A very rough guide to Kelapa Sawit

By Eric Lim

In school, I was told by my Tawarikh teacher that a Hindu prince from Palembang, by the name of Parameswara was fleeing from Temasek after he had assassinated the local chief. One afternoon, Parameswara and his followers were resting under a tree and they witnessed a fight between their dogs and a little Kancil. Kancil stood its ground and kicked the dogs to the river. Parameswara was overwhelmed by the bravery of Kancil and immediately announced that he would make the place his new kingdom. He then asked for the name of the tree and his followers said it was the Melaka tree.

Like Melaka, many cities and towns in our country are named after trees, fruits or plants, like Pulau Pinang (pinang palm tree), Ipoh (ipoh tree), Tanjung Rambutan (rambutan), Durian Tunggal (durian), just to name a few.

Did you know that there is a small town in Johor by the name of Kelapa Sawit? It is located along Federal Route 1, between Jalan Kulai – Air Hitam road. The name literally translates to ‘oil palm’ in English, and it clearly shows the town’s close association to the palm oil industry.

Kelapa Sawit is situated in the mukim (subdistrict) of Bukit Batu, which is one of four mukims that make up the district of Kulai. The main administrative town of the district is Bandar Kulai which is just 9 km south of Kelapa Sawit. It began operation as a full district on 1 January 2008 and was known at that time as the Kulaijaya District. In August 2015, Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Sultan Iskandar (current Yang DiPertuan Agong) ordered the State Government to revert to its original name of Kulai.

The origin of the town’s name dates back to the 19th century when there was an influx of turtles coming to shore each time the area was flooded. The Chinese, mainly Hainanese at that time, named it Kulai (龟来) meaning ‘turtle coming’.

The following is a brief historical overview of the Johor Sultanate and the state agriculture sector. Right after the fall of Melaka to the Portuguese in 1511, Sultan Mahmud Shah fled  to the inland areas in the south, then to Pahang and Bintan in the Riau Island. In 1528, Sultan Alauddin Riwayat Shah, son of Sultan Mahmud Shah, established the Johor Sultanate by setting his base at Johor Lama, along the Johor River. The kingdom managed to overcome the prolonged war with the Portuguese and Acheh but they had to move their capital 20 times, each time moving further upstream of the Johor River. Finally in 1641, Johor together with the Dutch and Acheh, captured Melaka from the Portuguese. For their part in capturing Melaka, Johor was offered special trade and political privileges by the Dutch and it grew to control the Straits of Melaka up to the 19th century. In 1819, Stamford Raffles succeeded to get the lease of Singapore from Johor and the right for the British East India Company (EIC) to set up a trading post. The signatories for Johor were Sultan Husain and Temenggong Abdul Rahman.

In 1825, Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim succeeded Temenggong Abdul Rahman as the Temenggong of Johor. He immediately went on to develop Johor as the centre for the production of pepper and gambier by implementing the ‘Kangchu system’ for Chinese cultivators and ushering in labourers for the plantations from Java. Essentially the Kangchu system was a scheme to develop a large part of virgin jungle into town and cultivated land. The first area to be developed was Sekudai (Skudai) river in 1844, followed by Tebrau river. Later, it covered the northern region including places like Muar, Yong Peng, Kota Tinggi, Endau and Batu Pahat. In 1855, the entire state of Johor was ceded to Temenggong Ibrahim in a treaty signed by Sultan Ali Iskandar Shah. In the same year, Temenggong Ibrahim opened Iskandar Puteri in Tanjong Puteri. Following his death in 1862, his son Abu Bakar took over with the title Dato Temenggong Sri Maharaja Johor which later he shortened to Maharaja Abu Bakar. Under his administration, Johor continued to develop and he gained the trust and recognition of the British as the Sultan of Johor. In 1866, he changed the name of Iskandar Puteri to Johor Bahru and three years later, he ordered for the construction of the Johor Wooden Railway, linking Johor Bahru to Gunong Pulai. The second railway line in the state, Muar State Railway connecting Muar and the coastal settlement of Parit Jawa began operation on 11  March 1890. Both these lines were funded from the state’s coffer.  Sultan Ibrahim held the reign as Sultan of Johor from 1895 until his passing in 1959. Next was Sultan Ismail, from 1960 to 1981, followed by Sultan Iskandar 1981 to 2010 and Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar became Sultan of Johor on January 23, 2010. On 31 January 2024, Sultan Ibrahim was sworn in as the 17th Yang DiPertuan Agong of Malaysia.

The introduction of the Kangchu system had made Johor a key state in the agricultural sector. Johor became a major producer of pepper and gambier in the 19th century. The Kangchu system was eventually abolished in 1917 under the Kangchu Rights (Abolition) Enactment during the British administration. Chinese farmers then turned to growing coffee, tapioca and pineapple. With the advent of the automobile industry, rubber became the main commercial crop. After our country’s independence, the government’s focus was on diversification of its economy and this paved the way for the formation of the Federal Land Development Authourity or FELDA in short.

The agency was tasked to handle the resettlement of the rural poor into newly developed areas and to organize smallholder farms growing cash crops, mainly rubber and palm oil. Johor became one of the benefactors of the scheme as there was a significant shift to the cultivation of palm oil in the state. Johor soon became the state with the highest palm oil plantation in the peninsula. 

By the turn of the century, Johor was emerging into a modern state in the peninsular. The railway line passing through Johor was completed in 1907 and officially opened to the public in 1909. It was initially known as the Johor State Railway but three years later, its operation came under the Federated Malay States Railway (FMSR) when it managed to lease it for 21 years. As for road transport, the Johor Bahru – Kulai section of the Federal Route 1, the oldest federal road in the country, was completed in 1915, followed by the Kulai – Yong Peng section in 1928. The availability of both rail and road made Kulai easily accessible and it soon developed into an administrative hub for the surrounding area.

The origin of Kelapa Sawit (加拉巴沙威) was believed to have started in the 1930’s when the first group of Chinese immigrants, particularly Hopo Hakka, from Kulai moved north and settled near the 24th milestone. Over time, more Hopo Hakka immigrants arrived and expanded further to cover the 26th and 27th milestone. They were engaged in rubber tapping, pineapple farming, vegetable planting and rearing pigs. The settlement was initially known as Changan village. 

During the Emergency (1948 – 1960), the Briggs Plan which was a programme to resettle rural populations to new villages throughout the country was implemented in 1950. Residents around the area were forced to relocate to the 26th milestone village. It was believed that during this resettlement, the town got its name due to its location near a palm oil estate. Eight schools in the surrounding area were merged into one school which became the predecessor of the current SRK (C) Sawit. Earlier, a British reconnaissance plane had mistakenly bombed one of the schools believing it to be a communist stronghold. Inhabitants of new villages were kept under strict rules including curfew, body searches, identity card checks and food restrictions like food rationing and communal cooking. The village head of Kelapa Sawit was against the practice of communal cooking which he called ‘big pot meals’ and refused to sign the agreement. Due to his persistence, the British relented and they were exempted from the practice.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s, large scale palm oil plantations were established in Kelapa Sawit and this led to the growth of the local economy and the development of infrastructure to support the industry.

Besides palm oil, Kelapa Sawit was also known for its pepper cultivation and 65% of its residents relied on it. This came to an end in 1982 when the government imposed an export tax on pepper.

The South Johor Economic Region established in 2006 is a major economic zone aimed at attracting investment and promoting development in Southern Johor. It was later renamed Iskandar Malaysia, in honour of the late Sultan Iskandar. Kelapa Sawit is located within the economic corridor and it has been fostering economic growth and has seen an increase in industrial and commercial activities within the area. And the Johor Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) agreement signed between Singapore and Malaysia further turbo charged development in Southern Johor. Kelapa Sawit has since evolved from a purely agricultural ecosystem into a thriving residential town. Besides its growing infrastructure, Kelapa Sawit is fast becoming a tourist destination with its artistic and colourful wall murals, creative art works and traditional Hopo Hakka food.

On our day of visit, we first met Lily Tsai (pronounced as Chai) who is a long-time resident of Kelapa Sawit and currently living in a housing estate around the periphery of the town. Later, she brought us to meet her mother who is still staying in the old town. She is no ordinary mother, she is the matriarch of the extended family of five generations. Another remarkable achievement is age-wise, she has passed the century mark! She is an active centenarian. We then made our way to the most happening part of town, the Wall Art street which is adjacent to the main trunk road / Federal Route 1. There are plenty of opportunities for photo shoots here. Once you have accomplished the task or feel a tad tired, just drop by any of the restaurants for Kelapa Sawit’s specialities of Hopo Hakka Lei Cha Fan (擂茶饭) and Choy Pan (菜粄)

The direct translation of Lei Cha Fan is Thunder Tea Rice, a traditional Hakka dish originally eaten by farmers in China for energy and detoxification. At the heart of the dish is the Lei Cha or concentrated tea paste which is made from green /oolong tea leaves, basil and mint leaves, coriander, peanuts and sesame seeds. There are two ways to enjoy Lei Cha Fan i.e either pour the soupy Lei Cha over the rice and vegetables, and eat it as a broth or keep the tea soup in a separate bowl and sip it on the side.

Choy pan is another Hakka food that originated from Southern China and it has evolved into a popular street food in Indonesia, particularly Pontianak and Singkawang in West Kalimantan where there is a sizeable population of Hakka people; and in our country. It is basically a steamed dumpling with soft, smooth and white skin, typically filled with shredded jicama (Mexican turnip / sengkuang), bamboo shoots and chives (daun kuchai). Choy pan is eaten with chilli sauce or soy-based dipping sauce.

After the healthy meal, we travelled to Kulai to visit the Johore Hopo Cultural Museum, which is located on the first floor of the Johore Hopo Association building.  Come September, it is celebrating its tenth anniversary of its establishment as a museum. As we step into the main hall, we are greeted by a mural that describes the origin of the Hopo Hakka people. Then, we navigate through the History Corridor where showcases display antiques, cultural relics, documents, currency notes and coins, and ancient sundry necessities. Display boards give a brief description of the establishment of nine Chinese new villages set up in the Kulai district. At the end of the corridor, is a dedicated corner showing the history of Nanyang Overseas Chinese mechanics in Malaya during the Japanese Occupation. There is a special display of Hopo Lion Dance, where it is noted that the shape and form are rather different from others. The museum ends with a display of a reconstructed new village house of the past. Members of the association are actively involved in organizing 4×4 expeditions across China and I am fortunate to participate in their last expedition in 2024.

Our next stop is the Putuo Village, which is about 10 km south from Kulai town. What used to be a bamboo forest, it has now become a Buddhist cultural village – cum – eco tourism spot in southern Johor. The main attractions are the Purple Bamboo Valley which features installation of seasonal (Chinese New Year, Mid Autumn celebration etc) decorations in picturesque surroundings and the Bodhi Sanctuary (temple) which is home to the largest indoor statue of Cundi Bodhisattva (Zhunti Guanyin) in South East Asia. To access Purple Bamboo Valley, an admission fee of RM 10.00 is collected at the gate which is used for the conservation of the bamboo forest.

Incidentally, Putuo Village in Kulai has no connection with Putuo Village in Ningbo, China. They are two totally different entities. Putuo Village in Kulai is most likely named after Putuoshan (Mount Putuo) which is the famous Buddhist mountain sacred to Guanyin (Avalokitesvara).

We then made our way to Bandar Indahpura, a township developed by Genting Development. The township is surrounded by many facilities like MSC Cyber City, Senai International Airport and Air Cargo hub, Senai Industrial Park, Johor Premium Outlets, international standard golf courses etc. Lily Tsai had earlier made a reservation at a local restaurant and we managed to make our way to the restaurant on time. We enjoyed the meal and it marked the end of our brief sojourn in southern Johor.

Use AH2 (North-south Highway / south bound) from Sungai Besi toll to Kelapa Sawit. Take Exit 253 Sedenak, and at the junction, turn right to join Federal Route 1.Travel about 51 km to reach Kelapa Sawit.

Use Federal Route 1 from Kelapa Sawit to Kulai, and from Kulai to Putuo Village, use Route 94 Jalan Kulai – Kota Tinggi. Use the same route to go to Indahpura.

References

Profil Daerah Kulai – Pentadbiran Tanah Johor

Sultan: Change Kulaijaya’s name back to Kulai

THE FORMATION OF KANGKAR AS THE FRONTIER CHINESE SETTLEMENT IN JOHOR,

MALAYSIA | International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability

Sejarah Kesultanan Johor | Laman Web Rasmi Kemahkotaan DYMM Sultan Ibrahim, Sultan Johor

Tracing Johor’s royal lineage | The Star

Johore Hopo Cultural Museum, 1st Floor, No. 71 & 72, Batu 21, 81000 Kulai, Johor.