Malaysia - Johor - Johor Bahru

Dataran Bandaraya Johor Bahru (Johor Bahru City Square)
The square with the clock tower was built on January 1994 in conjunction with a declaration of Johor Bahru as a city.

We sent this postcard from Kg. Melayu Majidee Post Office last weekend (2nd June) during our holiday.

Note : It's hard to find postcards of Johor. This one was bought at Senai International Airport.

Johor Bahru (also spelled Johor Baharu, Johor Baru, or Johore Bahru; abbreviated as JB) is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia, north of Singapore. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland. Pasir Pelangi, the royal village, is located within Johor Bahru.

The city in itself has a population of 1,334,188 as of 2010, while the metropolitan Johor Bahru, also known as Iskandar Malaysia, has a population of 1,730,000.

The city council administers the highly developed southern central coast of the metropolitan area, with a total area of 185 square kilometres (71 sq mi). It is situated on the Straits of Johor (also known as the Straits of Tebrau), which separate Malaysia and Singapore. Metropolitan Johor Bahru occupies extensive coastal land, consisting of ecologically rich swamp lands and important river systems such as Sungai Johor, Sungai Pulai and Sungai Tebrau. (read further)

Malaysia - Johor - Masjid Jamek Muar

Masid Jamek Muar; 2004; Acrylic; 105cm x 90cm; Artist - Muhammad Alif @ Hud Hassan.

Sent by Aameea from Johor Bahru, Johor.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF MASJID JAMEK MUAR (IN BAHASA MELAYU)

Malaysia - Johor - Potrait of Sultan Abu Bakar

The portrait of Sultan Abu Bakar (1886).

Sent by Aameea from Johor Bahru, Johor.

This is from Wikipedia : Sultan Sir Abu Bakar ibni Daing Ibrahim (3 February 1833 – 4 June 1895) (Jawi:المرحوم سلطان سير ابو بكر ابن المرحوم تماڠڬوڠ دايڠ إبراهيم سري مهاراج جوهر) was the 21st Sultan of Johor.[6][fn 2] 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. He initiated policies and provided aids to ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs to stimulate the development of the state's agricultural economy which was founded by Chinese migrants from Southern China in the 1840s. He also took charge of the development of Johor's infrastructure, administrative system, military and civil service, all of which were modelled closely along Western lines.

Abu Bakar was noted for his diplomatic skills, and both the British and Malay rulers had approached him for advice in making important decisions. He was also an avid traveller, and became the first Malay ruler to travel to Europe during his first visit to England in 1866. In particular, Abu Bakar became a lifetime friend of Queen Victoria in his later years. Abu Bakar's friendship with Queen Victoria played an important role in shaping Johor's relationships with Britain, and was the only state by the end of the 19th century in the Peninsular Malaya to maintain autonomy in its internal affairs as the British Colonial Government pushed for greater control over the Malay states by placing a British Resident in the states. He was also an Anglophile, and many of his personal habits and decisions were aligned to European ideas and tastes.

Abu Bakar became the sovereign ruler of Johor when his father, Temenggong Daing Ibrahim died in 1862. Six years later, Abu Bakar changed his legal state title of "Temenggong" to "Maharaja". In 1885, Abu Bakar sought legal recognition from Britain for another change in his legal state title of "Maharaja" to a regnal title of "Sultan", and was proclaimed the following year. In all, Abu Bakar's reign lasted for thirty-two years until his death in 1895.

Malaysia - Johor - Sultan Ibrahim Building

Sultan Ibrahim Building, 2010.

Sent by Aameea from Johor Bahru, Johor.

This is from Wikipedia : Sultan Ibrahim Building is the former state secretariat building of Johor. It is located at Bukit Timbalan in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The building was constructed between 1936 and 1939 and was completed in 1940 as the British colonial government attempted to streamline the state's administration.[1] It was officially opened by the late Sultan Ibrahim of Johor.

It was also the tallest building in Malaya during the pre-Merdeka era. In Johor Bahru itself, it stood unchallenged as the tallest building in the town until the completion of the Merlin Tower in the 1970s.

The offices of the state secretariat have now moved to Kota Iskandar. There are plans to convert the building into a museum.

The building's architecture combines colonial and Malay architecture with its Saracenic design and tower making it a landmark in Johor Bahru. The building was designed by the renowned British architecture firm, Palmer and Turner which was also responsible for designing the Johor Bahru General Hospital now known as Hospital Sultanah Aminah as well as several prominent landmarks in Singapore.

The building formerly housed the Menteri Besar's (Chief Minister) office and the Johor State Legislative Assembly before both were moved to Kota Iskandar.

In 1942, during the Japanese occupation of Malaya, the Japanese Imperial Army led by General Yamashita Tomoyuki stationed themselves at the building and Istana Bukit Serene to plan for the invasion of Singapore.[2] The Japanese used the building as a fortress and a command centre to spy on the British activities in Singapore. The building was partly damaged during the Japanese invasion and the damaged parts are still visible today.

Malaysia - Johor - Pasar Besar Sungai Segget

Pasar Besar Sungai Segget.

Sent by Aameea from Johor Bahru, Johor.