Pineapples, pineapples everywhere.

Another invitation from Santai magazine reached my email recently. Titled ‘Program Sahabat Media CC1M ke Johor’, it was hard for me to turn down because this was the first time I officially received a Fam Trip invitation to visit Johor and I wouldn’t want to miss this one. I know this southernmost state of Peninsular Malaysia has a lot to offer.

Johor is synonym with pineapples. It is the largest producer and contributes to about 70% of the country’s produce. The extensive peat soil land commonly found on the west coast of Johor is perfect for the pineapple cultivation.

Pontian was our first stop for the Johor trip. Located about 62 kilometres from the state capital of Johor Bahru, the once a small fishing village has now turned into a thriving town. Especially along coastal areas, Pontian is populated by Malays of Bugis and Javanese descent. The Chinese community in Pontian lives mostly in the town areas and is predominantly of the Fujian group and speaks the Hokkien dialect.