Project aims to improve walkability downtown

Masjid India in Jalan Duke was built in the 1950s on a piece of land bought from a bread factory. It was first named Surau India before its expansion. The mosque’s name was changed to the present Masjid India in 1994.

CORONATION Avenue, located in the heart of Johor Baru city, encompasses heritage buildings and iconic landmarks that celebrate cultural diversity.

The Coronation Avenue booklet published by the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) and Think City offers a glimpse into the rich spiritual heritage of the capital.

They include the more than 100-year-old Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque built by renowned architect Mohamed Arif Punak featuring a blend of Islamic and colonial design; Catholic Church of Immaculate Conception, the oldest church in the city; and the Johor Ancient Temple which has held its annual Chingay procession for more than 140 years.

The Gurdwara Sahib Sikh temple – built in 1916 – is also part of the avenue, along with the Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam temple, an iconic landmark in Jalan Ungku Puan, which stands out with more than 120 statues and 26 wall paintings in the temple.

Another remarkable mosque along Coronation Avenue is Masjid India in Jalan Duke, which was built in the 1950s on a piece of land bought from a bread factory.

MBJB deputy secretary Nazatul Shima Mohamad said the Johor government wanted to improve the walkability of downtown Johor Baru, which was among the reasons for the Coronation Avenue project.

“The walkways and laneways have been gradually upgraded to become more spacious and to cater to different needs, with landscaping targeted to soften the hardscape as well, ” she said.

Nazatul Shima wants the public to take ownership of the city by refraining from littering, vandalising and destroying landmarks and landscaping.

“Upgrading works have been planned for many parts of downtown Johor Baru, including Jalan Duke, Jalan Ungku Puan, Jalan Dhoby, Jalan Gereja, Jalan Abdullah Ibrahim and Jalan Trus.”

She said the city council had always wanted to preserve the culture, heritage and arts even while working towards its goal of achieving international city status.

“Despite being an old central business district, downtown Johor Baru is rich with culture and heritage.

“There are many things to be explored here, including the hundreds of heritage buildings in the city centre.

“Aside from the iconic religious institutions listed under Coronation Avenue, we have a food map too, which lets visitors learn about the background behind the city’s popular coffeeshops and eateries, ” said Nazatul Shima.

She urged the public to take ownership of the city by refraining from littering, vandalising and destroying the landmarks and landscaping.

She said these actions, together with illegal parking, marred the city’s image and the council’s efforts to preserve and upkeep Johor Baru.

Johor Mentri Besar’s adviser Datuk Tee Siew Kiong launched Persiaran Muafakat Bangsa Johor (Coronation Avenue’s former name) back in 2017 when he was the state tourism, domestic trade and consumerism committee chairman.

He said the idea came from his objective of promoting Johor’s identity and diversity as a tourism product to show that the state was different from others.

“I wanted an initiative to tell Johor’s history so people could learn about how the sultans had graciously bestowed lands for the various faiths to build their houses of worship.

“Other than this, we wanted to showcase the state’s harmony and ‘muafakat’ spirit, ” he said.

Tee added that he felt glad to see the initiative was being continued and developed even after changes in the state government administration.