ISTANA BUKIT SERENE

Official residence of the Sultans of Johor, the palace was completed in 1933. It presents an architecture that is at the very least original, so-called Art Deco. It is rather reminiscent of a heterogeneous mixture between the English cottage and the traditional Malaysian house. The most kitsch feature is the replica of the royal crown, which acts as a portico at the entrance to the palace. Sultan Ismail is guarded day and night by 200 soldiers of the Royal Force of Johor, a private army. The palace faces Singapore, a former possession of the State of Johor.