Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru (JB) is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Johor. It covers an area of 373.18 km² and had a population of 858,118 people in 2020, making it the largest state capital city in Malaysia by population. Located at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula, it borders the city-state of Singapore.

As a major financial and business centre, Johor Bahru is Malaysia's second best-performing city, behind only Kuala Lumpur. It is known for its fast urban growth and quick internet speeds. The city is one of the most visited in the world, largely because of the world's busiest land border crossing through the Johor-Singapore Causeway.

During the time of Sultan Abu Bakar from 1886 to 1895, Johor Bahru changed from a small fishing village into a modern city with new buildings, schools, and railways. After World War II, important political groups formed there. Johor Bahru became an official city in 1994 and is now part of a big economic zone connecting it closely with Singapore.

Etymology

The area now called Johor Bahru was once named Tanjung Puteri. It was a small fishing village. In 1858, a leader named Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim renamed it to Iskandar Puteri. After Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim passed away, another leader, Sultan Abu Bakar, changed the name to Johor Bahru. The word “Bahru” means “new” in Malay, so Johor Bahru translates to “New Johor”.

The city was also called Shantou or “Little Swatow” by its Chinese community. Many of them came from Shantou in China. In Chinese, the city is known as Xinshan, meaning “New Mountain”. This name helped distinguish it from older areas called “Old Mountain”. The name Johor can also be written in Chinese as 柔佛, meaning “gentle Buddha”.

History

Johor Bahru started as part of the Johor-Riau Sultanate. In 1819, a disagreement split it into two parts. The mainland became Johor under Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim, and the island part became Riau-Lingga under the Bugis people.

Temenggong wanted to build a new city for Johor. He made an agreement with the British in 1855. This let him control Johor, except for a small area called Kesang in Muar. He renamed the new area Iskandar Puteri and began ruling from Telok Blangah in Singapore.

Chinese and Javanese people were encouraged to move to Johor to help clear the land and grow crops like black pepper and gambier. A Chinese businessman named Wong Ah Fook helped build important buildings. After Temenggong passed away in 1862, the town was renamed Johor Bahru, and his son Abu Bakar took over. The city’s administration moved to Johor Bahru in 1889.

Under Abu Bakar, Johor worked closely with the British. He regained Kesang territory with British help and improved the city’s buildings and farms. He built important places like the State Mosque and Royal Palace with Wong Ah Fook’s help. Johor never became a direct British colony, but British influence grew.

In 1909, the railway reached Johor Bahru, and in 1923, the Johor–Singapore Causeway was built. The city grew slowly between the World Wars. The Sultan Ibrahim Building was finished in 1940.

World War II slowed Johor Bahru’s growth. Japanese forces invaded the town on January 31, 1942. After the war, Johor Bahru became a centre for Malay nationalism. A local leader named Onn Jaafar started the United Malay National Organisation in 1946.

After Malaysia formed in 1963, Johor Bahru kept growing. New areas and buildings were added. By 1994, it became an official city. Today, Johor Bahru is known for its tall buildings, fast internet, and high living quality. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Southeast Asia.

Governance

Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor and helps the economy of the state. It is known for having efficient systems, ranking second in Malaysia for easy property registration, just after Kuala Lumpur. The city has one member of parliament and elects two representatives to the state legislature.

The city is managed by the Johor Bahru City Council, led by a mayor. There are courts and police stations in different parts of the city.

Geography

Johor Bahru is located along the Straits of Johor at the southern end of Peninsular Malaysia. The land is mostly flat, with just a few hills around the city.

Climate

The city has a warm climate with steady temperatures, lots of rain, and high humidity all year. Temperatures stay between 26.4 °C in January and 27.8 °C in April. Rain falls around 2,350 mm each year, with the wettest months being April, November, and December. The weather changes a bit with the monsoons. The north-east Monsoon from mid-October to January brings more rain and wind. The south-west Monsoon from June to September brings wind but does not change the rain much in Johor Bahru.

Urban Planning

Johor Bahru is a city with many neighborhoods, and many people use cars to travel. The government knows there is a lot of traffic and has been planning ways to help, like building a Light Rail Transit or Bus Rapid Transit system since 2017. In 2024, they started planning to build an elevated Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit network in the city.

Demographics

Johor Bahru has a special name for its people, called "Johor Bahruans." Some also use "J.B-ites" or "J.B-ians." People from the whole state of Johor are called Johoreans.

In 2020, Johor Bahru had 858,118 people, making it the biggest state capital city in Malaysia by population. The city is home to many different groups of people. Most are Malays, Chinese, and Indians, with some other groups too. The Malays are mainly Muslims, the Chinese are mostly Buddhists or Taoists, and the Indians are mainly Hindus or Buddhists. There are also small numbers of Sikhs, people who follow other religions, and people with no specific religion.

The Malays speak Malay, the Chinese mainly speak Mandarin but also many different dialects like Hokkien and Teochew, and the Indians mainly speak Tamil. About 60% of people in the city can speak English, especially younger people.

Economy

Johor Bahru is growing fast and is the main business center for the state of Johor. It is part of an important economic area shared by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The city is very important for trade and business, ranking second in Malaysia behind Kuala Lumpur.

Johor Bahru is a hub for finance, shopping, and tourism. It hosts big international events and was the first city in Malaysia to focus on cleaner, greener business ways. Many people visit from nearby regions, and many residents travel to Singapore for work each day.

Transportation

Land

The roads in Johor Bahru that connect different parts of the city are mostly federal roads built and cared for by the Malaysian Public Works Department. There are five big highways that link the Johor Bahru Central Business District to areas farther out: the Tebrau Highway and Johor Bahru Eastern Dispersal Link Expressway to the northeast, Skudai Highway to the northwest, Iskandar Coastal Highway to the west, and Johor Bahru East Coast Highway to the east. The Pasir Gudang Highway and the Johor Bahru Parkway cross the Tebrau and Skudai Highways, which act as the middle ring road of the city.

The Johor Bahru Inner Ring Road connects with the Southern Integrated Gateway and helps manage traffic in and around the central business district. The city can connect to the national expressway system through the North–South Expressway and the Senai–Desaru Expressway. The Johor–Singapore Causeway links the city to Woodlands, Singapore with a six-lane road and a single-track railway line ending at the Southern Integrated Gateway.

Bus

See also: List of bus routes in Johor Bahru

The main bus stops in the city are Johor Bahru Sentral (JB Sentral), and Larkin Sentral in Larkin. Big local bus companies in the city are Causeway Link, BAS.MY, Maju and S&S. Buses in Johor Bahru now take payments without cash such as credit cards, NFC using a smartphone or smartwatch, and QR code payment, making it the first Malaysian city to support contactless payment on city buses.

Other bus stops include the Taman Johor Jaya Bus Terminal and Ulu Tiram Bus Terminal. Larkin Sentral has buses going to and from many places in West Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, while Taman Johor Jaya and Ulu Tiram Bus Terminals serve local places.

Taxi

Two kinds of taxi services work in the city; the main kind is either red and yellow, blue, green or just red while the bigger, less common kind is known as a limousine taxi, which is more comfortable but costs more.

Railway and metro system

The city has two railway stations, JB Sentral and Kempas Baru. Both stations, run by Keretapi Tanah Melayu, have trains going to Kuala Lumpur, Padang Besar and Tumpat. Since 2015, KTM has also run a train service across the border to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore from JB Sentral station. This train runs along the Johor-Singapore Causeway. The Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS Link) connecting Singapore, is Malaysia's first light rail transit (LRT) line outside the Klang Valley, and will start working in December 2026.

The Johor state government has noticed how busy the roads are in the city, and has been planning to add a light rapid transit (LRT) or bus rapid transit (BRT) system since at least 2017. Plans for an LRT system were put aside in 2024. The government said that waiting five to seven years to build an LRT network was too long, because the city needs public transport soon. They decided to build an elevated autonomous rail rapid transit (ART) network instead, with building starting by the end of 2025.

On 23 October 2025, the Johor Bahru Draft Local Plan 2035 (RTJB 2035) came out, showing plans for four bus lines and later ART lines.

Air

The city uses Senai International Airport close by in Senai town and linked through Skudai Highway. Five airlines, AirAsia (and its parts Indonesia AirAsia and Thai AirAsia), Firefly, Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air Malaysia and TransNusa, fly within the country and to Guangzhou, Jakarta Soekarno–Hatta, Surabaya, Hồ Chí Minh City, Kunming and Bangkok Don Mueang.

Changi Airport is southeast of the city centre, across the border in Singapore, and is linked by a regular coach service run by Transtar Travel.

Sea

Boat trips go to ports in Batam and Bintan Islands in Indonesia from Stulang Laut Ferry Terminal, close to the Stulang area. The city is also served by Port of Tanjung Pelepas and Johor Port.

Other utilities

Healthcare

See also: List of hospitals in Malaysia

Johor Bahru has three public hospitals, four health clinics, and thirteen clinics to help people stay healthy. The biggest public hospital is Sultanah Aminah Hospital, with 989 beds. Another government hospital is Sultan Ismail Specialist Hospital, which has 700 beds. There is also a private hospital called KPJ Puteri Specialist Hospital with 158 beds. More healthcare facilities are being added.

Education

See also: List of schools in Johor

The city has many schools run by the government and some international schools. Secondary schools include English College Johore Bahru, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Engku Aminah, and several others. International schools such as Marlborough College Malaysia and Shattuck-St. Mary's Forest City International School are also here. There are universities like Monash University Malaysia and Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia, along with many private colleges and a polytechnic.

Libraries

The main library in Johor is the Johor State Library, located off Yahya Awal Road. There is another public library at University Park on Kebudayaan Road, plus libraries in schools, colleges, and universities. Two smaller village libraries serve the district of Johor Bahru.

Attractions and culture

Attractions and recreation spots

Johor Bahru is a popular city for visitors. It is Malaysia's second most visited city, just after Kuala Lumpur.

Cultural attractions

Johor Bahru has many cultural attractions. The Royal Abu Bakar Museum is inside the Grand Palace and is the city's main museum. The Johor Bahru Kwong Siew Heritage on Wong Ah Fook Street was once a home for a Cantonese community leader. Foon Yew High School keeps many historical documents about the city's past, showing its Chinese heritage. The Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum on Ibrahim Road tells the story of Chinese people who moved to Johor, with documents, photos, and other items.

The Johor Art Gallery on Petrie Road is an old house built in 1910. It used to belong to a former leader of Johor and now shows artefacts about the state's history.

Chingay parade

The Chinese community holds the Chingay parade every year at the Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple. This event brings together five Chinese groups in Johor: Cantonese, Hainanese, Hakka, Hoklo, and Teochew. It shows unity and helps keep their traditions alive. The Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum also talks about how Chinese people lived in Johor from the 1300s to the 1800s.

Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque on Skudai Road is the main and oldest mosque in Johor. It mixes Victorian, Moorish, and Malay styles. The Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple on Trus Road is the city's oldest Chinese temple, built in 1875 for five groups of Chinese people. Other important places include the Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Hindu Temple and the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Leisure and conservation areas

Danga Bay is a long area for fun activities by the water. Johor has many golf courses, and some places to play paintball. The Johor Zoo, built in 1928, is Malaysia's oldest zoo. It has around 100 types of animals, including wild cats, camels, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and birds. Visitors can ride horses. The largest park in the city is Independence Park.

Other attractions

Dataran Bandaraya was built after Johor Bahru became a city. It has a clock tower, fountain, and large open space. Wong Ah Fook Street is named after a famous person, and Tan Hiok Nee Street is named after a leader of an old group in Johor Bahru. These streets, along with Dhoby Street, show a mix of Chinese and Indian culture through their buildings and shops.

Shopping

See also: List of shopping malls in Malaysia

The Mawar Handicrafts Centre sells batik and songket clothes. Nearby, the JARO Handicrafts Centre sells handmade items like cane furniture and baskets.

Johor has many shopping centres, with 156 in total, most located in Johor Bahru. Popular ones include Mid Valley Southkey, Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, Toppen Shopping Centre, IKEA Tebrau, AEON Mall Tebrau City, and Johor Bahru City Square.

Entertainment

Today, cinemas are mostly inside shopping malls. JLand Tower in the city centre has a glass skybridge and the city's tallest observation deck.

Sports

Johor Bahru's main football club is Johor Darul Ta'zim. They play at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium. The city also has a large futsal centre called Sports Prima with eight futsal courts approved by FIFA.

Radio stations

Two radio stations have offices in the city: Best FM (104.1) and Johor FM (101.9).

International relations

Several countries have their offices in Johor Bahru, such as Indonesia and Singapore.

Twin towns – Sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Malaysia

Johor Bahru's sister cities are:

• Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
• Shantou, China
• Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
• Istanbul, Türkiye (Turkey)
• Daegu, South Korea

Notable people

Johor Bahru is home to many well-known people.

Some of them are Hishammuddin Hussein, a senior politician from the UMNO party, and Sultan Ibrahim Ismail, the current sultan and 16th reigning Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Other famous people include singer-actress Joyce Chu, the founder of the UMNO party Onn Jaafar, British politician Christina Jordan, actress Vivien Yeo, singer Gin Lee, businessman Robert Kuok, badminton player Ng Tze Yong, comedian and actor Ronny Chieng, racing driver Tunku Abdul Rahman Hassanal Jeffri, former Prime Minister Hussein Onn, and Sebastian Francis, a bishop and cardinal of the Catholic Church.