Yayasan JCorp and UTHM partner to preserve Johor’s musical traditions
The partnership will cover training, workshops and historical documentation, with a focus on passing Ghazal and Gambus traditions to younger generations.
Yayasan Johor Corporation (Yayasan JCorp) and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) have signed a letter of intent for a partnership focused on preserving Johor’s Ghazal and Gambus traditions.
Yayasan JCorp chief executive officer Datuk Mizan Yahya said the collaboration would include workshops, training, historical documentation and exchanges of stage performance techniques. He said it would connect performances with longer-term work to develop talent and record practitioners’ knowledge.
Speaking to Bernama in Batu Pahat, Mizan said the aim was to encourage young people to learn the traditions and practitioners to pass on their skills. Festivals would continue as a way to build interest, while the partnership would help sustain community participation, he said.
The letter was exchanged during the Jelajah Pentas Seni Johor 2026 (PSJ26) tour at Dataran Astaka Shahbandar. Mizan represented the foundation, while Dr Zahrul Akmal Damin, dean of UTHM’s Centre for General Studies and Co-curriculum, represented the university.
Batu Pahat was the tour’s third stop after Pontian and Segamat. Its programme featured Ghazal, Gambus, several Zapin performances, acrobatic dragon dances and a Shariah-compliant Kuda Kepang performance, alongside Nasi Ambeng and Sambal Goreng Jawa.
The tour is scheduled to visit Kota Tinggi on Nov 28 and 29, before ending in Johor Baru in December.
