MENU

Tourism Tourism

   KOTA TINGGI MUSEUM

Kota Tinggi Museum is located about 0.5 km from Kota Tinggi town; near to Jalan Mawai, the main road to Desaru and Jalan Johor Bahru junction. Generally, this museum’s exhibitions encase the four historical phases of Johor according to chronological sequence. As such, the museum’s focus are on Ancient Johor Sultanate history, the Political Institution and Sosio-economic Development of Kota Tinggi District which covers the glorious years of ancient Johor ( 1529-1705 ) up to today.

LAMAN LAKSAMANA

Laman Laksamana is courtyard or park within a community. This park is located close to Taman Kemang. It was officiated by Secretary to the Public Works and Housing Committee, Datuk Baderi Dasuki.

  
   KOTA TINGGI WATERFALLS

Kota Tinggi Waterfalls is located approximately 56 km north of Johor Bahru and 16 km from Kota Tinggi town. There is a resort here with 43 modern hotel rooms and 20 chalets built on the hill slopes.

KOTA JOHOR LAMA

Kota Johor Lama or Old Johor City is located on the left bank downstream of Sungai Johor; about 27km from Kota Tinggi town or about 30km towards Desaru through Teluk Sengat.

Kota Johor Lama’s history started in 1540 when Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II (Second King of Johore, 1528-1564) moved to Tanjung Batu which was located at the bank of Sungai Johor.

The Sultan had built a fortress made of stone and strengthened with mud, which is now known as Kota Johor Lama. With this city built, Johor became a powerful state which was able to counter Acheh’s attack several times.

  

HISTORICAL SITES ALONG SUNGAI JOHOR

     a) Makam Laksamana Bentan
     b) Makam Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang
     c) Kampung Panchor
     d) Sayong Pinang
     e) Makam Kucing Bertanduk
     f) Kota Makam Tauhid
     g) Kubu Budak
     h) Bukit Seluyut
     i) Makam Bendahara Tun Habab
     j) Makam Cik Siti
     k) Pasir Putih

 
MAKAM LAKSAMANA BENTAN

Makam Laksamana Bentan is located in Kampung Kelantan near to Tebing Sungai Kemang in Kota Tinggi district. It is only about 2km from Kota Tinggi town.

Laksamana Bentan's real name was Megat Seri Rama who originated from Bentan in Sumatera. He was the admiral for the naval forces of Sultan Mahmud Shah II.

Megat Seri Rama stabbed Sultan Mahmud as he was being carried to avenge his wife's death ( Dang Anum ) who had been killed by the sultan.

  
   MAKAM SULTAN MAHMUD MANGKAT DIJULANG

Makam Sultan Mahmud is located in Kampung Makam, which is about 3km from Kota Tinggi town. 

Adjacent to this mauseleum is the Kampung Makam mosque and Kota Tinggi River, which is about 100 metres from here. This tomb is known as Makam Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang. Sultan Mahmud was born in 1675 and died after being slained by Megat Seri Rama on Friday, August 1699. He was the last descendent of Fatimah, the grandchild of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II who was opened up Johor Lama in 1530.

   KAMPUNG PANCHOR

Kampung Panchor is located approximately 14km from Bandar Kota Tinggi if you go to Desaru through Kota Tinggi. You have to pass a gravel road through Felda Air Tawar's oil palm plantation to reach it. It is situated next to Sungai Johor. 

Kampung Panchor was named such after a natural water spout found at the edge of the village. 

This natural fountain was said to be always spouting its water out with a loud noise. This shower of water was said to never experienced dryness even in a long drought. In past, it became the source of water for the villagers.

SAYONG PINANG

Sayong Pinang was the administrative centre of Johor during Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II’s rule (1528 - 1564) when the Sultan moved here after being defeated by the Portuguese in June 1535

Sayong Pinang had never been attacked or ravaged by its enemy because of its position on the narrow banks of the river which made it difficult for battleships to land. As such, Sayong Pinang still has the remains of the city built in 1535.

  
   MAKAM KUCING BERTANDUK

During Sultan Mahmud Shah II's era, the Sultan was said to have a pet cat which he loved. It was just a regular cat but was alleged to have a tiny pair of horns in section on its head.

There were sources which said that the cat was named 'Si Comel' by the Sultan. It loved walking on the roof from house to house. It also loved to eat vegetables. 

Its speciality was that it was able to detect future enemies who would come to attack Kota Tinggi.

This special cat died suddenly a week before the Sultan himself died. He was very sad and commanded that the cat be buried ceremoniously. Two round stones were placed on the grave as tombstones.

    KOTA MAKAM TAUHID

Kota Makam Tauhid is located in Kampung Makam, about 2 km from Kota Tinggi town. It is situated near Sungai Pemandi which flows into Sungai Kota Tinggi. 

Kota Makam Tauhid is not a tomb but was the eighth Ancient Johor Government’s capital located on the mainland and became centre the government’s centre twice.

Historical records confirmed that Makam Tauhid was made Johor state’s capital for the first time in 1637 during Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah III's rule (1623 1677).

KUBU BUDAK

Kubu Budak is located at Sungai Johor Lama's estuary opposite to Kampung Johor Lama. You can reach Kubu Budak by acrossing Sungai Johor Lama through Kampung Johor Lama.

Kubu Budak was the second most important fortress built after Kota Batu. It was built to watch over the waterways of Sungai Johor and Sungai Johor Lama. 

According history, this bhold was built a group of children. Each child took a fistful of earth and thereby built a wide bhold. The fortress was named Kubu Budak to commemorate their work.

  

KOTA JOHOR LAMA HISTORICAL COMPLEX

Kota Johor Lama Historical Complex is administered by Department of Museums and Antiquity (now Department of Museums Malaysia) since 1970. 

Literature on this historical fort can be found in:

1. Excavation by G.D.G. Sieveking, C.A. Gibson Hill and Whitley in 1954.
2. Written research by I.A. Macgregor (Journal of the Malayan Branch Royal Asiatic Society in 1954).
3. The Johor Heritage Journal in 1997.
4. Iesnordin bin Hj. Malan - Historical Sites in Johor. Unpublished Report 1994.

Kota Johor Lama is located at the left-side shore of the Johor River, about 27 km from Bandar Kota Tinggi or roughly 30 km by land via Desaru to Teluk Langat. The fort is situated in a rubber estate area on the shores of the Johor River. There are also a few Malay settlements such as Teluk Sengat Village and Johor Lama Village.

The history of Kota Johor Lama began in 1540 whn Sutan Alauddin Riayat Shah II (the second King of Johor 1528-1564) moved to Tanjung Batu which was just beside the Johor River. He then built a "kota" (fort) from fortified rocks. With the construction of the fort, the kingdom of Johor became a powerful one, able to fend off attacks from the Achehnese several times.

   

Paulo de Lima Pareira reported that during those clashes, the Portuguese totally destroyed the Kota Johor Lama administrative center, its fort and burned them down. He then proceeded to confiscate 800 cannons made of gold, silver and bronze; 1,200 small and big boats etc. According to him, the ship carrying the war bounties sank in Indonesian waters. Since then, the administrative center in Tanjung Batu and its stone fort ceased to be used as the capital by subsequent Johor rulers.

   

Kota Johor Lama was forgotten for a while until Sultan Ibrahim’s (1677-1685) rule. In 1678, Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil Paduka Raja (Sultan Ibrahim’s father-in-law) came to Johor Lama from Siak and killed the Temenggong. Sultan Ibrahim tried to rebuild Johor Lama and shift his administrative center there. Unfortunately, that was never achieved, for he died in Riau on Feb. 16, 1685. Kota Johor Lama then became the temporary residence of Sultan Mahmud Shah II (1685-1699). 

His adminstrative center at the time was at Pasir Raja, Kota Tinggi (now Kampung Makam). After his death, Kota Johor Lama ceased to be used.

The significance of Kota Johor Lama in the history of Johor Malays’ Sultanage is not to be seen lightly. It twice became the state’s capital, once for a period of 24 years under the rule of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah (1540-1564) and the other during the peak of Sultan Ali Jalla Abdul Jalil Shah, spanning 13 years (1574-1587). Today, all that remain are the ruins of a once proud and mighty fort, constantly maintained and conserved. All the prosperity and and the pride of the Kota Batu Malay Sultanage has been replaced by a settlement, engulfed in peace and tranquility. 

Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II finally tasted defeat in the hands of Acheh under Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah Shah Al-Qahhar in a vicious battle. Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II was then brought to Acheh and was handed the death sentence in 1564. In 1564, with the Sultan of Acheh’s permission, the late Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II’s son, Radin Badar, was appointed as the third Sultan of Johor after Sultan Muzaffar Shah. After residing in Kota Johor Lama for a year, he shifted the administrative center to Seluyut until his death in 1570. He was replaced by Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah I. He was only eight when he was appointed and all administrative matters was handed over to the Bendahara Seri Maharaja Tun Hisap Misai. Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah 1, the fourth Sultan of Johor, died after only a year of being appointed, in 1571.

Raja Umar was appointed to be the fifth Sultan of Johor with the title Sultan Ali Jalla Shah II. He ruled from 1571-1597. In 1593, he again took residence in Kota Johor Lama and repaired the fort that was left untended for nine years (1564-15773). During his rule, Johor was again on good terms with Acheh. This relationship was not in favor with the Portuguese in Malacca, and they took action by attacking Kota Johor Lama in 1576 and 1578.

Both of these attacks were successfully defended by the Johorian army. During Sultan Ali Jalla Abdul Jalil’s rule, he launched a few attacks on the Portuguese in Malacca. Were it not for the additional support of the Portuguese from Goa, India, Malacca would surely have been re-conquered.

   

Johor, considered a threat to the Portuguese in Malacca, was finally attacked and defeated by the Portuguese in August 15, 1587. Johor Lama was surrounded and besieged for nearly a month by a large batallion of Portuguese army under the command of Siamo de Abreu de Antonio de Noroha. Sultan Ali Jalla Abdul Jalil retreated and built a new administrative center in Batu Sawar until his death in 1597.

Entrance Fees Contact Person Address Tel No.
Free

En. Hanif Bukhari bin Abd. Rahim  
Assistant Curator

Kompleks Sejarah Kota Johor Lama
Lot 1468, Kg. Johor Lama
81940 Kota Tinggi
Johor
Tel: +607 883 1498
Faks: +607 895 2082

 

 Courtesy of Department of Museum Malaysia
For more information, please see http://www.jmm.gov.my