Johor Darul Takzim
Your Gateway Route to Nature
The
Arabs and the Siamese knew something about Johore even in very ancient times.
Both these peoples, in their own languages called it the "Land of the Precious
Stones". Of course there were others who just named it the "End of the Land",
which it was, occupying as it did, the tail portion of Mainland Asia.
Johore today cannot be explained
in terms of a place where the only thing worth doing is digging for precious
stones, which may not be there anyway. Neither can it be described as a sleepy
backwater. Johore in present time, is most certainly much more than that. It
is a bustling and dynamic city and its industrious, hard-working people have
made it all possible. The people of Johore are also now poised to take the State
to even greater heights greeting the new millenium with a vision in their minds,
challenge in their hearts and a twinkle in their eyes. ( Picture shows the
Sultan Ibrahim Building )
History
The Portuguese invaded Malacca in 1511, a date which also signifies the beginning of the State of Johore. The then ruling Sultan of Malacca, Sultan Mahmud Shah fled the state after being attacked, and set up his court on Bintan Island. Following his death, his son, Sultan Alauddin Riwayat Shah moved his royal base to Pekan Tua, which is close to today´s Kota Tinggi. Thus was established the kingdom of Johore, whose first ruler, was the son of the last ruler of Malacca. As such, the other States in Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra, which had acknowledged the overlordship of Malacca, continued their allegiance to the new Sultan of Johore.
During the second half of the 16th century Johore was under constant threat. First from the Portuguese based at Malacca, then the Achinese from Sumatra and finally, the Bugis from Sulawesi. With the arrival of the Dutch, Johore´s fortune took a turn for the better. The Dutch allied themselves with Johore for a combined and successful attack against the Portuguese at Malacca. In return for this co-operation, Johore was freed from virtually all the tariffs and trading restrictions imposed on the other Malaysian States by the Dutch. Throughout the eighteenth century, Bugis influence within the State grew until, in 1784, the cosy relationship between the Dutch and Johore came to an end. The Dutch East India Company, tired of Bugis domination of Johore, wrested control of Riau-Johore from the Bugis in 1784.
When Stamford Raffles set foot on Singapore in 1819, he witnessed factional wars between two parties in Johore. One was headed by the family of Temenggong Abu Bakar, the Minister of Defence and Justice, and the other by Bendahara Hussein, the Minister of Finance. Raffles decided to back the Temenggong´s claim to the throne. With the help of the British in Singapore, Temenggong Abu Bakar elevated himself to the position of Sultan of Johore in 1886. He moved his capital to Tanjung Puteri, the site of the modern-day Johore Bahru, which means "New Johore".
Sultan Abu Bakar is referred as the "Father of Modern Johore", for having introduced modernisation to Johore. He is also the Sultan who initiated the Johore Malay Regiment which is believed to be the fore-runner of the present Malaysian Army.
Geography
Johore is the most southerly state in the Malay peninsula. It is fringed by the South China Sea on one side and the Straits of Malacca on the other. The Straits of Johore separates Johore from Singapore. It has a land area of 18,986 square kilometres. Johore Bahru, the capital, is the second largest city after Kuala Lumpur, with a population of 700,000 people.
The highest peak here is the legendary Gunung Ledang (Mount Ophir). Authority asserts that this was the fabulous Ophir mentioned in the Book of Kings from which King Solomon obtained the gold which made his temple so splendid.
Two
of the better-known rivers in Johore are the Sungai Johore which runs to the
Straits of Johore, and the Sungai Muar which flows into the Straits of Malacca.
( Picture shows the Johore Causeway )
Located in the equatorial zone, Johore has no distinct seasons except for periods of dry and wet months. The monsoon season is the start of the wet season in this country. The South-west Monsoon which blows from May to September brings rain to the west coast of this state. The North-east Monsoon which blows from October to March brings rain to the east coast of Johore.
Temperatures range from 21 degrees Celsius to 32 degrees Celsius. The average annual rainfall is 2,000 to 2,500 mm a year, while humidity is quite high throughout the year.