Johor Bahru (pop. 424,648) is a large city in Malaysia. The city’s name is also spelled Johor Baharu or, formerly, Johore Bahru. It is the capital of the state of Johor. The city lies on the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia.
Johor Bahru is the southern entrance to Malaysia from Singapore. A causeway carrying a road and a railway links the town to the island of Singapore. Every day, tens of thousands of people and vehicles cross the causeway from Singapore. Johor Bahru attracts visitors from Singapore because the prices of goods are cheaper. The city has several large shopping complexes. Its tourist attractions include the Istana Besar, the main palace built in 1886. Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque is one of the most beautiful buildings in Malaysia. New buildings include offices and hotels.
The city is a growing industrial center, with many new industrial estates. Johor Bahru is a major port for southern Malaysia. It is the terminal of Malaysia’s main north-south highway, which links the main towns from Johor Bahru to Penang. Johor Bahru has an airport at Senai.
Ibrahim, who was temenggong (chief minister) of Johor from 1825 to 1862, founded the town in the 1850’s. At that time, it was known as Tanjung Putri, taking its name from the site on which it was built. Ibrahim’s eldest son, Abu Bakar, who became temenggong in 1862, named it Johore Bahru (New Johore) in 1866. In the 1980’s, many overseas companies invested in the area because of its closeness to Singapore. As a result, the Technological University of Malaysia moved from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru.
