Johor: Local History, Local Landscapes (1855 – 1957)

How Johor was transformed from virgin jungle into a vigorous economy and a harmonious society, and how Johor Bahru grew from a village on the shoreline into a bustling metropolis – that is the story of Johor told in this book.

Visionary leadership and the energy and enterprise of many people kept Johor a step ahead – whether as the world’s largest producer of pepper and gambier, or as Malaya’s largest rubber producer, or in the forging of the first state constitution, not to mention its leadership role in the struggle for independence. Johor was modern in its policies and multicultural in its outlook.

The story of Johor is told through old photographs and historical maps accumulated through careful archival research, fieldwork through the highways and byways of Johor, and through the lives and memories of many people.

It is a history of the interaction of people and landscape that has come together to make what Johor is today.

Front cover: The Johor Causeway

Back cover: (top left) Tanjung Puteri and the sawmill at the mouth of Sungai Segget, (top right) Istana Besar,

(bottom left) The causeway between  Johor and Singapore showing the lifting bridge on the extreme right, (bottom right) Jamik Mosque, Muar.

About the Author

Now living in Johor Bahru, Datin Patricia Lim Pui Huen grew up in Singapore and worked in Singapore libraries, ending her career as Founding Librarian of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS). She studied Arts at the University of Malaya, where she met her husband, Dato’ Dr. Lim Kee Jin.

She comes from a family with deep roots in Johor. Her great-grandfather Wong Ah Fook was one of the early pioneers, and his son Dato’ S.Q. Wong was a member of the Council of State for more than twenty years. Her husband, Dato’ Lim Kee Jin, served as State Physician for an even longer period.

She has written about secret societies, clan associations, Chinese genealogies, and the Second World War. The book she wrote about her great-grandfather – Wong Ah Fook: Immigrant, Builder, and Entrepreneur (2002) – and this volume, Johor: Local History, Local Landscapes 1833–1937 – reveal her connections to Johor and her fascination with its history. Her other works include Through the Eyes of the King (2009), War and Memory in Malaysia and Singapore (2000), One-Legged Football and Other Stories (2020) – a collection of short stories dedicated to Dato’ Dr. Lim’s work for the disabled – and Lim Kee Jin: Doctor and Mentor (2025), a book that captures the life of Dato’ Dr. Lim Kee Jin, from his experiences during the Japanese Occupation and his Penang roots to his pioneering contributions in medicine, healthcare, and nature.