INTERESTING FACTS | HISTORY OF JOHOR | JOHOR AN INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT DESTINATION SINCE THE 19TH CENTURY - PART THREE

FAKTA MENARIK | SEJARAH NEGERI JOHOR | JOHOR DESTINASI PELABURAN ANTARABANGSA SEJAK KURUN KE-19 - BAHAGIAN TIGA
Keberangkatan Sultan Sir Abu Bakar ke London selepas Istana Besar siap dibina pada tahun 1866 menjadikan baginda Raja Melayu pertama berbuat demikian. Ia bertujuan untuk mengukuhkan kedudukan baginda dan Kerajaan Johor di peringkat antarabangsa.
Salah satu antara pelaburan asing terbesar di Johor ketika itu adalah perusahaan Johor Sawmill yang dimiliki oleh Dato’ James Meldrum merupakan rakan baik Sultan Sir Abu Bakar. Antara usaha Kesultanan Johor dalam memajukan negeri adalah dengan menyertai Pameran Antarabangsa di Adelaide, Australia pada tahun 1887.
Dato’ James Meldrum telah belayar ke Adelaide bertemu wakil kerajaan di sana dan bertindak sebagai wakil rasmi Sultan Johor. Sebuah Rumah Melayu telah didirikan 10 kaki dari tanah dan dipenuhi barangan pameran dari Johor seperti kayu-kayan dan rotan pelbagai bentuk serta produk dari tanaman utama Johor iaitu Gambir (Terra Japonica) yang diekspot meluas ke Eropah.
Barangan lain yang turut dipamerkan adalah seperti tenunan kain, peta lakaran tangan negeri Johor, koleksi-koleksi peribadi Sultan Johor, senaskah Al-Quran berserta buku-buku pendidikan di Johor bertulisan jawi, instrumen-intrumen muzik, koleksi kulit haiwan perburuan dan koleksi fotografi menarik di sekitar Johor.
Kejayaan dari pameran antarabangsa pertama tersebut berjaya melonjakkan hasil negeri apabila pengeksportan Gambir semakin diperluaskan di pasaran Eropah. Permintaannya sangat tinggi di benua barat untuk digunakan sebagai ejen peluntur warna dan ‘Astringent’ iaitu bahan yang digunakan dalam perubatan.
Ternyata hasil yang dinikmati oleh negeri Johor ketika itu dimanfaatkan sebaiknya dalam kemajuan negeri, sehingga diperkatakan oleh penulis tabloid antarabangsa sebagai negeri Melayu termaju. Allah Peliharakan Sultan.
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INTERESTING FACTS | HISTORY OF JOHOR | JOHOR AN INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT DESTINATION SINCE THE 19TH CENTURY - PART THREE
Sultan Sir Abu Bakar's trip to London after the completion of Istana Besar in 1866 made His Majesty the first Malay Ruler to do so. It was aimed to strengthen His Majesty and the Johor Government's position at the international level.
One of the biggest foreign investments in Johor at that time came from the Johor Sawmill owned by Dato' James Meldrum, who was a good friend of Sultan Sir Abu Bakar. Among the Johor Sultanate's efforts in developing the state was by participating in the International Exhibition in Adelaide, Australia in 1887.
Dato' James Meldrum sailed to Adelaide to meet its government representatives and act as the Sultan of Johor's official representative. One Rumah Melayu was built 10 feet from the ground and filled with decorations from Johor such as wooden and rattan designs as well as Johor's main produce, gambir (Terra Japonica) that was widely exported to Europe.
Other items on display included woven fabrics, hand-drawn maps of Johor, a copy of the Quran as well as Johor educational books written in Jawi, musical instruments, a collection of animal skins, and a collection of interesting photographs of Johor.
The success of the international exhibition helped promote the state's produce when the gambir exports became bigger in European markets. The demand from the West was very high because it could be used as a bleaching agent and astringent, an ingredient used in medicine.
Clearly the produce enjoyed by Johor was fully utilised for state development until the state was dubbed by international tabloid writers as the most advanced Malay state. Allah Peliharakan Sultan.

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