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Sultan Ibrahim Building
Situated on Bukit Timbalan, this mega-
structure used to be the former Johor
State Secretariat building, but has since
been converted to a few government
offices. I was fortunate enough to enjoy
this building to myself as it was closed for
the weekend, with the blessing of the kind
guard who let me in to snoop around for
a little. Completed in 1940, this building
is a reflection of modern history. Its
architecture combines elements of Malay
traditional design together with British
colonial influences; no corner is left blank
as every inch is covered in ornate designs.
This iconic landmark of Johor Bahru
stands proudly as the epitome of Johor’s
modern, 20th century historical legacy.
get
away
Arththi Sathananthar’s
historical trail through Johor Bahru saw her discovering vast
redevelopmentandcityreshaping.Thejuxtapositionofrapidandmodernprogresspushing
JBtowardsamodernmetropolisagainst theverymuchaliveandthrobbingtendrilsof the
past features staunchly in the heart of this beautiful, yet conflicted city.
Back to the Past
Jalan Tan Hiok Nee
Nestled in the heart of the Heritage District
of Johor Bahru, this street’s namesake
comes from a man who played an integral
role in developing the city. Tan Hiok
Nee was a Chinese merchant, dubbed
the ‘Chinese Mayor’ (kapitan) of Johor
during the late 19th century. Today, the
street is splashed with vibrant colours on
its tarmac and the shop lots lining it vary
from shades of blue to pink. There lingers
a ‘hipster’ feel here, what with various
art galleries and cafes, yet the true old
colonial shop lots are hardly amiss with
several hawkers and tailors claiming terri-
tory on this street. Onemajor landmark on
Jalan TanHiokNee is the Chinese Heritage
Museum, which traces the legacy of the
Chinese settlers from 1844 and another is
‘The Red House’, a stark colonial building
on the corner which today is an old school
coffee house (kopitiam).
Jalan Ungku Puan
This is Johor Bahru’s answer to Little
India. Its crowning glory is the Sri Raja
Mariamman Temple erected in 1911.
Amidst the cacophony of vibrant Tamil
music blaring unfettered from the various
music stores selling the latest Tamil or
Hindi blockbuster DVDs, you will see
a mix of abundant traditional Indian
sweet shops peppered around the road
and ladies selling necklaces, anklets and
trinkets on the sidewalks – all are enough
to keep you bright eyed in this part of
town. Further down the road on Jalan
Trus, you’ll find a quieter atmosphere
in the form of the Old Chinese Temple
(1862), a major landmark in the city,
which was quite curious as it wasn’t as
big and grand as I expected. Nonetheless,
the intricate designs on the façade and
the small cosy courtyard made for an
intriguing exploration.
Best eats in JB
W.W. Laksa House, Jalan KolamAir
The curry laksa here is the bomb.
This place gets pretty packed
especiallywith Singaporeans on the
weekends.
Hiap Joo Bakery&Biscuit Factory,
Jalan Tan Hiok Nee
The banana cake here is so popular
that there’s always a perpetual line
on the storefront.
HuaMui Restaurant, Jalan Terus
Known to have the best chicken
chop in J.B., you should come super
early onweekends to get a seat in
this restaurant.