Segamat? Desa Temu Jodoh? The Fascinating Origins of These 5 Johor Town Names
Photo Source : @UiHua Cheah
As you drive through Johor, you might start wondering how some towns or villages got their names. Many of these names are tied to history or legend… some so strange that they sound completely made-up.
So if you’ve ever wondered how a village came to be named Kampung Desa Temu Jodoh, read on!
1. How Johor got its name - Water, Location, and…. Jewels.
Photo Source : @UiHua Cheah
Let’s start off with the state itself. Long before it was Johor, the state was called by many names - each with its own unique backstory. Here are just three of them.
Some Javanese words for Johor refer to its waterways. Wurawari means ‘calm waters’, while Lenggiu is the name of a river.
The second is its geographic location. Old Javanese texts also refer to it as Ujong Medini while the Bugis-Portuguese writer and cartographer Manuel Godinho de Erédia refers to it as Ujong Tanah. Both these mean ‘the end of the land’ which is quite fitting since Johor is at the end of the Malay Peninsula.
The third, which is also where Johor derives its current name, may come as a surprise: Jewels and gemstones. Two other Javanese words for the area are Galoh and Ganggayu. Galoh means ‘gems’ while Ganggayu is thought to be a local adaptation of the Siamese Klang Kio which means ‘Treasury of Gems’.
Arab traders refer to the area as Jauhar (Jewels) which is believed to be where ‘Johor’ was eventually derived.
But are there actually jewels in Johor? Well, it’s been said that a site near the Johor river was flush with gemstones. However, many wars fought in that area over time caused the riverbanks to collapse, burying the gemstones deep under the ground. Over time, the location of the site was also forgotten.
So perhaps there are untold riches somewhere along the Johor River, waiting to be discovered.
2. How Segamat got its name - From having really, really good water
Photo Source : @UiHua Cheah
Fun fact - Segamat was one of the original nine districts that gave Negeri Sembilan its name.
As for Segamat itself, the origin story stems shortly after the fall of Malacca. Sultan Mahmud Shah, his family, and his followers retreated south, and temporarily settled near a river. Among the group was Bendahara Seri Paduka Tuan (also known as Bendahara Tepok), the last Bendahara of Malacca.
By this river, two notable incidents took place, involving Bendahara Tepok. In the first, he asked one of his soldiers to lift a rock and throw it into a deep part (lubuk) of the river.
He declared that if the rock floated, they would attempt to retake Malacca from the Portuguese. But if it sank, they would establish a new kingdom elsewhere.
In the second, he asked his warrior, Selamat Gagah, to fetch him some water to drink. His low spirits revived by the crisp coolness of the water, he asked Selamat Gagah what the name of the river was.
Selamat Gagah didn’t know, and asked why. Bendahara Tepok said the water was Segar Amat (very refreshing). Selamat Gagah tried the water himself, and they both agreed that the water was indeed Segar Amat.
And that’s how the area was named Segamat.
3. How Kampung Lubok Batu got its name - … Fate?
Photo Source : @UiHua Cheah
Remember that rock that was thrown into the river? It sank. Bendahara Tepok and his forces settled near the site, where he eventually died.
This site became known as Lubok Batu.
While it sounds like a folk tale, there may be some truth to the story. The site where Masjid Makam Lubok Batu currently stands is said to originally be a shelter built by Bendahara Tepok’s followers.
Photo Source: Komuniti Segamat
Between 1979 to 1981, several cannons believed to have been used by Bendahara Tepok’s forces were unearthed from the site.
4. How Kukup got its name - From a threat to sailors
Photo Source : @UiHua Cheah
If you asked locals in the coastal town of Kukup, they’ll likely tell you the town was originally called Kukub, meaning ‘crab’s claw’ in Malay.
However, a different story states that the town was named after the word Gugup (nervous) or Telungkup (overturned). These names came from stories of pirate activity in the area. Sailors would grow gugup as they sailed past, fearing their ships might be attacked and left telungkup.
5. How Kampung Desa Temu Jodoh got its name - Almost a reality TV show
Photo Source : @UiHua Cheah
Unlike the other stories on this list, the origin story of Kampung Desa Temu Jodoh is actually completely factual. This is because the village was founded in modern times and was extensively covered in the news.
In 1972, Johor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Othman Saat started a settlement programme where 60 young bachelors were chosen to develop a plot of land for agriculture. Strangely, one condition was that they couldn’t marry for five years.
One day, the men were told that the program was being replicated not far from them, but with female participants. They were asked to assist the newer settlers since they had more experience. Of course, romances blossomed, with plans for marriage after the 5-year mark.
News of the budding romances both soon reached the programme director, who asked Tan Sti Othman for permission to matchmake the couples. Tan Sri Othman not only agreed, he also said the state government would cover the wedding costs.
And so, 24 couples were married in 1977. This was, at the time, the largest mass wedding in Malaysian history. Even the Johor Royal Family was in attendance.
Photo source: Utusan TV
But even at this point, the settlement still didn’t have a name. It was still called by its programme name, Tanah Rancangan Pemuda. During his speech, Tan Sri Othman spontaneously suggested that it should be named Desa Temu Jodoh - and that name stuck.
Johor isn’t a hidden gem - it’s a literal gem!
Photo Source : @UiHua Cheah
The state of Johor and the towns within it are full of stories that are as colourful as the places themselves.
And while these tales can be centuries apart, many of them point to one thing - Johor’s identity has always been shaped by its rivers, coasts, and connections to the outside world.
It’s perhaps fitting that Berjaya Waterfront proudly stands at Johor’s coast, continuing that story as a modern gateway to Johor’s waterways and to the outside world. If you’ve ever wanted a quick and affordable island getaway, it looks like you’ve successfully…. mencari jodoh.