Kluang

 

Overview

The Kluang district is located in the middle of the state of Johor. Geographically, it is located north from Johor Bahru, east-southeasat of Batu Pahat, west of Mersing and to the south of Segamat. The Kluang district has the distinction of being the only district in Johor that does not have a seafront because it is surrounded by six of Johor’s districts which are the Johor Bahru, Pontian, Batu Pahat, Kota Tinggi, Segamat and Mersing districts.

There is debate over where the name ‘Kluang’ was derived from. Some believe that the name Kluang was derived from the Malay word ‘keluang’ which is a type of fruit bat which has unfortunately almost completely disappeared as a result of it being hunted and the deforestation and destruction of their natural habitat. Others believe that Kluang was however named after two mountains’ silhouettes which from afar respectively resemble a bat’s head and wing.

In its young days, Kluang boasted of an entirely agricultural economy. When Kluang was founded in 1915, the district initially flourished as a rubber planting district. However, rubber planting has since taken a step back as the production of other crop types took over. Now, oil palm plantations are a norm alongside cocoa and tea plantations. Kluang is also home to dragon fruit and pineapple orchards, as well as organic vegetable farms and rice fields.

Amenities and Facilities

Kluang’s infrastructure is not lacking as it is served by a district hospital, police as well as fire station. Education options range from numerous primary schools as well as several notable secondary schools such as Sekolah Menengah Sains Johor which was built in the 1970s along the Batu Pahat road, and Kluang High School.

Accessibility and Transportation

The Kluang railway station is located at the centre of Kluang. In fact, the main railway line which links Malaysia from the north to the south was built passing through Kluang, and this helped immensely in the district’s growth. The canteen of the Kluang Railway Station which is famous for serving its traditional coffee and charcoal-toasted bread was built in the 1930s. There is also an express bus terminal at the town centre which is located next to the Kluang Parade shopping mall approximately 20 kilometres from the North-South Expressway.

Residential, commercial as well as plots of agricultural land are available for sale in this laidback yet charming town in the middle of Johor.