My hometown is Kluang. Kluang is in the centre of the Malaysian state of Johor. It is geographically located at 110 km north from Johor Bahru, east-southeast of Batu Pahat, west of Mersing and south of Segamat.The name Kluang derives from the Malay word 'keluang' which means a type of flying fox or rather a type of fruit bat. They have almost completely disappeared due to the combination of hunting and destruction of their natural habitat deforestation. Some people believed that Kluang was named after two mountains that resemble the head and wing respectively of a bat from distance.
In its early days, Kluang as an entirely agricultural economy, is an agriculture hub of Johor; rubber and oil palm are the major crops. With the establishment of Institute Pertanian it has benefited the agricultural sector of Kluang. Now it has the biggest dragon fruit orchard, organic vegetables farm, organic rice farm, pineapples and tea plantation. Kluang is also famous for being the main producer of ceramic pottery and tiles, with pottery factories located at the boarder township of Machap.
One of the charming places to visit in Kluang is the Kluang Railway station. The railway is surely the main highlight of this town as it cuts the town into two halves when the train passes through Kluang town. This will lead to temporary closure of the road to the town for the the train to pass. It is a common saying among local residents that when the trains approach Kluang Railway station, the entire Kluang town stands still. The station itself withstood the test of time and should be of interest for those who have passion for nostalgic photographs.
Other than that, The quaint town of Kluang boasts one of the oldest kopitiams in Southern Malaysia. Its located at the local railway station, Kluang Rail Coffee has been around since 1938. It was a pit stop for travellers arriving in Kluang and the railway canteen is one of the town's famous landmark. 'Roti kahwin' is