UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT NAME OF NEW VILLAGE: ULU TIRAM 乌鲁地南 JOHOR Project carried out by: Student Name ID Number Course Year / Semester 1. Michelle Ong Ern Rui 09ABB04762 2. Salem Ang 09AGB05069 3. William Sim Chung Hsien Entrepreneurship Environmental Engineering Y3T1 Y3T1 10ABB00186 Accounting Y3T1 4. See Sze Ung 10ADB06271 Biomedical Science Y3T1 DATE OF COMPLETION: JUNE 2011
ABSTRACT Ulu Tiram is a town in Johor Bahru District, Johor. The town lies along trunk road number three, named Tebrau Highway, at the junction which leads to Ulu Tiram. The trunk road leads on to Mersing in northeast Johor and Kuantan in Pahang. Ulu Tiram is located approximately 18 km from Johor Bahru to the south and 20 km from Kota Tinggi to the north. Neighbouring housing/industrial/shop house estates include Taman Intan, Taman Sri Tiram, Taman Bukit Tiram, Taman Ros, Taman Mutiara, Taman Ros, Taman Nora, Taman Gunung Emas, Taman Zamrud, Taman Puteri Wangsa, and Taman Desa Cemerlang. The population makeup of Ulu TIram is 56% Malays, 33% Chinese and 11% Indians and others. 2
HISTORY Ulu Tiram was established by British and Chinese planters who started numerous rubber estates in the early 20 th century. Due to the demand for workers in this area, the British employed Chinese and Indian immigrant workers. The area first saw Chinese settlers open up "kangchu" ( 港主 )plantations in Kangkar Sungai Tiram. In the early days of Malaysian independence, FELDA land development schemes in the area allowed more Malays to enjoy the economic benefits of oil palm and rubber smallholdings. Since the 1990s, the urban expansion of Johor Bahru has ended Ulu Tiram's relative isolation and it is now one of the fastest growing suburbs of the city as part of the Tebrau growth corridor. After Senai-Desaru Expressway opened to traffic on 10 September 2009, the growth of Ulu Tiram was further enhanced. Many developers have invested in Ulu Tiram. Metro Wealth Polymer Company, established on 20 th March 2003, is a major contributor to Ulu Tiram s growth. Ulu Tiram is small town with basic facilities. It has a clinic, London Clinic, and a local police station. Map of Ulu Tiram extracted from Google Map 3
Clinic London in Ulu Tiram Police station in Ulu Tiram Post office in Ulu Tiram Bus station in Ulu Tiram 4
POPULATION & HOUSING According to the GeoNames geographical database Ulu Tiram has a population of 75, 350. The population makeup of Ulu Tiram is 56% Malays, 33% Chinese, and 11% Indians and others. Housing available in this town ranges from low cost flats to terrace houses and bungalows. This caters for the needs of the different income groups. Types of houses in Ulu Tiram 5
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES The Kangchu administrative system was used in Ulu Tiram in the 19 th century. Initially, gambier was planted as the main crop. The main plantation crop changed to rubber and then oil palm in the 20 th century. Nowadays, oil palm is still an important crop in Ulu Tiram. As more and more people settle in this town, more business opportunities opened up. Residents buy fish, vegetables, meat and various types of spices from Ulu Tiram s wet market. Vegetables sold here are transported directly from the farm. Fresh seafood is easily available because there is river here and Ulu Tiram is just miles away from the sea. The price of seafood is reasonable. Besides the wet market, a bus station also found in Ulu Tiram. This bus station provides residents public transport to other places in Johor Bahru district. There is also a taxi depot which ferries people around Ulu Tiram as well as to Johor Bahru city. Small stores selling food, snacks and drinks are found in the bus station. Passengers can choose from a number of bus companies and compare the price of bus ticket. There are also various types of shops in Ulu Tiram such as coffee shops, supermarkets, mini markets and clinics. Many of these shops were built over a decade ago. Supermarkets like Giant and Econsave have been set up in the town recently. Wet Market of Ulu Tiram 6
Bus station and Taxi Depot of Ulu Tiram Supermarkets located in Ulu Tiram 7
Factories have also been set up in Ulu Tiram. This is due to the relatively low cost of the land here. These factories provide employment opportunities for the local folks. Plastering Sand Industry Industrial Area in Ulu Tiram 8
In conclusion, economic activity in Ulu Tiram has developed from a basically plantation economy to include industrial and commercial activities. There are also residents who have moved to work in big cities like Johor Bahru and Singapore which offer higher-paying jobs. 9
EDUCATION In Ulu Tiram, there are a few primary and secondary schools. Some residents send their child to the nearest school, while others choose to send their child to schools which are more well established. (a) Tadika Sri Orkid Jaya One of the kindergartens found in Ulu Tiram is Tadika Sri Orkid Jaya. It is located close to the centre of Ulu Tiram. The medium of instruction in this kindergarten is English Language and this is main reasons many parents send their children to this kindergarten. Van services to and from school are also provided for the children of this kindergarten. This kindergarten has a relatively high proportion of Indians compared to Chinese and Malays. Tadika Sri Orkid Jaya 10
(b) SJK (C) Tiram SJK (C) Tiram is a primary school in Ulu Tiram, located very near to Ulu Tiram town centre. It was built in 1935. The school covers an area of 2 to 3 acres and provides facilities like computer room, cafeteria, basketball court and badminton court. There is also a library that allows students to borrow books. The principal of the school is Mr. Lim Seng Thay. He has been principal of the school for over ten years. The school is right now facing some difficulties as the land area is limited while the number of students is increasing every year. There is no more land beside the school to allow the school to construct more buildings. The school is currently finding ways to tackle this problem. SJK(C) Tiram 11
(c) SMK Ulu Tiram SMK Ulu Tiram is one of the secondary schools in Ulu Tiram. It is located at the centre of Ulu Tiram. When the school started operations in 1974, it had only 287 students and 9 teachers. The first principal of the school was Mr. Soo Ho Soon. This school is equipped with a science laboratory, cooking room, sewing room, and arts room. In 1978, the parents-teachers association was established to improve the relationship between teachers and parents. In 2005, Nur Amalina Che Bakri who is a student of SMK Ulu Tiram, achieved excellent results during her SPM. She achieved 17A1. This is great news to the school as it is the best result in 2005. Currently, the principal of the school is Mrs. Rosni Binti Ismail. She has launched a new program in school to increase the number of students who achieve 8A in PMR. She also plans to increase the overall results of the school. Logo of SMK Ulu Tiram SMK Ulu Tiram 12
SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS PRACTICES Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multilingual society, and the many ethnic groups in Malaysia maintain separate cultural identities. Ulu tiram is no exception. The main ethnic groups in Ulu tiram are Malays, Chinese and Indians while the main religions practiced in Ulu Tiram town are Islam, Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism. There are many mosques, churches and temples around. Races (a) Malays Malays in Ulu tiram celebrate festivals such as Hari Raya Puasa also called Hari Raya Adilfitri, which is the Malay translation of Eid al- Fitri. It is generally a festival honoured by the Muslins worldwide marking the end of Ramadan, the fasting month. Muslims also greet one another with maaf zahir and batin, which means Forgive my physical a emotional wrongdoings, because Idul Fitri is not only for celebrations but a time for atonement: to ask for forgiveness for sins which may have been committed but was cleansed as a result of the fasting in the Muslim month of Ramadan. Muslims wear Baju Kebaya or Batik which is the traditional clothing for Malays. Special dishes served during Hari Raya Puasa include ketupat, dodol and lemang, a type of glutinous rice cake cooked in bamboo. In addition to Hari Raya Puasa, Muslims also celebrate Hari Raya Haji. (b) Chinese On the other hand, the Chinese in Ulu Tiram celebrate the Chinese New Year over 15 days. Besides that, the mid-autumn festival is celebrated on the 15 th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. Chinese celebrate this festival by carrying lanterns to light up the atmosphere, burning incense in reverence to deities, and enjoying mooncakes under the bright moonlight. 13
(c) Hindus/Indians The Hindus in Ulu Tiram celebrate the festivals of Deepavali and Thaipusam. Deepavali, popularly known as the festival of lights, is an important five-day festival in Hinduism, occurring between mid- October and mid-november. Deepavali involves the lighting of small clay lamps filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. During Deepavali, Hindus celebrate by wearing new clothes and sharing sweets and snacks with family members and friends. Thaipusam, is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon day in the Tamil month of January to February. Hindu devotees start their procession at the Sri Devi Karumari Amman Temple in the early morning, carrying milk pots as offerings or attaching kavadis to their bodies. The procession travels for 4kilometres before finishing at the road Temple. The devotees are usually accompanied by supporters who cheer to keep their morale high. Religion Practice (a) Masjid Jamek According to people living in the neighbourhood of this mosque, every Friday there are many Muslims worship there. Although this causes traffic congestion, the residents accept this, as they understand the importance of religion. The uniqueness of this mosque is that it owns a shop that sells groceries. Main entrance of the mosque 14
Mosque s shop Various shops in the mosque area 15
(b)zhen Fo Zhong Hua Lei chang si ( 真佛宗華嚴雷藏寺 ) According to the monk of this temple, Zhen Fo Zhong Hua Lei Chang Si, was named by a senior monk (Lian Sheng Huo Fo) in 1997. In 2000, the land was allocated by the government and this temple was built in an area of 1.8 hectors. In 22.10.2007, the temple was officially open to public. Every 1 st and 15 th of every month of the lunar calendar, as well as festive seasons, many Buddhists will be seen worshipping in this temple. Moreover, weekend activities, talks and seminars are conducted for the public, mostly on Saturdays. External view of the temple Main section of the temple 16
(c)sri Devi Karumari Amman Temple Sri Devi Karumari Amma Temple is located in Taman Putri Wangsa, Ulu Tiram. This building has a combination of Western and Hindu features. This is because the original temple architecture was based on Hindu culture, while the wedding hall is designed after the Western wedding halls. During the interviews we conducted, the priest informed that this temple is not open to the public. However, the temple is open upon request of its devotees. During festive seasons a large number of devotees worship at this temple. Front view of karumari temple Wedding hall of Karumari temple 17
(d)church of Discipleship This church was built in 1968 and holds its main service on weekends. Bible class are also conducted for children. The pastor informed that the main objective of the church is to guide its congregation and to provide a place for people to interact. Celebrations like Christmas and Easter are important events at the church. Front view of the church Side view of the church 18
PROBLEMS (a) Traffic Congestion Mr Yong Xiang ( 永祥 ), a local resident, complains that the new bridge brings heavy traffic jam during peak hours around 5p.m. to 7p.m. every evening. Moreover the project brings sound pollution to surrounding neighbourhoods as well as the primary school just opposite the construction area. According to Mr Yong Xiang, who runs an apam balik store close to the bridge project, his business has declined drastically since the launch of the project. Besides, students of SJK (C) Tiram are distracted by the noise of the construction. Even their parents are complaining about the traffic congestion when they pick up their children after school. Motorists here are frustrated by the traffic jams along the Tebrau highway especially during peak hours and weekends. Some residents even complain about missing out on mealtimes with their family members and pay cuts as a result of the traffic congestion. Motorist Gurmit Singh said he missed dinner with his family during weekends as he would be stuck in the jam for two hours. I always tell my wife and children to go ahead with their dinner because I always reach home late. I think traffic lights turn red very quickly, which contributes to traffic congestion particularly in the Jalan Tebrau stretch, he said. Mr Yong Xiang ( 永祥 ) s apam balik stall 19
(b) Crime Rate The second problem is the crime rate in Ulu Tiram. A student accepted our request for an interview about life in Ulu Tiram. Mr Luke Lim shared his personal experience about how he met a robber who snatched his phone and wallet one night. He said: after my friend s birthday party, I took a bus from JB town and went back home with a friend who lived close to my house. When we reached Ulu Tiram bus station, we got down from the bus which was near my house. It was around 11 o clock at night and we walked towards my house as usual. Suddenly an Indian guy came out from bush where he was hiding. He was holding a parang and asked for our valuables. I had no choice but to give my money, phone and even my watch. Mr Luke Lim told us that he was not satisfied with the local police. Mr Luke lim yang hua (c) No Fire and Rescue Service Agency The third problem brought up by residents is the absence of fire and rescue services in Ulu Tiram. There have been a few cases residents have to wait a long time-as long as half an hour-for the fire engine to arrive. Residents are worried and hope that the government will take speedy action on this matter. 20
RECOMMENDATIONS (a) Traffic Congestion The traffic congestion may be solved when the bridge project is completed. In the meantime, control of traffic flow needs to be improved. (b) Crime Rate As the crime rate is increasing in Johor, Ulu Tiram is also included. Residents do not feel at ease staying in Ulu Tiram if the crime rates are increasing. It is recommended that the frequency of police patrol be increased. Residents can volunteer and work along with police officers to help keep the area safe by patrolling around the area with two shifts: one in the morning and the other at night. In addition, it is better to have a small police station or pondok in every taman of Ulu Tiram. The residents of Ulu Tiram should also work hand in hand with the police to reduce crime. (c) No Fire and Rescue Service A fire station should be set up in Ulu Tiram area. Besides that, every home should have at least one fire extinguisher and also a person in charge to educate the residents on how to use the fire extinguishers. 21
TOURISM VALUE The town of Ulu Tiram is a part of the district of Johor Bahru. The distance by road from Johor Bahru to Ulu Tiram is 15.97 Kilometers (9.93miles). (a) 3D cinema and Tiram Indoor Water Park Today s Mall, a new shopping complex which has two main attractions: 3D cinema and the Tiram indoor water park, the first water theme park in a shopping complex in Johor. It is the first, the only, and the biggest shopping center not just in Ulu Tiram, but the North-Eastern part of Johor. Tiram Indoor Water Park covers about 26,000 square feet. It can entertain up to 1000 people at one time. The park can further develop the state s tourism sector as it will become a major attraction for local and foreign tourists, including Singaporeans. The Today s Mall is unique as it combines elements of shopping, entertainment and tourism, said Ghani in a speech that was read by state Tourism and Domestic Trade Committee chairman Hoo Seong Chang during the launching ceremony. Tiram Indoor Water Theme Park 22
On 6 May 2010, the first 3D cinema (Superstar Cinema) in Johor was opened in Today s Mall in Ulu Tiram. This attracted many Johor residents and tourists to pay a visit. The 3D Superstar Cinema is located at the top floor of the mall. First 3D cinema opened in Ulu Tiram Superstar Cinema 23
(b) Bee Farm Perniagaan Miss Honey is situated on Jln Kota Tinggi Batu 13, Ulu Tiram, Johor. It is the only bee farm in Ulu Tiram. According to the proprietress, Ms Lim, this farm has been operating for the past 10 years. However, as a result of pollution and deforestation, there are no more bees here. Although they do not nurture any bees, Perniagaan Miss Honey still have their own farms in other places and they transport the honey from the honey from these farms and sell fresh honey in their shop in Ulu Tiram. Many old customers return to purchase honey from the shop. This company also provides honeybee acupuncture. Ms Lim said that people who have skin problem and bone problem can be healed by going through this treatment. They use honey bee to carry out this treatment which involves the gentle insertion of hair-thin needles to balance the body s vital energy (Qi). Most people do not find bee acupuncture painful or sharp; instead, the sensation is more akin to a light, dull ache. Perniagaan Miss Honey also sells ready made propolis, a mixture that honey bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive. Ms Lim mentioned that propolis is a traditional medicine. Propolis is used for the relief of various conditions, including inflammations, viral diseases, ulcers, balms or scalds. Propolis is also believed to promote heart health, strengthen the immune system and reduce the chances of cataracts. Interviewing Ms Lim 24
Bee farm in Ulu Tiram Honeybee acupuncture method Propolis instrument 25
(c) Food While on the subject of good food, Laksa is very famous in Ulu Tiram. They do a good squid dish too. They were previously selling along Jalan Storey but have relocated to Ulu Tiram, said by the resident. Besides that, the Wan Tan Mee here is different from that in KL, which uses the kicap (dark soy sauce) as the base. Wan Tan Mee in Ulu Tiram is the dry version and has sliced char siew and chilli powder. The proprietress recommends that customers book ahead before they come in case the food is sold out early. 26
ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES (a) Numerous Lands waiting to be developed Ulu Tiram is a fast growing town; this brings a large number of entrepreneurship opportunities to all. There are still many empty plots of land in Ulu Tiram waiting to be developed. Currently Ulu Tiram is considered as an urbanized area, where all facilities are available. Johor is a key earnings contributor for many public listed property developers, according to MIDF Research. In a recent Equity Beat report on the Johor property sector, the research house noted that most key developers continued to have a strong presence in the state with gross development value ranging from RM400mil to RM5bil. According to the SP Setia Bhd executive vice-president (property division northern and southern region) Mr Chang Khim Wah, Actually, there is a combination of several factors and the key one is Iskandar Malaysia which consists of Ulu Tiram which is a big boost for Johor s property sector. Some investors have already commenced work on the ground and created some 44,000 jobs. An example is, The Great White Shark - designed golf course at Ulu Tiram development. The Ulu Tiram site in northern Iskandar Malaysia in Johor 27
(b) Colleges and Universities According to a few people we interviewed, Johor Bahru is still short of private colleges and universities. Therefore, education institutions can consider building more campuses in Ulu Tiram, Johor Bahru since Ulu Tiram is located in the centre of Johor Bahru. (c) Shopping Mall Additionally, most residents complain that there are no large supermarkets like Jusco or Tesco in Ulu Tiram. Although there is Today s Mall or Tiram Mall, but the outlets are mainly for entertainment and grocery shopping. Developers may consider developing a shopping mall that has more prestigious shops because the demand for a shopping mall is high in this area. DISCLAIMER: Information contained in this report was compiled by the University s students on voluntary basis. Although every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the report, the University accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any errors or omissions, if any, the University reserves the right to make changes on the information at any time without prior notice. Should there be any queries regarding contents of the report, please contact: Department of Soft Skills Competency Tel: 03-78582628 ext 8274, 8656, 8269 (Klang Valley Campus) 05-4688888 ext 2297/2299/2300 (Perak Campus) 28