Malaysian-based low-cost airline. AirAsia is Asia's largest low-fare, no-frills airline and a pioneer of low-cost travel in Asia. AirAsia group operates scheduled domestic and international flights to over 400 destinations spanning 25 countries. Its main hub is the Low-Cost...
, a regional low-cost no-frills airline. Malaysia Airlines
Malaysia Airlines
Malaysian Airline System Berhad , DBA Malaysia Airlines , is the government-owned flag carrier of Malaysia. Malaysia Airlines operates flights from its home base, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and its eastern hub in Kota Kinabalu. It has its headquarters on the grounds of Sultan Abdul Aziz...
also operate flights from Senai airport to some local and international destinations.
Major tourist attractions
- Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque constructed between 1892 and 1900
- Tebrau – Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass TempleArulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass TempleThe Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple is a major Hindu temple as well as one of the oldest temples in Tebrau, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. It is also one of the state's tourist attraction...
- The world's first HinduHinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
glass temple - DesaruDesaruDesaru is a beach and resort area in Johor, Malaysia. It is located approximately 88 kilometers east of Johor Bahru, on the South China Sea. It is a very popular weekend escape for residents of Singapore who come to enjoy the attractive 25 km stretch of beaches and splendid golf courses...
– beaches & golf courses along the South China Sea - Johor BahruJohor BahruJohor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
– shopping, night market, colonial/royal district - Endau Rompin National ParkEndau Rompin National ParkEndau Rompin National Park is a protected tropical rainforest in Malaysia. It is an area south of the state of Pahang and to the northeast of Johor covering an approximate area of 870 km², effectively making it is the second largest national park in Peninsular Malaysia after Taman Negara, with...
– pristine jungle - Kota TinggiKota TinggiKota Tinggi is a town in the state of Johor of Malaysia, located around 42 kilometers north-east of Johor Bahru, on the road to Mersing. Hometown of Azizul Hanipah. Kota Tinggi can also be reached by ferry from Changi terminal in Singapore where tourists need to pass through the immigration check...
34 meter waterfall. - KukupKukupKukup is a small fishing village located about forty kilometres southwest of Johor Bahru, in the district of Pontian, Johor, on the Strait of Malacca in Malaysia. It is famous for its open-air seafood restaurants built on stilts over the water. Some of the restaurants are geared for tour groups,...
– a fishing village with seafood restaurants built over water - MuarMuar (town)Muar, also known as Bandar Maharani is a town geopolitically situated in Muar District in the region or area of Muar in northwestern Johor, Malaysia...
– picturesque riverside town - Seribuat Archipelago – islands with beautiful beaches, coral reefs
- Tanjung PiaiTanjung PiaiTanjung Piai is a cape in Johor which is the southernmost point of Peninsular Malaysia and thus the most southern point of mainland Asia. The skyline of Singapore is visible across the Johor Strait from the point...
– the southernmost tip of mainland Asia - Danga BayDanga BayDanga Bay or Teluk Danga is the largest recreational park in the city of Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. It is located near Istana Bukit Serene, about 7 km from Johor Bahru's city center...
– The new waterfront city - Pekan Air PanasPekan Air PanasPekan Air Panas is a small town in the district of Segamat, Johor, Malaysia which is named after the hot springs available there. It is located about 14 km from Labis via Jalan Ayer Panas . The town is also known as Tenang ...
– hot springs, waterfall, local fruits available - Bandar NusajayaBandar NusajayaNusajaya is a regional city, located west of Johor, Malaysia.-Kota Iskandar :The JSNAC at Nusajaya houses the Johor State and Federal government department offices and spans over 320 acres with landscaped gardens and parks...
– new administration of Johor Government - Bukit IndahBukit IndahBukit Indah is a mature township located in the heart of Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia, Johor. The township was developed by SP Setia Berhad. Bukit Indah, which was launched in 1997, has a population of over 60,000 with over 10,000 houses.The township is the winner of the Johor State Landscape Award...
– new shopping district, Jusco, Tesco & Giant - Horizon HillsHorizon HillsHorizon Hills, situated in Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia is Gamuda Land’s first township out of the Klang Valley. Jointly developed with UEM Land, the township spans over 1,200 acres....
– best Asia pacific golf development 2009 by CNBC - Pulau Dayang – major diving attraction, snorkelling, fishing
- Gunung Ledang – legendary mountain/highest peak in South of Peninsula Malaysia, famous of mountain hiking
- Ayer Panas Waterfall – Malaysian "Jiu Zai Kou" with crystal clear water from the peak of Gunung Ledang
- TangkakTangkakTangkak is a district capital of Ledang, in the state of Johor, Malaysia. It lies close to the neighbouring state of Melaka, especially to Jasin town and district of the state and about half an hour drive from Melaka city centre. The town is nicknamed "Fabric Town" or "Syurga Kain" in honor of its...
– hometown of famous "Tangkak Beef Noodle", shopping paradise for fabric, served best handmade noodle in the world - Pulau Kukus – This island is close to Pulau Sibu Tengah and popular for snorkelling activity
National parks and forest reserves
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).Culture
The culture of Johor is influenced by visitors and traders throughout history. A major influence was the BugisBugis
The Bugis are the most numerous of the three major linguistic and ethnic groups of South Sulawesi, the southwestern province of Sulawesi, Indonesia's third largest island. Although many Bugis live in the large port cities of Makassar and Parepare, the majority are farmers who grow wet rice on the...
– who first set foot in Malaysia in Johor before continuing on to Melaka, Linggi
Linggi
Linggi is a small town in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia....
, Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
, Pahang
Pahang
Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
and Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
– Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
nese and the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s. They had a powerful impact on the politics of Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Selangor. The strong Arab influence is apparent in art performances like Zapin and Hamdolok, musical instruments like gambus. Other visible legacies in Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
are the Arabic names of places such as Wadi Hana and Wadi Hassan in areas populated by the Arab community from Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut, Hadhramout, Hadramawt or Ḥaḍramūt is the formerly independent Qu'aiti state and sultanate encompassing a historical region of the south Arabian Peninsula along the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea, extending eastwards from Yemen to the borders of the Dhofar region of Oman...
in the southeast of Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. Wadi
Wadi
Wadi is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some cases, it may refer to a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream.-Variant names:...
means valley in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
.
Language
The Johorean' s MalayMalay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
, also known as Johor-Riau Malay and originally spoken in Johor, Riau, Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, has been adopted as the basis for both the Malaysian and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n national languages, Malay and Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
, respectively. Due to Johor's location at the confluence of trade routes within Maritime Southeast Asia
Maritime Southeast Asia
Maritime Southeast Asia refers to the maritime region of Southeast Asia as opposed to mainland Southeast Asia and includes the modern countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, East Timor and Singapore....
, as well as the former economic might and influence of Malacca and Johor, the dialect spread as the region's lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
since the 15th century; hence the adoption of the dialect as the basis for the national languages.
Clothing
- Cekak Musang and Teluk Belanga are types of collar design for the male garment 'baju melayu'. It is said that Teluk Belanga was designed by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1866 to commemorate 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', 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
Songs
Tanjung Puteri is the song most commonly associated with Johor.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 Setulang membeli kopi
Pusara si Bongkok di lereng bukit
Di tepi pantai Tanjung Puteri
Zapin dance
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 it, 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.
The dancers usually perform in pairs and are accompanied by a traditional music ensemble normally consisting of the gambus, accordion, violin, marwas (bongos), rebana (drum) and dok.
There are various types of Zapin in Johore namely Zapin Melayu, Zapin Pekajang, Zapin Tenglu, Zapin Pulau, Zapin Parit Mastar, Zapin Lenga and so on. These variants are caused by the districts and on how the dance is performed.
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 at wedding ceremonies and cultural celebrations. There are several possible origins of Kuda Kepang. It is said to derive 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
This is a story of Badang, a slave who gained super human strength by eating the vomitous 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 SegamatSegamat
Segamat is a town and district located in the north of the state of Johor in Malaysia, bordering two other states of Malaysia . It is located roughly 172 kilometres from Johor Bahru, the capital city of Johor State. It is 95 km travel distance via North-South Expressway from Johor Bahru to...
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.
Awang's spear returned to Dayang
Lembing Awang Pulang ke Dayang (Awang's spear Returned to Dayang) is an incident that occurred in Parit Raja, MuarMuar (town)
Muar, also known as Bandar Maharani is a town geopolitically situated in Muar District in the region or area of Muar in northwestern Johor, Malaysia...
.
It occurred in 1776 when a man called Awang returned to Padang (now known as Parit Raja, Muar) after more than 3 years abroad to marry his fiancee Dayang. Upon his return, he found out that another man called Bachok at Pa'achok 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 twin spear given by Raja Bugis
Bugis
The Bugis are the most numerous of the three major linguistic and ethnic groups of South Sulawesi, the southwestern province of Sulawesi, Indonesia's third largest island. Although many Bugis live in the large port cities of Makassar and Parepare, the majority are farmers who grow wet rice on the...
, 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
Endau
Endau is a small town in Malaysia. It lies on the northern tip of east Johor and the southern tip of Pahang. It is famous as one of the largest fishing ports on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.Located north of Mersing...
and Dayang did not marry another until she died.
Black Tongue Warrior
Panglima Lidah Hitam (the Black Tongue Warrior) is a legendary warrior in Johor state.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, tambourineTambourine
The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
, maracas and conga drums. It was also inspired by the Bedouin celebrating the birth of Islamic prophet Muhammad playing musical instruments and reciting poetry.
Cuisine
Cuisine in Johor is influenced by Arabs and cultures of the surrounding Maritime Southeast AsiaMaritime Southeast Asia
Maritime Southeast Asia refers to the maritime region of Southeast Asia as opposed to mainland Southeast Asia and includes the modern countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, East Timor and Singapore....
. Some dishes are a blend of ingredients not found anywhere else in Malaysia. Due to their difficult and sometimes complicated recipes, some can only be sampled during celebrations and state banquets.
- LaksaLaksaLaksa is a popular spicy noodle soup from the Peranakan culture, which is a merger of Chinese and Malay elements found in Malaysia and Singapore, and to a lesser extent Indonesia.- Origin :The origin of the name "laksa" is unclear...
Johor is from Johor. It differs from Laksa Penang by having coconutCoconutThe coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
milk added during cooking. It also differs from other laksas by using spaghettiSpaghettiSpaghetti is a long, thin, cylindrical pasta of Italian origin. Spaghetti is made of semolina or flour and water. Italian dried spaghetti is made from durum wheat semolina, but outside of Italy it may be made with other kinds of flour...
instead of rice-based noodles.
- Mee Bandung MuarMee Bandung MuarMee Bandung Muar, or simply Mee Bandung, is a traditional cuisine originated from Muar, Johor, Malaysia. The word 'bandung' in its name is due to to literal definition which means "mixed" or "pairs" in Malay language as in several Malay words like "Sirap Bandung" and "Rumah Berbandung" .In the Mee...
is also a dish originated from Johor, specifically from MuarMuar (town)Muar, also known as Bandar Maharani is a town geopolitically situated in Muar District in the region or area of Muar in northwestern Johor, Malaysia...
. The term 'bandung' is not derived from BandungBandungBandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, Indonesia but is a term for anything that is mixed from many ingredients. One of the most important ingredient is dried shrimp.
- 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.
- SataySataySatay , or sate, is a dish of marinated, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay may consist of diced or sliced chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, other meats, or tofu; the more authentic version uses skewers from the midrib of the coconut palm frond, although bamboo skewers are...
– is a popular food in Malaysia. Made from marinated meat or chicken and burnt on charcoal grill. Cooked satay is dipped in special peanut sauce. A favourite Malay food in Johor, mostly found in Johor BahruJohor BahruJohor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
and MuarMuar (town)Muar, also known as Bandar Maharani is a town geopolitically situated in Muar District in the region or area of Muar in northwestern Johor, Malaysia...
.
- Telur pindang – Eggs boiled together with herbs and spices, popular during wedding feasts in Johor.
- Roti Jala or Roti Kirai – The name is derived from the MalayMalay languageMalay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
word 'roti' (bread) and 'jala' (net). A special ladle with a five-hole perforation used to make the bread looks like a fish net (picture in the works). It is usually eaten spicy with curryCurryCurry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
or sweet with 'serawa'. Serawa is made from a mixture of boiled coconut milk, brown sugar and pandan leaf.
- Nasi Beriani Gam – A biryaniBiryaniBiryani, biriani, or beriani is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā which means "fried" or "roasted"....
rice dish originating from IndiaIndian cuisineIndian cuisine consists of thousands of regional cuisines which date back thousands of years. The dishes of India are characterised by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Indian cuisine is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society...
with a cooking method very similar to Hyderabad biryaniHyderabad BiryaniHyderabadi Biryani is a Hyderabadi biryani dish made with basmati rice and goat meat. Popular variations use chicken instead of goat.The blending of Mughlai and Andhra Pradesh cuisines in the kitchens of the Nizam, ruler of the historic Hyderabad State, resulted in the creation of Hyderabadi...
but with spices adjusted to suit the Malay palate. This dish is very popular in Batu Pahat District.
- Ikan masak asam pedas – A sour stewStewA stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables , meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used...
of fish (usually mackerelMackerelMackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
), tamarindTamarindTamarind is a tree in the family Fabaceae. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic .-Origin:...
, chiliChili pepperChili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
, tomatoes, okraOkraOkra is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It is valued for its edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of South Asian, Ethiopian and West African origins...
and Vietnamese corianderVietnamese corianderPersicaria odorata, the Vietnamese coriander, is an herb whose leaves are used in Southeast Asian cooking. Other English names for the herb include Vietnamese mint, Vietnamese cilantro, Cambodian mint and hot mint. The Vietnamese name is rau răm, while in Malaysia and Singapore it is called daun...
- Kacang Pol- This dish is influenced by Arab Culture where special baked bread was served with special sauce and a 'sunny side up' egg.
- Pisang Salai or Gimpi smoked banana cooked into perfection
- Otak-otak – Steamed/Grilled fish cake usually served wrapped in sticks of coconut leaves. Two of the most popular varieties are Otak-otak Muar (spicy) and Otak-otak Gelang Patah (sweet).
- Mee Soto – This Indonesian origin food is very popular in Johor. People may have change noodles with rice or vermicelli rice according to their preference. Combination of either noodle, rice or vermicelli rice is added with peanut, beansprout and chicken meat. These combination then is poured with special soup. This soup was made from chicken stock and some other spice. Enjoy it while its hot.
- Mee Bakso – This is almost identical with soto, only this dish have meatball instead of slices of chicken meat.
- Lontong – Dish using combination of pressed rice and special coconut soup with vegetables. Served with boiled egg and chili.
- Burasak – It is a type of Buginese food.
- Halwa Maskat This dessert type food may be originated from muscat, Oman.
- Kerutup ikan – Fish is steamed with variety of local fragrant leaves.
- Pecal – It is a Javanese traditional cuisine which consists of long beans, slice of cucumber, beansprout, tauhu, tempe mix with special peanut sauce.
- Tauhu bakar- it is made from soybean where it is burnt on a grill and cut into cubes and dip with special sauce.
- Pendaram
- Mee Siput – It is a mixture of flour that will expand in term of size when deep fried.
- Rojak Petis – It is a combination of local vegetables mix with special black coloured sauce made mostly from shrimp(Otak Udang).
- ABC – ABC is abbreviation of 'Air Batu Campur' or known as Ice Kacang Johor. It is a special desserts created from shaved ice added with corn, jelly, redbeans, groundnut, syrup, pasteurised milk, and liquid chocolate.
Javanese-influenced cuisine
There are a few Johorean dishes with JavaneseJavanese cuisine
Javanese cuisine is the cuisine of Javanese people. In wider sense, Javanese cuisine might also refer to the cuisine of the whole people of Java Island, Indonesia; which also include Sundanese in West Java, Betawi people in Jakarta and Madurese on Madura Island off East Java...
influences. These include lontong
Lontong
Lontong is an Asian dish made of compressed rice wrapped inside banana leaf that is then cut into small cakes as staple food replacement of steamed rice...
, nasi ambeng and bontrot or berkat – both traditionally served after feasts like wedding ceremonies, Yasinan and others; and ungkep.
External links
- Johor Chief Minister Office Official Website
- Johor Chief Minister Office Official Website, Media and Communication Unit(MedKom)
- Johor Tourism
- Johor travel guide written and maintained by locals
- Johor Community
- My Far East, Johor – Malaysia
- History of the Johor Empire
- Faculty of Built Environment, UTM, Skudai, Johor