Pahang (Jawi: ڨهڠ) is the third largest state in
MalaysiaMalaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that consists of thirteen states and three Federal Territories, with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 28 million inhabitants...
, after
SarawakSarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , it is situated on the north-west of the island...
and
SabahSabah is a Malaysian state located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo . It is the second largest state in Malaysia after Sarawak, which it borders on its south-west. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
, occupying the huge
Pahang RiverPahang River or is a river in the state of Pahang, Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. With 459 km in length, it is the longest river on the Malay Peninsula...
river basin. It is bordered to the north by
KelantanKelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
, to the west by
PerakPerak is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is the second largest state in Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor southward and to the west by the Strait of Malacca.Perak means silver in...
,
SelangorSelangor is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
,
Negeri SembilanNegeri Sembilan , is one of the 13 states that constitutes the Federation of Malaysia. It is located on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and is bordered in the north by Selangor, in the east by Pahang and in the south by Malacca and Johor.The name is believed...
, to the south by
JohorJohor , also known as Johore by the British, is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most well developed states in Malaysia...
and to the east by
TerengganuTerengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
and the
South China SeaThe South China Sea is a marginal sea*south of mainland China and Taiwan,*west of the Philippines,*north west of Sabah , Sarawak and Brunei,*north of Indonesia,*north east of the Malay peninsula and Singapore, and...
.
Its state capital is
KuantanKuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the largest state in Peninsular Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. The population of Kuantan is 57% Malay, 32% Chinese, 4% Indian and 7% other races...
, and the royal seat is at
PekanLocated on the banks of the Pahang River 50 km south of Kuantan, Pekan is the royal town of the Malaysian state of Pahang Darul Makmur. Its name comes from a flower, the Bunga Pekan. Pekan is also the name of the district the town is situated in, and a parliamentary constituency in its own right...
. Other important towns include
JerantutJerantut is a major town in central Pahang, Malaysia. It is located 200 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur, and 180 km from Kuantan. Jerantut is also the capital of the district of the same name. Located in the north of Pahang state, Jerantut is the main entrance to the National Park...
,
Kuala LipisKuala Lipis is a small town in Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000. It is located in the district of Lipis.-History:Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining center before the British arrived in 1887. In 1898 it became the capital of Pahang until 1953....
,
TemerlohTemerloh is a town in Central Pahang, Malaysia in Temerloh district. Located about 130 km from Kuala Lumpur along the Kuantan-Kuala Lumpur trunk road, Temerloh is the second largest town in Pahang after Kuantan. It is situated at the junction of the Pahang River and the Semantan River...
and the hill
resortA resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company. Such a self-contained resort attempts to provide for most of a vacationer's wants while remaining on...
s of
Genting HighlandsGenting Highlands is a mountain peak within the Titiwangsa Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia and is home to a famous mountain resort by the same name which can be reached by car from Kuala Lumpur in one hour...
,
Cameron HighlandsCameron Highlands is a highland region located about 121 km east of Ipoh and about 214 km north of Kuala Lumpur, in Pahang, Malaysia. At 5,000 ft above sea level it is the highest area on the mainland, enjoys a cool climate, with temperatures no higher than 25 °C and rarely falls below...
,
Bukit TinggiBukit Tinggi is a small town in the Bentong district of Pahang, Malaysia. This small town is located along Karak Expressway.-Notable attractions:*Selesa Homes Golf and Country Resort*Berjaya Hills Resort*Mutiara Villa Indah Apartment...
and
Fraser's HillFraser's Hill or Bukit Fraser is a hill resort located on the Titiwangsa Ridge in the state of Pahang in Malaysia.- History :Fraser's Hill derives its name from Louis James Fraser, a solitary Scottish pioneer, who set up a tin-ore trading post in the 1890s...
.
The Arabic honorific of Pahang is
Darul Makmur ("Abode of Tranquility").
The ethnic composition is roughly 1,000,000 Malay and
BumiputraBumiputera or Bumiputra is a Malay term widely used in Malaysia, embracing indigenous people of the Malay Archipelago. The term comes from the Sanskrit word bhumiputra, which can be translated literally as "son of earth" .In the 1970s the government implemented economic policies designed to favour...
, 233,000
ChineseMalaysian Chinese is a Malaysian of Chinese origin. Most are descendants of Chinese who arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries. Within Malaysia, they are usually simply referred to as "Chinese" in all languages...
, 68,500
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
ns, 13,700 others, and 68,000 non-citizens.
Geography
The physical geography can be broken into roughly three sections: the highlands, the rainforest, and the coastal areas.
Highlands
Peninsular Malaysia straddles a rich
quartzQuartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust . It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO
4 silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO
2.There are many different varieties of...
vein that is associated with the mountain range in the center.
RainforestRainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm . The monsoon trough, alternately known as the intertropical convergence zone, plays a significant role in creating Earth's tropical rain forests.From 40 to 75%...
covers much of the highlands, but it tends to be thinner, with more
deciduousDeciduous means falling off at maturity or tending to fall off and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
trees.
FernA fern is any one of a group of about 20,000 species of plants classified in the phylum or division Pteridophyta, also known as Filicophyta. The group is also referred to as Polypodiophyta, or Polypodiopsida when treated as a subdivision of tracheophyta...
s are also extremely common, thanks mainly to the high humidity and fog that permeates the area.
The
Cameron HighlandsCameron Highlands is a highland region located about 121 km east of Ipoh and about 214 km north of Kuala Lumpur, in Pahang, Malaysia. At 5,000 ft above sea level it is the highest area on the mainland, enjoys a cool climate, with temperatures no higher than 25 °C and rarely falls below...
area in the west is home to extensive
teaTea is the agricultural product of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the Camellia sinensis plant, prepared and cured by various methods...
plantations. The area is the highest on the mainland, and the climate is temperate enough to have distinct temperature variations year round. The area is also known as a major supplier of
legumeIn botanical writing legume is a plant in the family Fabaceae , or a fruit of these specific plants. A'legume' fruit is a simple dry fruit that develops from a simple carpel and usually dehisces on two sides. A common name for this type of fruit is a pod, although "pod" is also applied to a few...
s and vegetables to both
MalaysiaMalaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that consists of thirteen states and three Federal Territories, with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 28 million inhabitants...
and
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, lying north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At , Singapore is a microstate and the smallest nation in Southeast...
.
Genting HighlandsGenting Highlands is a mountain peak within the Titiwangsa Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia and is home to a famous mountain resort by the same name which can be reached by car from Kuala Lumpur in one hour...
is known as Malaysia's playground. It is home to several hotels, a theme park and Malaysia's only casino.
Genting HighlandsGenting Highlands is a mountain peak within the Titiwangsa Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia and is home to a famous mountain resort by the same name which can be reached by car from Kuala Lumpur in one hour...
was developed by
Lim Goh TongTan Sri Dato Seri Lim Goh Tong was a prominent wealthy Malaysian Chinese businessman. He was renowned for his vision and courage in transforming Genting Highlands from an unexplored hilltop into one of the world's most successful Casino resorts...
, who envisioned a hillside getaway destination for people wanting to get away from city hustle and bustle, and is conveniently situated 40 minutes from the capital of
Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur , is the capital and largest city of Malaysia. The city proper, making up an area of , has an estimated population of 1.6 million in 2006. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, accessible by highway. The border of Genting Highlands straddles both the states of Pahang and
SelangorSelangor is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
.
The famous silk merchant and fashion designer
Jim ThompsonJames Harrison Wilson "Jim" Thompson was an American businessman who helped revitalize the Thai silk and textile industry in the 1950s and 1960s. A former U.S...
mysteriously disappeared in the area, and it was also home to the Communist guerrillas who fought the
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
during the 1950s.
Fraser's HillFraser's Hill or Bukit Fraser is a hill resort located on the Titiwangsa Ridge in the state of Pahang in Malaysia.- History :Fraser's Hill derives its name from Louis James Fraser, a solitary Scottish pioneer, who set up a tin-ore trading post in the 1890s...
was used as a British summer getaway to escape the tropical heat. It is distinctive that the road to and from
Fraser's HillFraser's Hill or Bukit Fraser is a hill resort located on the Titiwangsa Ridge in the state of Pahang in Malaysia.- History :Fraser's Hill derives its name from Louis James Fraser, a solitary Scottish pioneer, who set up a tin-ore trading post in the 1890s...
is a single lane up the hill and traffic limited to a single direction at certain hours. It is now a small hamlet with British architectural buildings and also a holiday destination.
There is also a population of native
Orang AsliOrang Asli is a general term used for any indigenous groups that are found in Peninsular Malaysia. They are divided into three main tribal groups – Semang , Senoi, and Proto-Malay . The Orang Asli are further divided into 18 sub-ethnic group according to their different languages and customs...
who live in the area, although most have been relocated from the forests to other areas.
Rainforest
The north of the state is home to the country's largest
national parkA national park is a reserve of natural or semi-natural land, declared or owned by a national government, set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, and protected from most development...
, Taman Negara. This large
primary rainforestRainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm . The monsoon trough, alternately known as the intertropical convergence zone, plays a significant role in creating Earth's tropical rain forests.From 40 to 75%...
is extensive, and is home to many rare or endangered animals, such as the
tapirA tapir is a large browsing mammal, roughly pig-like in shape, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. There are four species of Tapirs, being the Brazilian tapir, the Malayan tapir, Baird's tapir and the...
, kancil,
tigerThe tiger is a member of the Felidae family; the largest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera. Native to much of eastern and southern Asia, the tiger is an apex predator and an obligate carnivore...
s and
leopardThe leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera; the other three being the tiger, lion and jaguar...
s.
Rainforest covers 2/3 of the area of the state, and the peninsula's highest point, Gunung Tahan, is located within Taman Negara. Since the equator is so close, the rainforests in Malaysia are among the oldest in the world: roughly 130 million years old.
Lakes
Two famous lakes are found in Pahang. Tasik Bera is a
RamsarThe Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
site and is important for its rich freshwater
peatPeat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. Peat forms in wetlandbogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests...
environment, home to various flora and fauna. The Semelai
Orang AsliOrang Asli is a general term used for any indigenous groups that are found in Peninsular Malaysia. They are divided into three main tribal groups – Semang , Senoi, and Proto-Malay . The Orang Asli are further divided into 18 sub-ethnic group according to their different languages and customs...
live in the area and continue their traditional way of life, hunting, fishing and making use of their natural environment.
Tasik Cini is home to a legend whereby a
dragonDragons are legendary creatures, typically with serpentine or otherwise reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of worldwide cultures.The two most familiar interpretations of dragons are European dragons, derived from various European folk traditions, and the unrelated Oriental dragons, such as...
was believed to reside in the lake. Talks also abound about a lost city that sunk beneath the water. Famed for its
lotusNelumbo is a genus of aquatic plants with large, showy, water lily-like flowers commonly known as lotus or sacred lotus. The generic name is derived from the Sinhalese word Nelum. There are two species in the genus, the better known of which, N...
blooms, recently controversy has sparked with mismanaged tourism development resulting in the massive die off of trees, and recent findings of pollution in the water.
Coastal Areas
The largely mountainous state flattens out towards the coastline, and this is where the state capital
KuantanKuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the largest state in Peninsular Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. The population of Kuantan is 57% Malay, 32% Chinese, 4% Indian and 7% other races...
is located. There are also many islands offshore, including Pulau Tioman, with extensive
coral reefCoral reefs are aragonite structures produced by living organisms, found in marine waters containing few nutrients. In most reefs, the predominant organisms are stony corals, colonial cnidarians that secrete an exoskeleton of calcium carbonate...
systems. Fine stretches of beach are found from Kuantan heading to
TerengganuTerengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
.
A traditional fishing industry still exists along the coast. Keropok dried fish cakes are a welcome favourite among locals and traditional industry includes the mass processing of dried fish and seafood as well as the famed
keropok lekor.
History
Evidence for nomadic tribes living in the Pahang area go back to the
MesolithicThe Mesolithic or "Middle Stone Age" was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age. The term was introduced by John Lubbock in his work Pre-historic Times, published in 1865. The term was, however, not much used...
Era. In more modern times, the
tinTin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead, like the two possible oxidation states +2 and +4...
and
goldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. It has been a highly sought-after precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts since the beginning of recorded history. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is...
deposits of the
Tembeling RiverTembeling River is a river in Pahang, Malaysia. It is a main tributary of Pahang River....
attracted the marine traders of the
SrivijayaSrivijaya or Sriwijaya was an ancient Malay kingdom on the island of Sumatra, Southeast Asia which influenced much of the Maritime Southeast Asia. The earliest solid proof of its existence dates from the 7th century; a Chinese monk, I-Tsing, wrote that he visited Srivijaya in 671 for 6 months...
empire in the
eighthThe 700s decade ran from January 1, 700, to December 31, 709. It was the first decade of the 8th century....
and
ninthThe 800s decade ran from January 1, 800, to December 31, 809. It was the first decade of the 9th century.-Events and trends:*Swedish town of Birka founded as a centre of trade on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren.*In 800, Charlemagne is crowned emperor...
centuries, and Pahang covered most of the southern half of the
Malay PeninsulaThe Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a major peninsula located in Southeast Asia, with its narrowest point at the Isthmus of Kra. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its teminus, is the most southern point of the Asian mainland...
.
After the Srivijaya empire collapsed, around the 1000, Pahang was claimed first by
SiamThe Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...
, and then by Sultanate of Malacca. Pahang was fought over by the
PortuguesePortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
, the
DutchThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
,
JohorJohor , also known as Johore by the British, is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most well developed states in Malaysia...
, and
AcehAceh is a special territory of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Nanggröe Aceh Darussalam. Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin.It is thought to have been in Aceh where Islam was first established in Southeast Asia...
for most of the 16th century. During this time, its population was mostly killed or enslaved, its rulers murdered and its economy ruined. After the decline of Aceh in the mid-17th century, Pahang came under the rule of Johor. However, Sultans of Pahang, descended from the
MalaccaMalacca is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south. The capital is Malacca Town...
and the
BendaharaBendahara is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a hereditary post. It was the office that is held by bendahara family...
JohorJohor , also known as Johore by the British, is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most well developed states in Malaysia...
royal dynasties, have ruled the state almost continuously from 1470, and gradually recovered a great degree of autonomy.
From 1858 to 1863, Pahang was fought over in a civil war between the two sons of the reigning Bendahara. The war ended when Wan Ahmad was proclaimed the new sultan in 1887, but his role from that point onward was largely ceremonial, as the British forced him to sign a treaty bringing the country under control of a British Resident.
In 1896, Pahang joined
SelangorSelangor is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
,
PerakPerak is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is the second largest state in Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor southward and to the west by the Strait of Malacca.Perak means silver in...
, and
Negeri SembilanNegeri Sembilan , is one of the 13 states that constitutes the Federation of Malaysia. It is located on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and is bordered in the north by Selangor, in the east by Pahang and in the south by Malacca and Johor.The name is believed...
in the
Federated Malay StatesThe Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...
. This evolved into the
Federation of MalayaThe Federation of Malaya , is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. Comprising the nine Malay states and the British settlements of Penang and Malacca, it was eventually superseded by Malaysia.-History:From 1946 to 1948, the 11...
in 1948 and into the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.
Etymology
Over centuries ago, Pahang was called differently. Based on the
ChineseThe term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People who reside in and hold citizenship of the People's Republic of China or the Republic of China . This definition stems from a legal perspective...
record, the Chinese known Pahang by the name
Phang or
Pahangh. A Chinese writer called it as
Pang-Hang,
Pang-Heng,
Pong-Fong,
Phe-Hang,
Pang-Kang and others.
In 1225, Choa Ju-Kua wrote the book 'Chu-Fan-Chi'. He wrote that amongst the states invaded by San-Fo-Chi was one called
Peng-Keng, i.e. Pahang. The Arabs and
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
ans at that time called it as
Pam,
Pan,
Phang,
Paam,
Poa,
Paon,
Phamm,
Paham,
Fanhan,
Phang and
Pahagh. G.R Tibbets, a historian who commented the story written by Mas'udi thought that
Fanjab (in Mas'udi's book) was Pahang. He preferred to call it
Fanhan,
Panghang/
Panhang, rather than
Fanjab.
Certain people said that the name 'Pahang', originated from the language of a Siamese aborigines tribe, meaning 'ore'. The aborigines used to live here and opened up several mining areas, especially in Sungai Lembing. According to an old Malay story, at the place near the
Pahang RiverPahang River or is a river in the state of Pahang, Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. With 459 km in length, it is the longest river on the Malay Peninsula...
, on the opposite side of Kampung Kembahang, a large 'mahang' tree fell across the river, thus the name 'Pahang' originated.
Politics and Government
The constitution of Pahang came into force on February 26 1959. The constitution proclaims that Pahang is a Constitutional Monarchy
The Sultan of Pahang is the constitutional ruler of his state and he holds office for life. The 1959 constitution states that the Sultan is " the fountain head of justice and of all authority of government " in the state. He is vested with the executive power of the state, is the Head of the Religion of Islam in the state and the source of all titles and dignities, honours and awards in the state. Since 1974, the Sultan or hereditary monarch has been Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah.
The state executive council is established by the 1959 constitution. Its consists of the
Menteri Besar , who is its chairman, and ten other members. The Sultan of Pahang appoints the Menteri Besar and the rest of the council from the members of the State Assembly. The current Menteri Besar is
Dato' SeriThe Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders....
Adnan Yaakob from the
United Malays National OrganisationThe United Malays National Organisation, or UMNO, , is a right-wing party and Malaysia's largest political party; a founding member of the Barisan Nasional coalition, which has been Malaysia's ruling political party since independence...
, a major component party of the
Barisan NasionalBarisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia. Formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance , it has been Malaysia's ruling political party since independence...
(BN) coalition. Adnan's deputy is Datuk Tan Aminuddin Ishak.
The state also has a unicameral legislative body, the Pahang State Assembly or
Dewan Undangan Negeri. The Chief Minister, who is appointed by the Sultan, typically comes from the political party with the most seats in the assembly. According to Deputy Chief Minister Aminuddin Ishak, the BN-led state government does not have a policy of assisting constituencies with opposition members of the state assembly. Replying to an Assemblyman who asked if the government had a policy of doing so, Aminuddin answered no such plan existed, but "If you want to help the opposition, you can do so."
Pahang is divided into 11 administrative divisions:
BeraBera is a district in Pahang, Malaysia. Bera district is founded on February 1, 1992 following the breaking up of the Temerloh district. Once considered as problematic area , Bera emerged as an important district especially in the agriculture sector. The district got the name from the Malaysia's...
,
BentongFor the Filipino comedian known as Bentong, please see Domingo BrotamanteBentong is both a town and a district in Pahang, Malaysia. The district covers an area of 1,831 km². It is located 80 km northeast of Kuala Lumpur, just across the main range, Titiwangsa Mountains. The original main street...
,
Cameron HighlandsCameron Highlands is a highland region located about 121 km east of Ipoh and about 214 km north of Kuala Lumpur, in Pahang, Malaysia. At 5,000 ft above sea level it is the highest area on the mainland, enjoys a cool climate, with temperatures no higher than 25 °C and rarely falls below...
,
JerantutJerantut is a major town in central Pahang, Malaysia. It is located 200 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur, and 180 km from Kuantan. Jerantut is also the capital of the district of the same name. Located in the north of Pahang state, Jerantut is the main entrance to the National Park...
,
KuantanKuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the largest state in Peninsular Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. The population of Kuantan is 57% Malay, 32% Chinese, 4% Indian and 7% other races...
,
Kuala LipisKuala Lipis is a small town in Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000. It is located in the district of Lipis.-History:Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining center before the British arrived in 1887. In 1898 it became the capital of Pahang until 1953....
,
MaranMaran is a small town in a district of the same name between Temerloh and Kuantan in Pahang, Malaysia which is surrounded by isolated forest and oil palm plantations.-Facilities:*Maran District Mosque*Majlis Daerah Maran main headquarters...
,
PekanLocated on the banks of the Pahang River 50 km south of Kuantan, Pekan is the royal town of the Malaysian state of Pahang Darul Makmur. Its name comes from a flower, the Bunga Pekan. Pekan is also the name of the district the town is situated in, and a parliamentary constituency in its own right...
,
RaubRaub is both a town and a district in Pahang, Malaysia. The town is situated 110 km from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur and 265 km from Pahang's capital, Kuantan. Raub is one of the oldest towns in Pahang. Raub district consist of 7 mukim , namely Batu Talam, Sega, Semantan Ulu,...
,
RompinRompin is a small fishing village and township on the southern end of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located within the district of Rompin. The Rompin River flows through the town. The Endau Rompin National Park is partly situated within the Rompin district....
and
TemerlohTemerloh is a town in Central Pahang, Malaysia in Temerloh district. Located about 130 km from Kuala Lumpur along the Kuantan-Kuala Lumpur trunk road, Temerloh is the second largest town in Pahang after Kuantan. It is situated at the junction of the Pahang River and the Semantan River...
.
Economy
For decades, Pahang's main industry centred on tropical
timberTimber may refer to:*Lumber, i.e. wood materials* Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Oregon* Timber , a 1984 arcade game by Bally Midway* An alternative spelling for Timbre...
production, as large forest swatches supported massive production of wood products, which were the state's main export. Yet a decline in mature trees due to intensive harvesting lately has caused a slowdown and the practice of more sustainable forestry.
FisheryGenerally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising and/or harvesting fish, which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of...
products are also a main source of income especially for the communities on the long coastline of the state. Dried and salted fish is a speciality here. Ikan Patin is very popular at Temerloh.
RaubRaub is both a town and a district in Pahang, Malaysia. The town is situated 110 km from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur and 265 km from Pahang's capital, Kuantan. Raub is one of the oldest towns in Pahang. Raub district consist of 7 mukim , namely Batu Talam, Sega, Semantan Ulu,...
in the central Pahang area was the only profitable
gold miningGold mining consists of the processes and techniques employed in the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques by which gold may be extracted from the Earth.-Panning:...
operation in Malaysia but reserves were soon exhausted and the mines were shut down. Recently, newer technology has made extraction profitable again and operations are being carried out once more.
Sungai LembingSungai Lembing is a tin mining town 42 km northwest of Kuantan in Pahang, Malaysia. Lembing is Malay for spear, and "sungai" means river. Per local legend, the local ruler saw a vision of a spear in the nearby river and thus named his town after this vision....
in the heyday was a large centre for shaft mining of
timah better known as
tinTin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead, like the two possible oxidation states +2 and +4...
. Miners dug underground tunnels to reach the ore and brought it up to the surface by the cartloads for smelting into
jongkangs. Now that tin is no longer mined the mines are mostly flooded, Sungai Lembing is a dying town with few prospects except tourism based on its history of mining and trekking up Bukit Panorama.
Industry mostly centres on wood-based products and
petrochemicalPetrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of petroleum or other hydrocarbon origin. Although some of the chemical compounds that originate from petroleum may also be derived from coal and natural gas, petroleum is the major source...
processing.
Kuantan PortSituated about 25 KM to the north of Kuantan city and facing South China Sea, Kuantan Port is a multipurpose port in the East Coast Region of Peninsular Malaysia....
is the busiest port in the east coast. Comprehensive transportation networks allow for fast transportation of goods throughout the state.
Tourism remains the state's main income earner with large natural resources to entice visitors from Taman Negara's forests, Pulau Tioman and the
Genting HighlandsGenting Highlands is a mountain peak within the Titiwangsa Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia and is home to a famous mountain resort by the same name which can be reached by car from Kuala Lumpur in one hour...
.
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