Kuantan


Kuantan is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 12th largest city in Malaysia based on a 2020 population of 548,014 and the largest city on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
The administrative centre of the state of Pahang was officially relocated to Kuantan on 27 August 1955 from Kuala Lipis, and was officiated by HRH Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al Muadzam Shah, the Sultan of Pahang.

History

Kuantan in the first century was a part of Chih-Tu empire. In the 11th century, this piece of land was conquered by another small empire called Pheng-Kheng before being taken over by the Siamese during the 12th century. During the 15th century, Kuantan was ruled by the Malaccan Empire.
Kuantan is said to have been founded in the 1850s. The name was notably mentioned in Munshi Abdullah's travelogue Kisah Pelayaran ke Kelantan circa 1851/2:
In its early days, it was known as Kampung Teruntum. The village was situated at the mouth of Teruntum River which is in front of the current hospital and it was established by Haji Senik and his followers in the 1850s. Early primary economic activities included fishing and small businesses. The main evidence of the establishment of the village is the cemetery that is situated near Taman Esplanade in front of the current Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan.
Towards the late 19th century, arrival of Chinese miners and traders saw the establishment of a township in Kuantan and nearby tin mining areas such as Gambang and Sungai Lembing. Similar to what occurred in other states in Peninsular Malaysia, rubber plantations attracted Indian settlers as well.
The sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse took place off the coast of Kuantan on 10 December 1941.
Kuantan was declared a full-fledged city by Sultan Abdullah of Pahang on 21 February 2021 and its town council officially renamed the Kuantan City Council.

Government

The Pahang state government shifted the administrative centre of Pahang from Kuala Lipis to Kuantan in 1955. The urban area of Kuantan city is located mostly in the mukims of Kuala Kuantan and Beserah.
Kuantan City Council, formerly known as the Kuantan Sanitary Board from 1913 until 1937, the Kuantan Town Board from 1937 until 1953, the Kuantan Town Council from 1953 to 31 August 1979 and the Kuantan Municipal Council from 1 September 1979 until 20 February 2021, is the local authority of Kuantan.

Urban development

Part of the larger East Coast Economic Growth Region, Kuantan will see many new developments including:
  • Relocation of the state administration centre to its proposed site in Kota Sultan Ahmad Shah.
  • Kuantan Port City consist of Kuantan Port expansion, Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, and Kuantan Integrated Biopark
  • East Coast Rail Link from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan. Moreover ECRL also passing through Bentong & Temerloh.
  • at Tanjung Lumpur.
  • Greater Kuantan development that stretches from Kertih, Terengganu to Pekan, Pahang.

    Climate

Kuantan features a tropical rainforest climate under the Köppen climate classification. Usually, the area experiences two seasons per year, i.e., the "Dry" and Hot season and the Rainy season. The "Dry" and Hot Season occurs when seasonal south-west winds blow from Sumatra toward the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia but are blocked by the Titiwangsa Mountain Range. The temperature may reach 40 degrees Celsius. The Rainy season usually occurs between October and March. During this season, the north-east winds bring rain to Kuantan. It can get very cloudy with a large amount of rainfall. Floods may also occur. Areas subject to possible flooding include the road to Sungai Lembing and also a few areas along the Kuantan River.
In 2006, Kuantan experienced significant air pollution that affected visibility because of the haze blowing in from Sumatra and the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Demographics

Kuantan's population was approximately 427,515 in 2010 which was composed of 78.5% Malay, 17.9% Chinese, 3.3% Indian and 0.3% other races. The following is based on Department of Statistics Malaysia 2010 census.
By 2019, its population had grown to 529,600.

Economy

One of its major economic activities is tourism. Domestically, it is famous for the production of handicrafts, batik, keropok and salted fish. Kuantan serves as the administrative and commercial capital of Pahang. Trade and commerce are important in the economy of the town.
There are petrochemical industries, mostly in Gebeng, an industrial area about 25 km north of Kuantan. Among the major companies operating in Kuantan are BASF PETRONAS Chemicals, MTBE/Polypropylene Sdn Bhd, BP Chemicals, MTBE, Flexsys, Bredero Shaw, Eastman Chemical, Kaneka, Polyplastics, Mieco, KNM, JiKang, W.R. Grace, Cryovac, Wasco Pipeline Coatings, AMC, etc.

ECER Special Economic Zone (ECER SEZ)

Kuantan is being identified as a Special Economic Zone. The launch of SEZ in 2009 by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is one of the first of its kind in Malaysia. The SEZ is located inside East Coast Economic Region of Greater Kuantan which stretches from the district of Kertih, Terengganu to the district of Pekan, Pahang. It is now one of the largest SEZs in Asia, covering 390,000 hectares. ECER SEZ serves as a catalyst to fast-track the economic development in the east coast. ECER SEZ aims to generate RM90 billion of investments and provide over 90,000 new jobs by 2020. At the centre of southeast Asia with four seaports and two airports, ECER SEZ will serve good transportation link between Indochina, India and China.
The development master plan will offer special incentives to attract investors. Include tax exemptions, import and export duties exemptions and 100 per cent investment tax allowance.

Tourism

Beaches

Kuantan's main sightseeing attraction is the beach at Teluk Cempedak or Palm Beach. There are scenic beaches popular among vacationers in the city's vicinity, such as Batu Hitam, Balok, Chenor, Pantai Sepat, Beserah, and Cherating. Near Cherating there are turtle sanctuaries. A few kilometres away from Cherating is Pulau Ular. There is a legend connected with this island.

Waterfalls and parks

Kuantan is known to tourists for its waterfalls. The most well-known is the Sungai Pandan Waterfall. Two others are the Sungai Berkelah Waterfall and the Jerangkang Waterfall.
There are four parks in the city, the Gelora Park, Teruntum Mini Zoo, Gambang Safari Park and Agriculture Park at Indera Mahkota. A small park across the main road in front of the Hospital is named the Esplanade Park or Downtown Kuantan. Here, it is possible to go on a river cruise from the small jetty. The Kuantan area also produces handicrafts and batik. Other tourist attractions include the State Mosque.

Sungai Lembing

Sungai Lembing is located about 26 km northwest of Kuantan. It used to contain the world's deepest underground tin mines. There is an interesting Tin Museum in the former mining town of Sungai Lembing. Just north of the Tin Museum is a "hanging bridge". Access is via a narrow, winding road at the base of the entrance to the Tin Museum. There is another hanging bridge on the outskirts of Sungai Lembing town. There is a Panorama Hill which provides an impressive pre-dawn view. On the Kuantan-Sungai Lembing road at the hamlet of Pancing, there is a limestone mountain which houses a large reclining Buddha in one of its caves, Charah Cave. The highest peak, Gunung Tapis, also can be accessed from here.

Theme parks

Bukit Gambang Resort City is one of the largest water theme park resorts in Malaysia, spanning 547 acres and offering a 17.1-acre lake, and a 24,000 square feet wave pool. Bukit Gambang Safari Park, the biggest safari in east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Kuantan 188

Kuantan 188, previously known as Teruntum Tower is a 3-storey, 188-meter-tall tower in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. It is the Malaysia's second tallest tower after the Kuala Lumpur Tower and the second-tallest in East Coast Economic Region after the newly completed Grand Ion Majestic in Genting Highlands, which is Pahang's tallest building. Its construction was started in August 2017 and completed on 3 September 2019. It features an observation deck at 92 meter high, restaurant at 98 meter high and an open sky-deck at 104 meter high. The tower offers 360-degree view of the Kuantan River and Kuantan City.

Design and concept

The design of the tower was inspired by spear head which is one of element on the Pahang's Coat of Arms while the tower's porch inspired by Lumnitzera Tree.
There are also some symbolic concept behind the tower's design:
  • The tower's porch symbolize the diversity of the people of Kuantan and Pahang.
  • Five connected steel post of the spire represent five principles of the Rukun Negara as the core of people's unity. It also represent the five Pillars of Islam.
  • Golden tower's pinnacle symbolize the sovereignty of the Sultan of Pahang.

    Inauguration

Kuantan 188 was official inaugurated on 21 February 2021 by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah via video footage played on a giant screen during the event. The tower opened as new iconic landmark for the new proclaimed city of Kuantan. It expected to revitalise the state tourism sector by attracting thousand of tourists to the city.
Al-Sultan Abdullah was represented by his heir, the regent of Pahang Crown Prince Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah alongside of his other sons, Tengku Muhammad Iskandar Ri’ayatuddin Shah and Tengku Ahmad Ismail Mu’adzam Shah. Other honorable guests including the Chief Minister of Pahang Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, Senior Minister of Infrastructure Development Fadillah Yusof, then Minister of Communications and Multimedia Saifuddin Abdullah, Speaker of the Pahang State Legislative Assembly Ishak Muhamad, Pahang State Government Secretary Salehuddin Ishak, Mayor of Kuantan City Hamdan Hussin and other members of federal cabinet and Pahang State Government.
During the event, the honorable guests also witnessed a boat parade by the federal government, state government, local authorities and defense forces along the Kuantan River.