Muar Trade Centre

{{Short description|Commercial, hotel and convention centre in Muar, Malaysia}}

{{Infobox building

|name = Muar Trade Centre

|native_name = Pusat Dagangan Muar
ڤوست داڬڠن موار

|image = Muar Trade Centre.jpg

|alternate_names = Muar Trader's Hotel
(formerly Bangunan UMNO Muar-Pagoh)

|start_date =

|completion_date = 1984

|opening = 1984

|building_type = Office, Commercial and Hotel

|location = Jalan Petrie / Jalan Maharani, Bandar Maharani, Muar, Johor, Malaysia

|coordinates = {{coord|2.046187|102.563274|region:Bandar Maharani|display=inline,title}}

|roof =

|top_floor =

|antenna_spire =

|floor_count = 11

|floor_area =

|architect =

|owner = Dato' K.C. Lim

|management = Actitage Sdn Bhd

|website = {{url|http://www.muartradershotel.com.my/}}

|footnotes = {{facebook|MuarTradersHotel}}

}}

Muar Trade Centre ({{langx|ms|Pusat Dagangan Muar}}; Jawi: ڤوست داڬڠن موار) (formerly Bangunan UMNO Muar-Pagoh){{#tag:ref|Antara bangunan yang mengambil bahagian ialah Bangunan UMNO Muar-Pagoh.|group=N}}{{#tag:ref|Acara lawatan dimulakan dengan Majlis Dialog Bersama Rakyat di Muar Traders Hotel (dahulunya Bangunan UMNO Muar-Pagoh).|group=N}} is a major landmark in Bandar Maharani, Muar, Johor, Malaysia. As one of the highest building in the town that houses a hotel and several commercial facilities.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2006/12/16/hotel-and-commercial-complex-for-muar/|title=Hotel and commercial complex for Muar|author=Mohd Farhaan Shah|work=The Star|date=16 December 2006|accessdate=14 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.muartradershotel.com.my/index.php|title=Tallest Hotel In Town|work=|website=Muar Trade Centre & Muar Traders Hotel|date=|accessdate=6 September 2021}}

History

File:MUAR 2005.jpg bank from Sultan Ismail Bridge.]]

The building was actually planned and built by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Muar Division when former Menteri Besar of Johor Tan Sri Othman Saat was the division's chief and was initially to be named as Muar UMNO Building. It was constructed on the state government granted land plot strategically located at the street intersection of Jalan Othman with Jalan Petrie and Jalan Maharani beside the scenic Muar River.{{cite web|url=http://www.muartradershotel.com.my/index.php?ws=pages&pages_id=7394|title=About Us|work=|website=Muar Trade Centre & Muar Traders Hotel|date=|accessdate=6 September 2021}} The building construction was finished and was opened in the 1984 coinciding with the town centennial celebration by the subsequent Menteri Besar Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.{{cite web|url=http://muziummuar.blogspot.com/2015/09/sambutan-100-tahun-muar-1884-1984.html|title=Sambutan 100 Tahun Muar (1884-1984)|author=|publisher=Muzium Muar (Muar Museum)|language=ms|date=10 September 2015 |accessdate=14 April 2019}} But by then the party division was already split technically into two, the actual Muar and the newly Muhyiddin-led Pagoh divisions in correspond to the new border redelineation process by the Election Commission (EC) which had created the new Pagoh parliamentary constituency out of the original Muar parliamentary constituency, the building was finally named as Muar-Pagoh UMNO Building to indicate the inclusiveness of the contribution and ownership of both party divisions in the building.{{cite web|url=http://dun-maharani.blogspot.com/2009/08/program-lawatan-yab-tuan-guru-nik-abdul.html|title=Lawatan Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat ke Muar|work=Dr Mohammad Taslim|publisher=Laman Rasmi Adun Maharani|language=ms|date=17 April 2010 |accessdate=14 April 2019}}

In the beginning when the highest building in Muar being opened then, it was quite an attraction and excitement for the peoples of Muar town. The Muar-Pagoh UMNO Building housed the UMNO office, Bank Bumiputera branch, Park View Hotel, some commercial shops, a video game arcade, a snooker center, a nightly performing live band terrace bar and a bowling alley at time of opening. However gradually the building became inactive over the years and was dormant for years after facing weak management problem and financial trouble for loan debt repayment before it was eventually repossessed from UMNO and auctioned of by the creditor bank.{{cite web|url=https://btmmari.blogspot.com/2012/09/tinggal-kenangan-dulu-bangunan-umno.html|title=Tinggal kenangan....... Dulu bangunan UMNO BAHAGIAN MUAR-PAGOH....DI LELONG....KINI HOTEL MUAR TRADER..|work=Canang|publisher=Cananglahnie|language=ms|date=27 September 2012 |accessdate=14 April 2019}}

Acquisitions and rebranding developments

In 2006, the building was at last acquired and taken over by a local private company which renamed it "Muar Trade Centre". The building is being operated and managed by Actitage Sdn Bhd, currently houses commercial lots, a new hotel, and Muar Trader's Hotel that includes a convention centre.