GOOD IMPRESSIONS: The
picturesque royal town gets its own coffee-table book
MUAR: AFTER George
Town and Malacca, the next most photogenic spot in the peninsula is probably
Muar.
The royal town in
northwestern Johor, fronting the estuary of Sungai Muar, the main artery which
meanders all around the district before joining the Straits of Malacca, boasts
of a wide kaleidoscope of cultural and heritage scenes.
Despite its
reputation as a pensioners' town, Muar has always been a lively spot.
Today, tourists visit
Muar not only for its rich history, but also for its delicious food, famous
coffee and picture-perfect scenes of its waterfront, sunsets and heritage
buildings.
Muar-born Kuan Tan,
53, a professional photographer of 33 years, spent 16 of those years in Kuala
Lumpur before deciding to return to work in his hometown.
He had developed a
steady clientele in Muar during the years he had worked in the capital.
Moreover, Muar's good food, fresh air and close-knit community were sounding a
siren call that was increasingly hard for him to resist.
When he was voted the
president of the Muar Photographic Chamber of Commerce in 2009, he thought of
doing something useful for Muar while he still had the energy. However, he had
no idea what to do.
After talking with
his twin brother, Tan Son, he decided to use his skills to capture the best of
Muar, for posterity, too.
Thus the idea to
publish a book showcasing the charming and colourful aspects of the royal town
was conceived.
"Frankly speaking,
the undertaking of such a mammoth project was beyond my efforts.
"So I started by
publishing the 40-page Impressions of Muar, as part of the chamber's annual
magazine in 2009. It took me three weeks to complete the section which featured
plenty of pictures and some articles about the chamber.
"The success served
as an impetus for me to go bigger, which was to publish a book called
Impressions of Muar," he said.
To get good quality
pictures for the book, Tan said, the chamber organised a photography contest in
2010.
The best of the
contest entries, together with photos contributed by Muar photographers, led to
the publication of the book, which has some 1,000 photographs in five sections
-- The Legends, The Uniqueness, True Lifestyle, Multiculturalism, and
Attractions.
The published
photographs were chosen from over 5,000 photographs submitted by the contestants
and local photographers.
Tan's photographs
account for about 8 per cent of the pictures in the book.
"We cover many
aspects of the town in the book, which will make a fine souvenir to be presented
to friends from other states and overseas.
"If you have yet to
visit Muar, the book will prompt you to do so.
"And after you have
visited the town, the book will serve to remind you of the visit, and perhaps
even persuade you to make a second date with us," he added.
The English text in
the trilingual book is provided by journalist Anthony Joseph.
To get a copy of
Impressions of Muar, call Tan at 012-338 5476.
Read more: Muar than meets the eye - Johor - New Straits Times
http://www.nst.com.my/streets/johor/muar-than-meets-the-eye-1.376384#ixzz2hlWWru3x
http://www.nst.com.my/streets/johor/muar-than-meets-the-eye-1.376384#ixzz2hlWWru3x
