JALAN Wong Ah Fook and nearby Little India area in the heart of Johor Baru are set for a facelift as part of efforts to strengthen heritage tourism in the city centre.
State unity, heritage and culture committee chairman P. Pannir Selvam said Tourism Johor was working with Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) on plans to revitalise the historic stretch.
He said the proposed project would include developing a historical walk along Jalan Wong Ah Fook and upgrading Little India.
“It is not a major redevelopment.
“It will involve touch-ups and upgrading certain areas, as well as improving things where necessary,” he said after launching a black pepper planting ceremony along Jalan Wong Ah Fook, highlighting the crop’s historical and economic significance to the state.
Pannir Selvam said more extensive work was expected in Little India, with authorities currently finalising project details and costs.
“Work is expected to begin after Deepavali.
“The authorities are still making the necessary calculations.”
Pannir Selvam said another proposal involved installing QR codes on signboards along Jalan Wong Ah Fook and other city roads, allowing visitors to access historical facts on their mobile phones.
The initiative will cover the wider city area, with focus being on promoting Johor Baru’s historical heritage.
“The idea is that when visitors go to a particular road, they can scan the QR code and read about its history.
“This is part of the planning between Tourism Johor and MBJB.”
Pannir Selvam said such initiatives could help attract more tourists, including international visitors, by giving them a better understanding of the city’s history and heritage.
The Perling assemblyman added that more local visitors, particularly younger people, were exploring the city centre and showing greater interest in Johor’s history.
“We can already see the results of what the state government has been doing.
“Young people, especially, are becoming more interested in learning about the history of old Johor,” he said.
Programmes, he said, were also being organised to introduce schoolchildren to museums and historical figures.
Pannir Selvam also said that improvements to existing museums and heritage attractions were being considered as part of the state’s broader efforts to promote history and heritage tourism.
