Downtown Johor Baru: Segget Waterway

 

“Let’s meet on the bridge across Sungai Segget, where Jalan Ungku Puan meets Jalan Wong Ah Fook,” was my request to participants who registered to join the first Heritage Walk with My Johor Stories in the theme, Segget Waterway.

 

My Johor Stories in Downtown Johor Baru
on Heritage Walk: Segget Waterway

This spot was our morning rendezvous on January 14, a much-anticipated Heritage Walk where participants were escorted by me in an interesting and informative time together on the Segget Walk, a promenade designed parallel to Sungai Segget.

 

As our Walk was mainly outdoors to rediscover some sites along our faithful, wonder waterway – now renewed and refreshed – I also reminded participants to wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes, bring along a hat or cap, and an umbrella if they so wished, as well as their own drinking water.

 

The Walk should start promptly at 10am so I was there by 9.30am to welcome everyone. On arrival, each participant was given a sticker to paste on the Top Right/Left of their shirt or blouse to identify them as part of this special Walk.

 

A view of the renewed and 
refreshed Segget River

The first to arrive was our videographer, Chong Han Sun of JB Twenty-Twenty, followed by Fairoz Md Said, a tour guide who told me he was there to learn more about our local heritage so that he could share relevant info with his guests.

 

Our Japanese friend, Mihoku Yui, joined us shortly and she was quick to say that she had devoted the day to joining my Downtown Johor Baru activities, first in this Heritage Walk and would continue later, in my Book Reading session.

 

I was more than delighted to hear this because the Heritage Walk experience would be completed by the Book Reading where I would read portions documented in My Johor Stories books that highlighted the same Subjects that we saw in our Walk.

 

For a more personal experience, the Heritage Walk was limited to only 10 people while the Book Reading – held in a hotel in Downtown Johor Baru – would accommodate a maximum of 25 participants.

 

Thank you Amari Johor Baru for
your partnership in my Downtown
Johor Baru Book Reading activity in 
January 2023

The Book Reading session for January was arranged in partnership with the Amari Johor Baru, the hotel that was built on the site of the former landmark cinemas, the Rex and Lido, along with the Suasana Suites and Zenith Lifestyle Centre.

 

Recently while my friends in the BrandCulture PR Marketing & Communications team were in the Amari Johor Baru for an assignment, they sent me a photograph of the promotion poster for the activities arranged in January for My Johor Stories in Downtown Johor Baru, that was displayed in the hotel lobby.

 

It was just heart-warming to know that this hotel, which now stands on a significant site in our city, continues to support My Johor Stories.

In a few minutes, we were joined by Tengku Tarmizi Bin Tengku Aziz and his wife with two young children.

 

I was delighted to meet him and his family as I was recently e-introduced to Tengku Tarmizi of the Sultan Ismail Library at Jalan Datin Halimah, by Datin Patricia Lim through an email.

 

On the route along Segget Walk

Then a representative from Think City Johor Baru, Ms Nurul Nabila, also joined our group.

 

With the participants promptly assembled at the meeting point, we started our comfortable walk on the Segget Walk with short pauses to point out interesting sites along this historical waterway.

 

I enjoyed the spontaneous interaction among the participants, welcomed them to ask questions and the privilege they gave me to share any knowledge or information.

 

However, I did provide all the answers because some information was linked to the next Heritage Walks planned in the coming months. So I encouraged the participants to join me again to get their curiosity satisfied when we explored the other Walks.

 

A wall mural along Jalan Trus as
a tribute to the landmark cinemas,
Rex and Lido

As we looked closer at the bridges that spanned across Sungai Segget, I invited the participants to close their eyes and imagine how brave pioneer planters travelled by small boats – small enough to pass safely under the bridges – to reach their destinations upriver and to start a new life here.

 

We paused along the route to draw attention to how Johor’s pepper and gambier heritage was proudly honoured at the Segget Walk with motifs engraved on chrome pillars and boldly featured on the fence that bordered the refreshed river.

 

It was encouraging to observe that the participants were getting fresh insights into the sites I highlighted along the route, in particular their fascination about the first wet market that was once located at the area we now know as Jalan Segget.

 

On a walk-through of the Zenith Lifestyle Centre and into the lobby of the Amari Johor Baru, I had much pleasure to share with them about how the Amari Johor Baru had fondly preserved the heritage of the two landmark cinemas, Rex and Lido, by naming their function rooms by the very same names.

 

Participants with Mr Nagalingam at the Johor
Baru Public Toddy Shop, showing off their
limited edition My Johor Stories tote bags

Locals, familiar with these stand-alone cinema halls, would remember that these affordable entertainment centres were easily accessible from Jalan Wong Ah Fook and Jalan Trus. 

 

As a token of fond remembrance, I escorted the participants into the Zenith Lifestyle Centre – which also enjoys similar accessibility – from Jalan Wong Ah Fook and led them to exit to Jalan Trus.

 

And then we were off to Jalan Sulaiman, a short road which links Jalan Trus with Jalan Wong Ah Fook, and where the Johor Baru Public Toddy Shop was located.

 

A taste of fresh toddy with
light refreshments on our visit

Mr Nagalingam Chelladurai, who operates the business now, told us that he has the documents that proved that this property had existed since 1920.

 

A small metal plaque affixed to the building read as, JKR467, proof that it was Government property that ran a business that was originally operated by the Royal Malaysian Customs, Johor Baru.

 

When we arrived, it was interesting to observe a tourist – complete with luggage bag – who bought a takeaway bottle of fresh toddy and was making his way out.

 

Mr Nagalingam graciously welcomed us in and served light refreshments of homemade curry-puffs and vadai along with jugs of fresh toddy for us to sample.

 

This was our final destination in the Segget Waterway Heritage Walk and to close the activity, I presented each of the participants with a limited edition My Johor Stories tote bag filled with an autographed copy of My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now, along with an exclusive My Johor Stories bookmark.

 

Book Reading session at the
Amari Johor Baru, January 2023

After a short break, I was back at the Amari Johor Baru again by about 1.30pm, where my Book Reading session was arranged in a function room on Level 21.

 

It was significant that this activity was held in this hotel that was built on the site of the former two landmark cinemas in Johor Baru.

 

As registered participants trickled in, Mihoko also arrived, just as she said she would.

 

I was deeply encouraged by the presence of Ms Lucy Cheng, who was visiting Johor Baru from the UK with her husband. Someone had shared the information about my Downtown Johor Baru activities that day and she was keen to join.

 

With Ms Lucy Cheng at the
Book Reading, Amari Johor Baru

She, however, had a prior commitment to attend a temple ceremony that morning so she had no alternative but to miss out on the Heritage Walk but she made sure that she was there for my Book Reading session.

 

I was also much encouraged by the presence of my friend, Barney J T Lim of Kluang RailCoffee, who came all the way from Kluang to participate in this activity.

 

I was honoured by the privilege to document his family’s heritage trade in My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People and it was significant that last year, Kluang RailCoffee was recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records as the Oldest Railway Kopitiam in the nation.

 

The presence of another friend, Haji Shafie Ahmad, formerly of Yayasan Warisan Johor or the Johor Heritage Foundation, was very encouraging as this made up an eclectic group of participants who provided a lively interaction of sharing and reminiscing about the Johor they each experienced and cared about.

 

With Haji Shafie Ahmad

Among the participants was Rita Abd Rahim, a staff of the Amari Johor Baru, who has a personal interest in sharing about Johor heritage with their hotel guests.

 

And because she is not from Johor, she found our time together – discussing Johor heritage – most meaningful and memorable.

 

The conversations continued over refreshments and everyone paid high compliments to the hotel culinary team for the tasty and generous refreshment spread.

 

Each participant then received a limited edition My Johor Stories tote bag filled with an autographed copy of My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now, along with an exclusive My Johor Stories bookmark.

 

The Heritage Walks are planned for Saturdays, from 10am to 12pm in four different routes. After the Segget Waterway activities on January 14, the next are planned for February 18 – Heritage Traders, March 18 – Teochew Heritage and April 15 – Cantonese Heritage.

 

With Barney JT Lim of
Kluang RailCoffee

My Book Reading sessions based on these Walks, from 2pm to 4.30pm are arranged in hotels located in Downtown Johor Baru that has particular relevance to the Walk routes and destinations.

 

After the Amari Johor Baru on January 14, the next on February 18 would be held in the Holiday Inn Johor Baru City Centre, with the DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Baru on March 18 and the GBW Hotel Johor Baru on April 15.

 

So clear your calendars and come join me for the Heritage Walks and Book Reading sessions planned for one Saturday each month, up to April 2023 only.

 

Let Downtown Johor Baru come alive for you again in an exciting experience hosted by My Johor Stories, only for three more Saturdays early this year.

 

Participation in each event is by registration, priced at only RM50 per person to receive a limited edition My Johor Stories tote bag, one book of My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now and an exclusive My Johor Stories souvenir bookmark.

 

Spaces are limited to 10 people for each Heritage Walk and 25 people for each Book Reading session. For more info, Tel: +6016 727 5537.

 

Participants may also buy more copies of Book Three, My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now at the book sale set up at my Book Reading sessions and get them autographed too.

 

The activities planned for the My Johor Stories in Downtown Johor Baru is an initiative under the Downtown Johor Baru Grants Programme: Arts, Heritage and Culture, a collaboration between Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and Think City, supported by Majlis Bandaraya Johor Baru (MBJB).

 

Focusing on the heritage core of Johor Baru, the grants programme aims to support community-based initiatives to reactivate Downtown Johor Baru.