Sultan Ibrahim Building
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From Johor Bahru Directory
| The Sultan Ibrahim Building was the tallest building in pre-Merdeka Malaya and in Johor Bahru itself, it stood unchallenged as the tallest building in the town until the completion of the Merlin Tower in the 1970s. |
The Sultan Ibrahim Building, located at Bukit Timbalan in Johor Bahru, was the former state secretariat building of Johor. It was built by the British colonial government under Sir Shenton Thomas, the 11th and last British High Commissioner in Malaya (1934 - 1946), in its attempt to streamline the Johor state's administration. Construction work began in 1936 and was officially opened by the Sultan Ibrahim in 1940.
The Sultan Ibrahim Building was the tallest building in pre-Merdeka Malaya and in Johor Bahru itself, it stood unchallenged as the tallest building in the town until the completion of the Merlin Tower in the 1970s. The offices of the state secretariat, including the Menteri Besar's office and the Johor State Legislative Assembly, have now moved to Kota Iskandar, and there are plans to convert the building into a museum.
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2. Architecture: The architecture of the Sultan Ibrahim Building combines colonial and Malay architecture with its Saracenic design and tower, making it a prominent landmark in Johor Bahru. It was designed by the renowned British architecture firm of Palmer and Turner, which was also responsible for designing the Johor Bahru General Hospital (now known as "Hospital Sultanah Aminah").
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3. Japanese Occupation: In 1942, during the Japanese occupation of Malaya, the Japanese Imperial Army, led by General Yamashita Tomoyuki, stationed themselves at the building and Istana Bukit Serene, using the building as a fortress and a command centre to spy on the British activities in Singapore, pending its invasion. Damage to the building during the Japanese invasion is still visible today.
