Since its official launch in 2009, the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk oversees activities that celebrate the Chinese culture every weekend. Organised by the JB Heritage Walk Committee under the Johor Bahru Tiong Hua Association, popular celebrations such as Chinese New Year, Lantern Festival, and Chingay parade are planned as grand occasions – a pride of the Chinese community. Every Saturday evening, from 7 PM to 10.30 PM, the street is filled with throngs of visitors to join the performers in the revelry of food, song and dance.
Such activities benefit businesses along the street. According to the Chairman of JB Heritage Walk, Danny Wong, the once infamous street was dirty and considered unsafe. The gazette of turning the street into a heritage site happened in tandem with the opening of JB Tiong Hua Association’s museum, for which they held voluntary clean-up activities with the help of the state government, transforming the street into a popular tourist spot. The Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum located in a four-storey building in between Jalan Ibrahim and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee stood as the office of the JB Tiong Hua Association from 1948 to 2004. Today, it contains accounts of the rich history of the Chinese community’s involvement in building and flourishing Johor Bahru. Of course, the museum commemorates Tan Hiok Nee himself.
Winning the Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero Awards in 2016 under Arts and Culture encouraged the committee to be consistent in creating visitor-friendly activities. The whole street becomes car-free, open only to pedestrians, and would be filled with calligraphy contests, lion dances, and even the well-known Chinese New Year yee sang prosperity toss. One can easily spot the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Street by the two impressive archways at its two entrances – a contribution by the state government. The once forgotten back alley is now every local and tourist’s must-visit street; as it is now much more alive and bursting with culture.
The JB Tiong Hua Association marked its platinum jubilee in 2020, marking 100 years of helping the Chinese community through welfare and education. Many exciting activities are in the plans.
