ONE can easily spot a true-blue Johorean Malay man by how he dresses for Friday prayers, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Hari Raya Aidiladha.
Guests attending an akad nikah (solemnisation) ceremony can also often tell where the groom comes from just by looking at his baju Melayu Teluk Belanga.
“True-blue Johorean Malay grooms will only dress in the baju Teluk Belanga for their solemnisation ceremonies, unlike Malays from other states, who prefer the baju Melayu cekak musang,” said Teluk Belanga Design proprietor Jamil Sukaimi.
“But that may be changing, as the baju Melayu Teluk Belanga is becoming more popular with Malay men in other states too.”
He noted that the baju Teluk Belanga is also gaining popularity among Malay men in Singapore and parts of Indonesia, especially the Riau Archipelago.
Jamil attributed the popularity of the attire to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, who is also the Johor Ruler, and his son, Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim.
“Its popularity was further reaffirmed when Sultan Ibrahim began his reign as the King of Malaysia on Jan 31, 2024, and Tunku Ismail was appointed the Regent of Johor,” he said.
As a native Johorean hailing from Machap, Simpang Renggam, Jamil said he is delighted to see Malay men from other states donning the attire.
“Its appeal is also catching on fast among teenagers and young adults,” he added.
Jamil said the Johor Darul Ta’zim Football Club’s dominance in Malaysian football, massive financial investment and world-class management have also helped to promote the baju Melayu Teluk Belanga.
“JDT FC, with millions of fans across their social media platforms, has helped to push the attire’s popularity, with Tunku Ismail as the club’s owner,” said Jamil.
According to local historians, the style was created by Sultan Ibrahim’s great-great-grandfather, the late Sultan Abu Bakar.
The design served to commemorate the relocation of the Johor empire’s administrative capital in 1866, moving from Teluk Blangah in Singapore to Tanjung Puteri, present-day Johor Baru.
“The style sets us apart from other states, and the garment has remained popular among Johorean Malays for 160 years, although it has evolved over time,” Jamil noted.
The Teluk Belanga style features a round neckline with a slit in the middle, fastened by a detachable single button known as sebuku garam, which is usually made from semi-precious or precious stone.
This differs from the other popular attire like the cekak musang style, which features five buttons fixed along the placket, while some versions have three buttons with a Mandarin-like collar.
“The toughest part of making baju Melayu Teluk Belanga is cutting the round neckline, known as the bulan (moon), and stitching the tulang belut (eel’s spine) finish, which is far more challenging than the stiffer, raised collar of the cekak musang style,” explained Jamil.
He said Johor royalty typically wear contrasting colours – a bright top paired with black trousers – whereas commoners usually wear a sedondon (monochromatic) set.
