HISTORY BEHIND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF JOHOR BAHRU TENGAH MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

In brief, the early history of Johor Bahru Tengah Municipal Council began with the establishment of 8 Local Councils during the 60s which was under the Town Board Enactment 118. From the enlargement of residents and increase in asset, therefore on March 1st, 1978 Johor Bahru Tengah Municipal was formed under the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171) that covered areas of 104.7 kilometer square with total residents of 150,000 people. The outcome from this continuous growth, therefore in year 1995, the Johor Bahru Tengah Municipal's administration areas had been widen up to 303.48 kilometer square with total asset increased to 98,515 and the number of residents increased by reaching 500,000 people.

SKUDAI LOCAL COUNCIL

The Skudai Town is situated at Batu 10, Jalan Ayer Baloi, Johor Bahru and also between the junctions of Jalan Gelang Patah and Jalan Pontian, 16 kilometers from Johor Bahru Municipal.

Skudai Local Council was established in 1953 in accordance to 1952 Local Council Laws and The Town Boards Enactment No. 118. This local council was administered by a management board which consisted of 8 Board Members where 6 of them were chosen by the local residents under the Local Council Election Act, 1960. Meanwhile 2 other members were appointed by the State Government. Poh Yong Kee was chosen as the first Chairman for Skudai Local Authority from 1953 to 1960. He was then reelect as Chairman in 1962 and kept his post until 1973.

The size of administration areas increased to 340 acres in 1970. The number of residential houses and shop houses in 1957 were about 184 and most of them were temporary. In 1976, the number of residential and shop houses had increased three fold to 593. The reason for the increase was that a few housing projects were developed by private parties at that time.

LIMA KEDAI LOCAL COUNCIL

Before the World War II began, an English man had built a residential house on top of a quarry base. He was also responsible in building five shop houses along a riverside near a bridge. All the five shop houses were rented to four residents of whom three Chinese and a Punjabi. They carried out business activities such as selling groceries, coffee shop and barber shop.

Nevertheless, during the emergency period in 1948, these five shop houses and the residents around the vicinity were ordered to move to the Hiap Send rubber plantations and now been known as Kampung Baru Lima Kedai.

Initially, there were about 42 units of wooden houses and a few housing lot bases been granted by the State Government with the help of a Relocation Officer. A police station was also been built at that time.

Lima Kedai Local Council was established on August 1st, 1954 by renting a house as it office. On Mei 31st, 1959, an election for Municipal and Local Councils were held and a chairman was elected. The government had also proposed for the election to be carried out once in three years. Therefore in 1962, another election was held.

GELANG PATAH LOCAL COUNCIL

The Gelang Patah Local Council was established in on September 3rd, 1953 and was administered by the Assistant District Officer with six council members chosen by the residents. Its chairman was Lim Tee Tong and he held the post for several years. On August 21st, 1957, two new council members were appointed by the State Government of whom were a Malay and an Indian.

An election was held every year to choose Council members and in 1962, the Johor Bahru Election Department held and carried out an election under the Local Government Election Act 1960. In year 1961, the Socialist Front Party had participated in the election to against the MCA party candidates.

The Local Council was administered according to the 1952 Local Council Acts and the Town Board Enactment No. 118. Every year the Government had granted financial assistance to enable the Local Council carried out its duties flawlessly. The main income for Local Council was earned from door tax, sewage tax, business licenses, bicycle license and income from water collection.

KANGKAR PULAI LOCAL COUNCIL

The Kangkar Pulai Village was situated along the Pulai Mountain outskirt at Batu 16½ Jalan Pontian - Johor. Kangkar Pulai Local Council was established on March 15th, 1953 to manage village affairs such as hygiene, health, social welfare, religion and so on. A small room situated at E-49, Jalan Kangkar Pulai was made as its temporary office. The local council's office was then moved to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in March 1955. In year 1956, there were about 125 units of houses with total residents of about 1,112 people.

The Front Socialist Party had successfully won six seats during the local election held in 1959. With that victory, Front Socialist Party gained full power to administer Kangkar Pulai Local Council led by its chairman, Wong Chong Ching in 1961. The Kangkar Pulai Local Council's office was again moved from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to Kangkar Pulai Community Center which was built by the Government.

In May 1962, the local authority once again held the local election. During the election the MCA Party won and managed to grab all seats. Wu Ngo Tong was appointed as the fifth chairman. Meanwhile in August 1968, Lee Tze Fooi was appointed as the seventh chairman.

ULU CHOH LOCAL COUNCIL

About 50 years ago, Ulu Choh was merely a secluded thick forest. The Government at the moment encouraged the residents around the vicinity to participate in the agricultural sector such as in rubber tree and vegetable plantations. During the same period, Singapore wanted to have water supply from the State of Johor. From that event, Singapore had then opened its P.U.B branch in Ulu Choh to process the water supplied to itself. The opening of P.U.B branch had resulted in the influx of people until a small village was formed which later known as Batu 22, Jalan Kolam Air.

Kampung Ulu Choh was formed in 1951 and in early 1953, Batu 22 was declared as the Ulu Choh Local Council. The Government then appointed a few well known local people to be Council members. The first Local Council chairman was Kok Yin Khian followed by Kok Kim Hee.

In year 1959, Ulu Choh Local Council's first election was held to choose the Local Authority Government.

ULU TIRAM LOCAL COUNCIL

Ulu Tiram was situated about 20 kilometres from Johor Bahru Municipal towards Jalan Kota Tinggi. The new village was opened in 1927 with 500 residents and 47 units of shop houses and 5 units of residential houses. It also had a Police Station and a Postal Representative.

Ulu Tiram started to change when a resettlement action was carried out by the Government during the emergency era between 1949 to 1951. The residents were brought together and been given assistance including building residential houses. In year 1949, a New Village Committee under the guidance of a Resettlement Officer was formed. At the end of 1949, the Ulu Tiram Local Council was declared to take over New Village Committee. The last election held during that time was on Mei 30th, 1962. Four Alliance Party candidates and four Socialist Front Party candidates were chosen and another one was chosen by the Government to become its members. The Local Council Committee was formed and chaired by Liew Sing Seng of the Alliance Party.

PLENTONG LOCAL COUNCIL

When the emergency period occurred in 1949, residents from Kampung Baru Ban Foo, Kampung Lunchoo, Ladang San and the villages around the vicinity were ordered by the Government to be brought together and moved to an area which now known as Kampung Baru Plentong.

The Plentong Local Council was established in 1953 following from the increasing number of residents and to ensure the safety of the town itself. During that time, nine committee members were chosen by the residents and two other members were appointed by the Government.

MASAI LOCAL COUNCIL

Initially, the Masai Local Council was a very small village with small number of residents. In year 1949, while the nation was under the threat of the communist and placed under the emergency situation, residents who lived at remote places aside the estates and nearby villages were ordered to be moved to Masai. As a result, the Government had decided to wedge the areas to protect the Masai residents from communist's provocation and to facilitate administration activities.

In year 1952, the Government had also taken steps just like other Local Council did by establishing committee to administer the new village lead by Chee Meng Kee. The Masai Local Council was established in year 1953 with nine committee members and chaired by Chee Meng Kee. The selection proses for the committee was made through an election where three candidates contested by using symbols such as car, bicycle and telephone. The first district officer during the establishment of the Local Council was Tan Sri Dato' Samsu Bin Mahmood.