Kukup is a small town in Malaysia located in Pontian District, Johor. It has gained popularity among tourists for its outdoor seafood restaurants built on stilts over the water. Regularly scheduled ferries can be taken from Kukup to Tanjung Balai in Indonesia
When Singapore-born Syed Mohamed bin Ahmed Alsagoff (also known as Nong Chik) was given approval by the Sultan back in the '30s to develop the southwest coast of Johor, it helped make Kukup a more prosperous area.
The port of Kukup has a history that dates back to the early 1800s when it was founded by Francis Light. Today, ships from all over the world continue to stop there and can take on cargo or leave for Singapore or Malacca.
Merchant & plantation keepers acquired new land and set up shops there. There was a disagreement over the name, Kukub, which was not Malay or true to our locale's vernacular tongue. It subsequently changed to Kukup as a compromise between many different parties.
With the rapid growth in development and population, Kukup has become one of the biggest towns in Johor.
Tuan Syed Mohamed Alsagoff had received permission from the Sultan of Johor to explore and develop agricultural land in the southwest region of Johor, which is bordered by Sungai Permas, Sungai Pontian Kechil, and Sungai Skudu.. (Sungai in Malay means river.)
Kukup was rapidly developed under Constantinople Estate owned by Tuan Syed Mohamed Alsagoff, who also happened to name the place.
This led to Kukup district's current name. Kukup District was renamed "Pontian District" when the main road linking Pontian and Johor was built in 1937-38.
At that time all the government organizations in Kukup were moved to Pontian. Tuan Syed Mohamed Alsagoff even issued his own currency while developing the area.
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