History of Johor Bahru in Timeline

Johor Bahru (JB) is the capital city of Johor, a state in Malaysia, and the central hub of the Johor Bahru District. As of 2020, it has a population of 858,118, making it the largest state capital in Malaysia by population. Geographically, it is situated at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula and shares a border with Singapore.

1909: Malay Peninsula Railway Extension Finished

In 1909, the Malay Peninsula railway extension was finished in Johor Bahru.

1910: Johor Art Gallery Built

In 1910, the Johor Art Gallery was built in Petrie Road. It was known as the house for the former third Chief Minister of Johor, Abdullah Jaafar.

1914: Establishment of the English College

In 1914, The English College (now Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar) was established close to the Sungai Chat Palace before being moved to its present location at Sungai Chat Road.

1914: Direct Colonial Rule

In 1914, the direct colonial rule only came into effect when the status of the adviser was elevated to a status similar to that of a Resident in the Federated Malay States (FMS) during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim.

1923: Completion of Johor-Singapore Causeway

In 1923, the Johor-Singapore Causeway was completed.

1928: Johor Zoo Built

In 1928, the Johor Zoo, the oldest zoo in Malaysia and one of the oldest in Asia, was built.

1936: Sultan Ibrahim Building Built

In 1936, the Sultan Ibrahim Building was built by British architect Palmer and Turner. It became the center of the administration of Johor.

1940: Completion of Sultan Ibrahim Building

In 1940, the secretariat building—Sultan Ibrahim Building—was completed as the British colonial government attempted to streamline the state's administration.

January 1942: Japanese Invasion of Johor Bahru

In January 1942, the Japanese under General Tomoyuki Yamashita invaded Johor Bahru and captured major towns. The British retreated to Singapore and blew up the causeway.

May 1946: Formation of United Malay National Organisation

In May 1946, Onn Jaafar formed the United Malay National Organisation party in Johor Bahru.

1946: Formation of UMNO

In 1946, Johor Bahru became the post-war cradle of Malay nationalism, with the formation of the major political party UMNO at the Istana Besar.

1962: Johor Zoo Renovation

In 1962, the Johor Zoo was handed over to the state government for renovation.

1963: Formation of the Federation of Malaysia

In 1963, after the formation of the Federation of Malaysia, Johor Bahru continued as the state capital and more development was carried out.

1965: Bombing of the MacDonald House in Singapore

In 1965, the Indonesian spy organisation GEMI was active until the bombing of the MacDonald House in Singapore.

January 1994: Johor Bahru Granted City Status

On January 1, 1994, Johor Bahru was officially granted city status and the Johor Bahru City Council was formed.

January 1994: Johor Bahru City Status Obtained

When Johor Bahru obtained city status on January 1, 1994, it had an initial area of 186 square kilometres.

1994: Johor Bahru Granted City Status

In 1994, Johor Bahru was granted city status and became part of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone and Iskandar Malaysia.

1994: Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple Renovation

In 1994, the Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple was renovated by the Persekutuan Tiong Hua Johor Bahru (Johor Bahru Tiong Hua Association).

2000: Johor Art Gallery Renovation

In 2000, the Johor Art Gallery underwent renovation and became the center for the collection of artifacts related to Johor's cultural history.

2000: Increase in Johor Bahru area

In the year 2000 the area of Johor Bahru was increased to 220 square kilometres after first parts of Tebrau area were transferred from Johor Bahru Tengah municipality.

December 2005: Closure of Johor Bahru Prison

In December 2005, Johor Bahru Prison was closed down after 122 years of operation, with its function being transferred to a prison in Kluang.

2006: Formation of Iskandar Malaysia

After 2006, particularly after the formation of Iskandar Malaysia, the state and federal government channelled considerable funds for the development of Johor Bahru.

July 2014: Johor State Government Decision

On July 2, 2014, the Johor State Government decided to cede parts of Pulai Mukim across Skudai River along Jalan Ismail Sultan, Second parts of Tebrau Mukim, West parts of Plentong Mukim and a small portion of Sungai Tiram Mukim from Johor Bahru Tengah.

2014: Wong Ah Fook Mansion Demolition

In 2014, the Wong Ah Fook Mansion, which stood for more than 150 years, was illegally demolished by its owner to make way for a commercial housing development without informing the state government.

2015: KTM Shuttle Train Service

Since 2015, KTM operates an international cross-border shuttle train service to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore from JB Sentral station.

January 2016: Redelineation Exercise Takes Effect

On January 1, 2016, the redelineation exercise took effect, increasing the city limit to 373.18 square kilometres.

2017: LRT/BRT System Planning

In 2017, the Johor state government acknowledged the high traffic congestion in Johor Bahru and began planning for a light rapid transit (LRT) or bus rapid transit (BRT) system.

2017: Plans for LRT or BRT System

Since at least 2017, the state government has been making plans for the implementation of a Light Rail Transit (LRT) or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system due to traffic congestion.

2018: The Astaka Becomes Tallest Building

Since 2018, The Astaka has been the tallest building in Johor Bahru and outside Kuala Lumpur.

2019: Johor Bahru Tourism Ranking

In 2019, Johor Bahru was ranked the world's 39th most visited city by international tourists, according to Euromonitor International, making it Malaysia's second most visited city by international tourists, after Kuala Lumpur.

2020: Johor Bahru Population

In 2020, Johor Bahru had a population of 858,118 people, making it the largest state capital city in Malaysia by population.

2020: Population of Johor Bahru

In 2020, the Malaysian Census reported the population of Johor Bahru as 858,118, making it the largest state capital city in Malaysia.

2021: Global City Ranking

In 2021, Johor Bahru was ranked 432nd globally in the Global City Lab's global cities report.

2023: Population of Johor Bahru District

As of 2023, Johor Bahru District had a population of 1.8 million, making it the second largest district in Malaysia.

2024: Johor Bahru Ranked High in Living Quality

As of 2024, Johor Bahru has been ranked one of the global cities with the highest living quality, the third highest in Southeast Asia.

2024: Johor Shopping Centers

As of 2024, Johor has the most shopping centres out of any state in Malaysia, with a total of 156 within the state—primarily concentrated within Johor Bahru.

2024: Plans to Construct Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) network

As of 2024, the state government is commencing plans to construct an elevated Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) network in the city.

2024: LRT System Shelved

In 2024, plans for a light rail transit (LRT) system were shelved due to long wait times for completion. The government opted for an elevated autonomous rail rapid transit (ART) network instead.

January 2025: Mohd Haffiz Ahmad Takes Office

On January 3, 2025, Mohd Haffiz Ahmad took office as the mayor of Johor Bahru City Council.

October 2025: Johor Bahru Draft Local Plan 2035 Release

In October 2025, the Johor Bahru Draft Local Plan 2035 (RTJB 2035) was released, unveiling plans for four bus and ART lines: Skudai, Iskandar Puteri, Tebrau, and Pasir Gudang Transit Corridors. The total cost of the ART lines is predicted to be around RM17 billion.

2025: ART Network Construction

By the end of 2025, construction works are slated to begin for an elevated autonomous rail rapid transit (ART) network.

2025: World's Most Attractive City for Business

In 2025, Johor Bahru is ranked the world's 20th most attractive city for businesses, second in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur, according to Oliver Wyman.