Johor’s Parit Bugis community wants govt support for Javanese heritage

MUAR: The occasional sound of gamelan music breaks the silence at Keraton Mbah Anang, a wooden house built around the 1940s that still stands in Kampung Parit Bugis, Muar, thanks to the efforts of the local community.

Johar Paimin, the founder of Persatuan Jawa Parit Bugis, said Keraton Mbah Anang was built by his great-grandfather about 80 years ago and serves as a centre for Javanese-Malaysian culture and heritage.

The site hosts activities such as gamelan, kuda kepang, barongan and wayang kulit performances, as well as displays of traditional gastronomy.

Besides serving as a gamelan training centre for primary school and university students, Keraton Mbah Anang has hosted large-scale events such as the Wong Jowo Festival, which attracted participants from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

But while such events draw thousands of visitors, Johar said official promotion has remained lacking.

“There wasn’t even a signboard. The community widened the road themselves so that tourist buses could get in,” he told FMT, adding that the site’s maintenance costs exceed RM10,000, excluding other expenses, all of which are borne by local residents.

“The state tourism exco has never been here. Even the menteri besar has never visited. But we keep going,” he said, adding that funding from the tourism, arts and culture ministry is limited to organising programmes.

Johar expressed hope that the state government would provide support, especially as the site receives hundreds of visitors every weekend, including tour groups from Singapore, without charging admission fees.

Without official promotion, he said, Keraton Mbah Anang’s full potential cannot be realised.

Seeking official recognition

Johar has proposed several initiatives to the state and federal governments, including recognising Kampung Parit Bugis as a Javanese-Malaysian cultural village, making it an official heritage centre.

He said Kampung Parit Bugis is not just another village, as nearly all of its residents are of Javanese descent and continue to actively preserve their cultural identity.

“This is important to ensure that Javanese heritage is no longer seen as merely a minor culture or misunderstood as something mystical.

“When people hear ‘Javanese’, they immediately think of mysticism. But we have removed superstitious elements and focus on culture,” he said, stressing that there is widespread misunderstanding about the Javanese identity in Malaysia.

“What worries us is that Malaysian Javanese culture is often equated with Javanese culture in Indonesia, even though the contexts are different.”

Johar said the association also works closely with the Johor Islamic religious department to ensure that its cultural activities comply with Islamic guidelines.

Kampung Parit Bugis complements other attractions

Johar said that cultural development in Kampung Parit Bugis could be complemented by attractions such as Gunung Ledang to create a cultural and historical tourism ecosystem in Muar.

“Our hope is that Malaysian Javanese culture will no longer be overlooked. Help us promote it and help us develop it so that it continues to thrive.

“If this culture is not preserved, future generations will only know it through stories. Here, they can see it, learn about it and experience it for themselves,” he said.