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KLUANG

Kluang is a town and district located near the middle of the state

ofJohorin the southern portion ofpeninsular Malaysia. Kluang lies about

110 km north ofJohor Bahru, east-southeast ofBatu Pahat, west

ofMersingand south ofSegamat. The population of Kluang district

exceeds 250,000 residents and the town itself has over 140,000 residents.

History1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peninsular_Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor_Bahruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Pahathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Pahathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mersinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segamathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segamathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peninsular_Malaysiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor_Bahruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Pahathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mersinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segamathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor

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The name Kluangtaken from the Malay word 'keluang' which

means a type offlying fox or rather a type of fruit bat. These used to be

plentiful in the district decades ago. They have almost completely

disappeared due to the combination of hunting and destruction of their

natural habitat (deforestation).

Kluang was founded in 1915 as the administrative capital for central

Johor. The main railway line linking north to south Malaya was built

passing through Kluang and this helped in its growth. Roads were built to

link Kluang to Johor Bahru towards the south, to Batu Pahat towards the

north-west and to Mersing towards the east.

Kluang is divided into two district councils namely Simpang

Renggam District Council (Majlis Daerah Simpang Renggam) based at the

town of Simpang Renggam and Kluang Municipal Council (Majlis

Perbandaran Kluang) based at the town of Kluang which is also the district

capital.

During World War II, the town of Kluang was occupied by Japanese

soldiers advancing southwards as it was abandoned by British soldiers

withdrawing towards Singapore. General Yamashita moved his

headquarters forward from Kuala Lumpur to Kluang on 27 January 1942

as he advanced southwards. The Japanese later used the airfield in

Kluang to launch air attacks on targets ranging from Singapore to

Sumatra.

In the mid-fifties the airfield was used for helicopters searching for

terrorists who were encamped in the Bukit Lambak area. Terrorism was

largely driven out of the area in the six months leading up to Merdeka in

1957. The whole area around the airfield was a substantial army garrison

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_foxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Malayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor_Bahruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Pahathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mersinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Yamashitahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_foxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Malayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor_Bahruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Pahathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mersinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Yamashita

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with many different units and a large hospital. From 1963 onwards the

airfield was used by the British Army as a base for aircraft workshops.

Geography

Kluang lies in an area of undulating hills. The highest point in Kluang

is Gunung Lambak, a 510m tall mountain and one of the southernmost

mountains in the Malaysian main range which lies not far from the town.

The Mengkibol Riverruns through the town. Kluang is landlocked

and has no seafront.

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Agriculture

Since 1915 when Kluang was founded, the area initially grew as

a rubberplanting district. There are vast areas planted with rubber in the

early days under the Guthrie Ropel Group, Asiatic Plantations, Harrison

Crossfield and various other rubber companies. An innovation was the

process of vacuum evaporation of rubber latex by the Revertex company.

Planters established the Kluang Club which is still thriving as the

Kluang Country Club. Notable rubber plantations estates, surrounding

Kluang were Lambak Estate, Mengkibol Estate, Kluang Estate, Benut

Estate, Paloh Estate, Chamek Estate, Niyor Estate, Kahang Estate, Pamol

Estate and Kekayaan Estate.

Rubber planting has, however, since then taken a back seat to

other types of crops. Kluang now boasts large tracts of oil palm plantations

as well as pineapple,cocoa and tea plantations. New kinds of plantation

such as dragon fruit and organic vegetables are also popular.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_palmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_cacaohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_cacaohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_palmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_cacaohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea

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Industry and commerce

From its early days as an entirely agricultural economy, Kluang has

developed various industries including polymer, paper, textiles, ceramics,industrial paints and electrical products. Most of Malaysia's major banks

have branches in Kluang such as Maybank, Public Bank, United Overseas

Bank and a few others. In the last few years, several stock brokerages

have opened shop in Kluang.

Infrastructure

Kluang is served by a district hospital, a district police station and

fire station. It has numerous primary schools, several secondary schools

and a public library. Kluang also has its own Stadium.

Sekolah Menengah Sains Johor, a government boarding secondary

school with a special emphasis on science subjects, was built in the 1970s

on the outskirts of Kluang along the Jalan Batu Pahat.

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Kluang High School or Sekolah Tinggi Kluang is one of the best

known schools in Kluang, and the Chong Hwa High School is the third

biggest Chinese secondary school in Malaysia.

Kluang has three shopping malls; first established was BCB Plaza,

then Kluang Parade, while the latest addition is Kluang Mall. These three

shopping malls and other convenient stores like The Store are in the same

vicinity.

Transportation

The Kluang railway station is a KTM train station in Kluang, Johor.

The station is located in heart of Kluang town and access to every location

in town can done by walking distance. The Kluang railway station provides

KTM Intercity train services. There is well known coffee shop in the station

named Kluang RailCoffee. The coffee shop now has expanded into

franchise business and more outlets are available in major cities including

Kuala Lumpur.

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Kluang express bus terminal located at Jalan Bakawali, Kluang. It is

near to BCB Plaza. Express buses depart from this terminal to most of city

in Peninsular Malaysia.

Tourism

Gunung Belumut and Gunung Lambak are popular with jungle

trekkers. You can enjoy horse riding activities at Gunung Lambak. The

area ofMachap (between Simpang Renggam andAir Hitam) is well

known for its pottery and porcelain.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunung_Belumuthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunung_Lambakhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machaphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simpang_Renggamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Hitamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potteryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcelainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunung_Belumuthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunung_Lambakhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machaphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simpang_Renggamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Hitamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potteryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcelain

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The majority of eating establishments are outdoor-style hawker

stalls or simple restaurants. There is a wide range of Indian, Malay and

Chinese food available. Interestingly, there is a wide selection of very

good quality Chinese food on offer including an outdoor/indoor dim sum

restaurant.

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