Janda Baik

Village in Pahang, Malaysia

The rising population in Janda Baik caught the attention of Abu Bakar of Pahang, the Sultan of Pahang,

Another reason Janda Baik was chosen as the village name is that a widow had helped treat the injured Pahang army returning to their base in Pahang when they fought in the civil war in Selangor. She offered medicine to treat the injured people. Because of this, the village was given the name Janda Baik to honor her kindness, where janda and baik respectively mean "widow" (or "divorcee") and "good" in the Malay language. In the village, there used to be an island called Pulau Santap that was located in the middle of the big stream that ran through it. It was used by the Sultan of Pahang as resting place; the word santap refers to eating in Malay language. The island eroded due to development in the area. The Malaysian government feared that a Federal Government's Minister may have been captured by communist guerillas due to his participation in fights against the Japanese Red Army from 1973 to 1981. He survived with light injuries while the co pilot (Vergis Chacko) and his bodyguard (Charon Daan) were killed in the crash. As Kuala Lumpur became more crowded and congested, a proposal was made to build a new administrative center known as Putrajaya, where the administrative buildings and offices would be relocated to. In 1990, the government listed six possible places to build Putrajaya, one of which was in Janda Baik. They decided to build it in Perang Besar, Selangor. In August 2019, villagers protested further development of ecotourism in this area that were silently implemented by authorities without the residents' consent. They claimed that ecotourism development would erode cultural and traditional values, and disrupt the villagers' daily lives. The residents demanded that the authorities should focus on improving the road conditions and cleaning the river instead. In September 2021, the Malaysian Celebrity Vie Shantie Khan announced that Janda Baik belongs to the Gombak district.

Janda Baik is located on the Titiwangsa Range of Peninsular Malaysia. The area is a mountainous terrain where the altitude ranges between and above sea level. In December 2017, a reforestation and forest conservation program was launched in Janda Baik as part of Sultan Ahmad Shah Environment Trust (SASET)'s pledge to plant 100,000 trees in state of Pahang in 2018. This program aims to reforest areas previously cleared by logging and development. A biodiversity research center, Janda Baik Wildlife Fauna Breeding and Research facility, operates in Janda Baik and several wildlife species have been studied, including siamang, whose preferred habitat is mountainous. In addition, other species discovered in Janda Baik include Indian whistling duck which has longer legs and an erect posture more similar to goose than other duck species.

Janda Baik's climate is classified as tropical. Rainfall is significant in this area throughout the year. The climate is Af according to the Köppen Geiger climate classification system. The temperature here averages , and falls between and during the daytime, and at evening can reach The average yearly rainfall is Precipitation is the lowest in July, with an average of The most precipitation falls in November—an average of With an average temperature of , June is the hottest month of the year. December has the lowest average temperature of the year—. Between the driest and wettest months, the difference in precipitation is In addition, farmers also plant bananas on paddy fields. However, due to lack of maintenance on the paddy fields, the yields declined rapidly and the fields were invaded by Imperata cylindrica. About 55% of the residents surveyed identified as farmers in 2001. In recent years, some people moved from urban areas to Janda Baik to set up farming businesses, experience a cooler climate, or escape from an urban livelihood. Urban farmers sold their vegetables to customers and restaurants in Janda Baik. The electronics industry in Janda Baik started when Elektrisola, a German based electronics corporation, opened its factory in 1990. It focused on manufacturing copper wires and litz wires to support the rapidly growing Asian market and economy, and created 1,000 jobs for villagers and nearby inhabitants. 90% of the products produced are exported to Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

In recent years, Janda Baik has become a popular spot for cyclists and trail runners. The town has become popular among cyclists who perceive it as an ideal place for cycling due to its route's hill terrain were perceived as challenging, in addition to scenic views, little traffic, cold climate and a cuisine haven. The village is also popular for trail running due to its hilly slopes, and also has a swimming pool, paintball and ATV driving.