While Parit Raja may not be as well known as the nearby town of Ayer Hitam to those from out of state, the town has nevertheless been experiencing tremendous growth in the last 20 years.

Among the main contributors to the town's rapid growth are the Parit Raja and Sri Gading industrial areas, which have attracted a number of companies including global information technology company Fujitsu Ltd and electrical appliances giant Sharp.

A number of Bursa Malaysia Bhd-listed companies, including garment manufacturer PCCS Group Bhd and corrrugated carton maker HPI Resources Bhd also have facilities in the area.

Another factor is the opening of institutions there -- Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi Mara (KKTM).

UTHM started out as Pusat Latihan Staf Politeknik, a training centre for polytechnics academic staff administered by the Education Ministry and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

It was upgraded and became known as Institut Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn, after the country's third prime minister. In 1996 it was again renamed Kolej Universiti Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn before it attained full university status in 2007, when it has since remained UTHM.

The development of UTHM has contributed to the increase in the population of Parit Raja. According to its website, the university has an enrolment of about 8,000 students.

The town, not to be confused with another town of the same name in Muar, is about 25km from Batu Pahat and 10km from Ayer Hitam.

What started out as a small town with just two rows of wooden shophouses, surrounded by traditional villages, is now a modern university town, with new shophouses and residential areas now a part of the town.

New residential and commercial areas continue to be developed in Parit Raja and its surrounding areas, as the demand for housing there is increasing.

It is said that the rental rates for a house is Parit Raja is actually higher than other places in Batu Pahat, including the town of Batu Pahat itself.

Besides being known as an industrial and education hub, Parit Raja is also well known among the people of Batu Pahat as the place to go to for traditional kerepek and other snacks.

Most of the kerepek sold at the town are made by villagers in the surrounding villages, so buyers are assured of quality and freshness.

While the town has undergone many changes over the years, it has managed to retain its small town charm, probably because there are still many villages surrounding it.

The next time you pass through the town of Parit Raja, do take time to stop and enjoy what the town has to offer. You might just fall in love with its old school charm.