Kulai
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Kulai is a town in the Johor Bahru district of Johor, Malaysia. It is 29 km from Johor Bahru city and 8 km from Skudai.
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[edit] Administration
Kulai is administered by the Kulai Municipal Council (Majlis Daerah Kulai). Kulai District Council (a sub-division of Johor Bahru District) recently became a municipality as the area is part of the new growth corridor of Southwest Johor. Senai town and industrial estate are also within the jurisdiction of the municipality.
[edit] Economy
Some locals are involved in the agriculture sector, particularly in the oil palm and rubber estates surrounding the town. Many of the local people work in small retail shops, which are located along the trunk road. Kulai is the first project settlement for the FELDA's (Federal Land Development Agency) palm oil plantation in the country - FELDA Taib Andak, which was launched by the second Prime Minister of Malaysia. Till now, Kulai is still one of the main producers of oil palm in the country due to its vast estates. Kulai also exports fresh vegetables to Singaporean markets daily.
[edit] Geography
The town is centred on the old trunk road linking Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. The main road is lined by shops, where economic activities take place. Housing estates are located further away from the trunk road. The town is surrounded by rubber and oil palm estates.
[edit] Transport
Kulai was an important stopover on the Johor Bahru-Kuala Lumpur trunk road in the 1970s and 80s until the North-South Expressway opened in 1994. The trunk road is identified as Road One.
The town also has a railway station on the Malayan Railway and is one of the access points to the Gunung Pulai nature reserve. Senai Airport, the international airport which serves Johor is in the municipality.
[edit] Culture
The Chinese community in Kulai are mainly of the Hakka dialect group. Few Chinese temples serve the Chinese community. The Malays mostly reside in palm oil plantations (Felda) and Indians in rubber estates. However, one can still find Malays in the town centre especially those who work in the government sectors and agencies. A handsome mosque can also be found in the middle of the town as some early Malays settlers reside in Kampung Melayu or Malay Village.
[edit] Notable Residents
- Mawi - Akademi Fantasia 3 champion and one of the top Malaysian male singers.
[edit] References
- Johor Bahru Street Directory, 1st edition, by Rimman publications
[edit] External Links
- (Chinese) Town website set up by local community
