Lighting up the sky with kites
EXPECT LED (light emitting diode) kites to dot the night skies tomorrow during the 19th Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival (PGWKF) again this year.
Pasir Gudang Municipal Council president Onn Jabbar said the night show, which was introduced last year, had received such overwhelming response that there will be another night kite-flying show this year.
"Adorned with LED, the kites in butterfly, bicycle and car shapes would look even more attractive against the backdrop of the night sky."
This year, the event is a joint collaboration among organisers from three different states -- Pasir Gudang, Johor; Alor Star, Kedah; and Satun, Thailand.
The festival in Pasir Gudang, Johor, will end on Sunday. It will then be held in Kedah from Feb 25 to 27, and end in Thailand on March 1 and 2.
The theme for the PGWKF is "Wind Garden". Participants had to invent and decorate their kites from recycled materials. There will also be various competitions, performances, workshops and exhibitions.
Other activities that will be held during the five-day festival include a fishing competition at Tasik Taman Bandar, Johor Baru, a blood donation campaign with free health checks and a children's colouring competition.
On Feb 22, popular artistes such as Aris Ariwatan, Indonesian Idol Yuka Kharisma, Tam Spider and Mak Ros (Kilauan Emas) will entertain visitors and participants.
An LED-festooned kite.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Old Treasures
Pre-war monuments in the state are steeped in history and grandeur
There are many pre-war buildings in Johor Baru, that are beautiful, full of history and more importantly still in operation.
Among them is the Broadway Theatre in Jalan Segget.
The cinema is said to be the district's first in the state and started operations in 1930.
However, in the late 90's, it lost its appeal after cineplex's started mushrooming.
Now, under the management of Lotus Five Star, the two-story Broadway Theatre remains in operation but screens only Tamil and Hindi movies.
The Kwong Siew Wai Kuan building along Jalan Siu Nam, was built in 1907, as the headquarters of the Kwong Siew Clan Association. It was established in 1878 by Wong Ah Fook.
Wong was a Chinese-national and an influential entrepreneur who is said to have links with the Johor Sultan.
The building now serves as a museum.
Another building at No 56 along Jalan Tan Hiok Nee is a pre-war shop-house that was built in the 19th century.
Jalan Tan Hiok Nee was declared a heritage street in 2009.
The house with decorative motifs on the walls once belonged to an Indian family and over the years the property ownership changed hands several times.
Today, after restoration works by its present owner, the house named the Red House has been rented out to an organisation as a venue for cultural events.
There is also beautiful arch along Jalan Trus that was recently restored by the Johor Baru City Council's appointed contractors.
There is not much information available on the arch and most of the records are incomplete.
However, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Accredited Cultural Heritage guide Jimmy Leong said the arch which is only known as the Jalan Trus Historical Archway was built in the early 19th century.
At that time Jalan Trus used to house the wet market. It was always overflowing with people and was a hive of activity.
There are two other historical archways in Johor Baru besides the one in Jalan Trus. They are located along Jalan Segget and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee.
Leong, 59, whose house used to be where the current Puteri Pacific Hotel stands now, organises heritage trail tours as well.
A Johor Baru Heritage Walk -- "Your Walking Map" has also been created to offer visitors and locals an organised trail to explore and experience first-hand the old but rich history of Johor Baru.
Johor Tourism Department director Mohd Haffiz Ahmad said the walking map was given to locals for free and to tourists as a guide for them to explore the city.
On the map, a brief history of Johor's Maharaja Temenggung Tun Daeng Ibrahim (1810-1862) is also included.
Temenggung Tun Daeng Ibrahim established an administration centre in Tanjung Puteri in 1855, which he renamed Iskandar Puteri in 1862.
He was succeeded by his son Sultan Abu Bakar who changed Tanjung Puteri to Johor Baru in 1966.
Mohd Haffiz said among the 20 attractions are the Sultan Ibrahim Building or Bukit Timbalan which was the state's former administration centre that was built in 1940.
The building's architecture is influenced by colonial and Malay elements.
Johor's administration centre now operates from Kota Iskandar, which is a newly developed area under the Iskandar Malaysia project.
Mohd Haffiz said although the Bank Negara Malaysia along Jalan Bukit Timbalan was built in 1959, and therefore relatively new, it is still on the map.
Johor is the only state in the country with its own military which is known as the Johor Military Force (JMF). The JMF was established in 1885. JMF is also the nation's oldest army.
The Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque, the Church of Immaculate Conception, the Johor Baru Old Chinese Temple, the Gurdwara Sahib and the Sri Raja Mariamman Temple, are among the houses of worship which are on the walking map.
Also on the map is the Johor Baru south district police headquarters, also known as the Johor Baru Central Police Station.
The building was built in 1914, and the old Johor Baru Railway Station was built in 1931.
The colonial-style railway station which is no longer in operation now serves as a museum, exhibiting artifacts used in the locomotive and rail industry.
The Indian Muslim Mosque with two minarets in Jalan Dhoby known as Dato' Haji Ahmad Awang, is also on the map for its unique features, though its historical records are incomplete.
The mosque, with its white washed walls and royal blue-tinted glass windows was built by the Indian Muslim community.
The Tiong Hua Chinese Heritage Museum built in 1874, reconstructs some 200 years of the Chinese-community's presence in Johor in the form of historical documents and artifacts.
The Johor Baru Post Office and High Court are also on the walking map but with incomplete records of its structures.
The Istana Besar, the Sultan Abu Bakar Royal Museum and the Zaharah Royal Botanical Gardens, all located in the Istana Besar's compound, are on the map but is currently closed to the public due to its restoration works.
The restoration is being carried out in conjunction with the coronation of the fifth sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar which is scheduled to be held in the Chinese Year of the Horse.
The Red House which was built in the 19th century is available for rent.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
888 Lego brick horses for CNY
Theme park visitors are invited to help build the horses before the Feb 9 deadline
In conjunction with Chinese New Year, Legoland Malaysia Resort is building 888 horses from Lego bricks.
The activity is open to all visitors to mark the Year of the Horse. Legoland hopes to achieve this feat by Feb 9.
Legoland's director of sales and marketing Thila Munusamy said visitors to the park will get to participate by using some of the 20,000 Lego bricks and help the Lego builders in meeting their deadline.
Visitors, who participate in the activity, will receive certificates of appreciation.
The Lego brick horses will be displayed at The Beginning area of the theme park, and visitors can take pictures with the unique feature.
Thila said they decided to build 888 horses because the number eight is a symbol of prosperity for the Chinese community.
"Legoland is the perfect place to be with families during the holiday season. Our building activity focuses on giving children and parents the opportunity to bond and engage in learning.
"With the resort now complete, families can also stay at the Legoland Hotel and enjoy both the theme and water parks," added Thila.
Legoland has lined up an array of other interesting activities for the celebration next month.
This includes a lion dance and Chinese drum performances. There will also be a fireworks display on the first and second day of Chinese New Year.
The lion dancers will be performing at The Beginning area today to welcome guests.
There will also be a famous daredevil performance on stilts and this show will take place at City Stage.
Another show that is not-to-be- missed is the Qian Qiu Chinese drum performance. Families will also be able to enjoy the drumming experience as they are encouraged to participate in the "Battle of Families" challenge.
Other activities include Chinese magic shows, gravity defying acrobatic performances, martial arts stunts, and a musical dance.
The musical fireworks display is unique to Legoland and visitors will be given special 3D glasses to wear so they will be able to see little Lego bricks cascade from the sky. Thila added that limited-edition Chinese New Year T-shirts would also be on sale.
About 20,000 Lego bricks will be used to build the 888 horses.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Upgrading plans for royal town revealed
PROMOTING TOURISM: Allocations by MPM include funds for open-air tour bus, new council building and landscaping
MUAR: THE Muar Municipal Council (MPM) is planning to introduce a RM200,000 open-air bus service that would enable tourists to get a better view of the royal town.
MPM president Ramlee Abdul Rahman said the bus is expected to begin operations next year.
"The bus service will mean that tourists get to see the town's attractions more closely," said Ramlee after the recent full council meeting.
He also said the council would be allocating RM20 million for the construction of a new nine-storey MPM building located near the Muar bypass.
Construction is expected to begin at the end of this year.
This cost, in addition to the RM3.2 million that the council had already spent in purchasing the land for the project, will bring the total cost to RM23.2 million.
Ramlee said the new building would enable the council to house all its divisions under one roof.
"The current building at Jalan Maharani is too small and we have to divide our services over different buildings," he said.
Ramlee added that in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014, MPM had also drawn up plans to upgrade the town's cleanliness, its drainage and irrigation systems, collection of waste and landscaping.
"We have applied for a RM10 million Federal grant to repair the damaged seawall at Tanjung Emas. We are also planning to transform the nearby Tanjung Ketapang into a recreational attraction for the whole family," he said.
"Under the plan, no vehicle will be allowed to enter the area so as to enable the people to jog, exercise or conduct other recreational activities, while the nearby golf course will be fenced up to prevent mishaps."
Ramlee said Tanjung Emas would also be turned into a centre for dragon boat races, hot air balloon rides, swimming and international motorcycle competitions.
The scenic royal town of Muar is being upgraded by the municipal council to make it more tourism-friendly. This picture of Sungai Muar with the Muar bridge as the backdrop is taken from ‘Impressions of Muar’.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Ensure tourist spots are clean
It is Visit Malaysia Year again. Business operators and tour agencies, here, have been wooing tourists with numerous packages featuring irresistible discounts.
Johor is now known worldwide, thanks to the state's aggressive development plans, particularly the Iskandar Malaysia project.
Even people in remote places of the world know where Johor is, thanks to the Internet and the state's football teams.
The big names in Johor Darul Ta'zim's list of football players include Argentinian international footballers Luciano Gabriel "Lucho" Figueroa and Pablo Aimar. Football always makes the world news.
Besides football, other names that have made the state widely known are Legoland, Johor Premium Outlets, Hello-Kitty and Thomas the Think Tank Engine and Friends, Lat's Place restaurant and the world-renowned Traders Hotel.
Since it is Visit Malaysia Year 2014, more foreign and domestic tourists are expected to flood the state, which is also famed for its natural attractions such as Endau-Rompin National Park and the southernmost tip of mainland Asia at Tanjung Piai.
Houses of worships, namely Masjid Sultan Abu Bakar, Glass Temple, Arulmigu Rajamariamman Temple, and Johor Baru's oldest Chinese temple which is known as the Old Chinese Temple, are also places touted as "must visit" on the state Tourism Department website, and highly recommended by travel bloggers.
Johor is also known for its food and shopping. However, some facilities at these tourist spots are not properly maintained.
For instance, rubbish is strewn along Jalan Ungku Puan, where the magnificent Rajamariamman temple is located.
There is a stench when it rains as most of the drains are stagnant and filled with rubbish.
An electrical cable is jutting out of the pavement in front of a recently refurbished shopping complex, which is the perfect recipe for a tragedy to happen.
It is easy to blame visitors and traders for not disposing of their rubbish properly, or the municipal council and Southern Waste Management's appointed cleaners for not carrying out their duties and responsibilities. But, it doesn't matter whose fault it is. What is important is that our state's image should not be tarnished.
The authorities should clean up their act and punish the culprits so that visitors will enjoy a pleasant and memorable stay in Johor.
Masjid Sultan Abu Bakar is one of the most beautiful buildings in Johor Baru.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Jewels in Johor's landscape
Various houses of worship in the state’s capital city reflect its history of multiculturalism
THERE are numerous pre-war buildings in the state's capital city and each has an interesting history behind it.
Johor is made up of 10 districts which include Johor Baru, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Kulaijaya, Muar, Kota Tinggi, Segamat, Pontian, Ledang and Mersing.
Johor residents often refer to the state's capital city Johor Baru, as "bandar".
Historians tell us that the Johor Sultanate ruled over Johor, which was then known as Jauhar, since the 14th century.
Johor originated from the Arabic word jauhar, which meant gem or jewel.
Johor Baru was then known as Tanjung Puteri, or the Princess's Cape.
Johor Baru survived and succeeded even during the British colonialism in 1914 and the Japanese occupation in 1942.
Johor is also known for its people who are multicultural, with different beliefs, and religions, but work as a unit, otherwise known as Bangsa Johor.
Evidence of this unity is the houses of worship in the capital city.
One of the most unique and beautiful houses of worship is the Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque, which was constructed between 1892 and 1900.
The mosque in Jalan Skudai here is magnificent and is still in operation today.
The mosque sits on top of a hill, once known as Bukit Redan, for the Redan trees that dominated the hill.
Redan or nephelium glabrum is from the Sapindaceae family. The tree bears fruit that is similar to rambutan and pulasan but is much smaller in size.
The Abu Bakar Mosque overlooking the Straits of Johor is named after the father of Sultan Sir Ibrahim Sultan Abu Bakar, who ordered the construction of the mosque.
For the Chinese community, there is the Old Chinese Temple, on Jalan Trus, that was built in the 19th century.
The temple is believed to be more than 130 years old, including its bronze bell, joss stick pot and wooden tablet.
There are five remaining deities in the temple that are worshipped by the Chinese of the Teochew, Hokkien, Cantonese, Hakka and Hainan descents.
The Arulmigu Rajamariamman Temple was built in 1911 on Jalan Ungku Puan, on a piece of land with funds allocated by Sultan Sir Ibrahim to the Hindu community as a gift.
The temple was originally known as the Mariamman Temple and the word "Raja" was added to its name in honour of the Sultan and as an appreciation of his kindness.
The temple's edifice, or royal tower known as the Rajagopuram, is 23 metres high and is the state's tallest temple tower, while the deities are sculpted from a single granite stone.
The Sikh Gurdwara Sahib was built in 1921. It was learnt that the Sikhs settled in Johor Baru in the late 19th century.
Most of them were then serving with the Malaysian police force, while some served as the sultan's guards.
The land was allocated by the police commissioner and historians said that it was a swamp then, but the determined worshippers carried sand in gunny sacks on their heads and filled the land.
During the Japanese Occupancy between 1940 and 1945, the temple was abandoned as devotees fled for safety reasons.
However, with allocations from the state government and donations from various bodies, the Gurdwara Sahib Johor Baru underwent upgrading works in 1956.
The multi-level temple now has a prayer hall, a huge kitchen called Langar where food is served for free to devotees, its office, a quarters, rooms from visitors and a registrar of marriage, among others.
The Church of the Immaculate Conception (formerly Church of Our Lady of Lourdes) on Jalan Gereja here was built in 1927 on a piece of land donated by the then Johor Sultan Sultan Sir Abu Bakar Daing Ibrahim (1833-1895).
Sultan Sir Abu Bakar donated the land 1883 together with a large statue of Our Lady. The statue still stands in front of the church today.
The Roman Catholic Church with British colonial influences are among the oldest houses of worship in Johor Baru.
The Johor Baru Old Chinese Temple was built during the 19th century by the then head of Ngee Heng Company head led by Tan Hiok Nee and other Chinese community leaders.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
