Kota Bharu
Encyclopedia
Kota Bharu is a city
in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan
. It is also the name of the territory (jajahan) in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia
, and lies near the mouth of the Kelantan River
at 6°8′N 102°15′E. In 2005, it had an estimated population of 425,294, making it one of the largest towns on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. By 2009, it became by far the most populous town on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia with an estimated population of 577,301 and continues to increase to the estimated population of 609,886 in 2010 thus make it the most dense town on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Kota Bharu is at rank of 10th in the list of the largest cities in Malaysia.
This northeastern Malaysian city is close to the Thai
border, and is home to many mosques. Also of interest are various museums and the unique architecture of the old royal palace (still occupied by the sultan
and sultanah and off-limits to visitors but viewable from outside) and former royal buildings (which can be visited) in the center of town.
The City is served by Keretapi Tanah Melayu
's East Coast Line at the nearby Wakaf Bharu Terminal Station, in the town of Wakaf Bharu
across the Kelantan River to Stestn Railway Station and Sultan Ismail Petra Airport
, located in Pengkalan Chepa
.
. Kota Bharu does not have a true dry season
as all 12 months sees on average more than 60 mm of precipitation. However, Kota Bharu experiences noticeably heavier rainfall from August through January. Also, in comparison to the rest of the year, Kota Bharu experiences slightly cooler temperatures between December and February, than it does during the rest of the year. The city sees on average about 2700 mm of precipitation annually.
Pantai Sabak, about 10 km from Kota Bharu, was the initial landing point of the Japanese invasion forces
on 8 December 1941 in their Malayan campaign when they successfully engaged the British in jungle warfare and ultimately captured Singapore
List of Kota Bharu district representatives in the State Legislative Assembly (Dewan Undangan Negeri
)
Ranking Population Kota Bharu District (Jajahan)
Social activities that do not contradict with the Islamic norm are allowed. Government offices and many stores are closed on Fridays and Saturdays, but the vibrant markets remain open except for Islamic prayer times. The conservative Kelantanese state government under PAS has implemented some Islamic laws. These include switching on lights in cinemas during screening time until cinemas were closed down and separate check-out counters in supermarkets for males and females and khalwat
, the Islamic rule on proximity between males and females. However, these regulations only apply for Muslims only.
The Kota Bharu Municipal Council, the local government authority, discourage the wearing of indecent attire by female employees in retail outlets and restaurants. Those who are caught for dressing indecently may be fined up to RM
500. The definition of indecent dressing include "body hugging outfits which show off the body, blouses which show the navel
, see through blouses, mini-skirts and tight pants."
and Wayang Kulit were widely practised here but the practise was clamped down by the local authorities due to perceived Hindu Influences which is thought to contradict Islam.
and nasi kerabu are popular local cuisine. Kelantanese also have a liking for sweet cakes or kuih
. These include apom
, akok
, lompat tikam, netbak, pisang goreng
, curry puff
and much more.
is the anchor tenant for this shopping mall. These two buildings are connected by an overpass on the second floor. Other shopping centers in Kota Bharu are KB Mall, Pelangi Mall, Kota Seri Mutiara, Pantai Timur, The Store and the new Nirwana Maju (at Bandar Baru Kubang Kerian). A new Tesco hypermarket has opened in 2008. Most of Kota Bharu's downtown shopping area is currently undergoing a major reconstruction and several multi-story shopping centers are in their early construction phases in this vicinity. By March 2010, a new Mydin Mall has been opened and located at Bandar Baru Kubang Kerian on the east. Other shopping complex will open soon is Mydin Mall, is located at Bandar Baru Tunjong on south of Kota Bharu. Giant Hypermarket also take place to be open in Bandar Baru Tunjong.
). This Japanese transport ship was the very first vessel to sink in The Pacific War
. There is a vast variety of marine life around the ship, most notably the giant barracudas that circle around. The wreck is only a 30 minute boat journey from the jetty, which is 10 minutes outside of Kota Bharu.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan
Kelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
. It is also the name of the territory (jajahan) in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
, and lies near the mouth of the Kelantan River
Kelantan River
The Kelantan River is the major river in Kelantan, Malaysia. It drains a catchment area of about 11900 km²...
at 6°8′N 102°15′E. In 2005, it had an estimated population of 425,294, making it one of the largest towns on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. By 2009, it became by far the most populous town on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia with an estimated population of 577,301 and continues to increase to the estimated population of 609,886 in 2010 thus make it the most dense town on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Kota Bharu is at rank of 10th in the list of the largest cities in Malaysia.
This northeastern Malaysian city is close to the Thai
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
border, and is home to many mosques. Also of interest are various museums and the unique architecture of the old royal palace (still occupied by the sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
and sultanah and off-limits to visitors but viewable from outside) and former royal buildings (which can be visited) in the center of town.
The City is served by Keretapi Tanah Melayu
Keretapi Tanah Melayu
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad or Malayan Railways Limited is the main rail operator in Peninsular Malaysia. The railway system dates back to the British colonial era, when it was first built to transport tin...
's East Coast Line at the nearby Wakaf Bharu Terminal Station, in the town of Wakaf Bharu
Wakaf Bharu
Wakaf Bharu is a small town in Tumpat district, Kelantan, Malaysia. Wakaf Bharu railway station on the East Coast Line is located here. Beside the mosque and several surau, there is also a church in Wakaf Bharu. More than 90 percent at this area are Malays and of course they are Muslims...
across the Kelantan River to Stestn Railway Station and Sultan Ismail Petra Airport
Sultan Ismail Petra Airport
Sultan Ismail Petra Airport is an airport that operates in Kota Bharu, a city in the state of Kelantan in Malaysia. The airport is named after the thirteenth Sultan of Kelantan, who ruled from 1980 to 2010. The present new terminal was officially opened in September 2002...
, located in Pengkalan Chepa
Pengkalan Chepa
Pengkalan Chepa is a town and also a parliamentary constituency in Kelantan, Malaysia. Pengkalan Chepa is where the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport is located.It is located about 8 km from the Kota Bharu town .- Education :...
.
Climate
Kota Bharu features a tropical rainforest climateTropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, is a tropical climate usually found along the equator...
. Kota Bharu does not have a true dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
as all 12 months sees on average more than 60 mm of precipitation. However, Kota Bharu experiences noticeably heavier rainfall from August through January. Also, in comparison to the rest of the year, Kota Bharu experiences slightly cooler temperatures between December and February, than it does during the rest of the year. The city sees on average about 2700 mm of precipitation annually.
History
Kota Bharu was established by Sultan Muhammad II of Kelantan in 1844 as Kelantan's capital. Before that, Kelantan capital was at Kota Kubang Labu. Kota Bharu also known as Kuala Kelantan before 1844.Pantai Sabak, about 10 km from Kota Bharu, was the initial landing point of the Japanese invasion forces
Japanese Invasion of Malaya
The Japanese Invasion of Malaya, or Battle of Kota Bharu, began just after midnight on 8 December 1941 before the attack on Pearl Harbor...
on 8 December 1941 in their Malayan campaign when they successfully engaged the British in jungle warfare and ultimately captured Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
Federal Parliament and State Assembly Seats
List of Kota Bharu district representatives in the Federal Parliament (Dewan Rakyat)| Parliament | Seat Name | Member of Parliament | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| P20 | Pengkalan Chepa | Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P21 | Kota Bharu | Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P24 | Kubang Kerian | Salahuddin Ayub | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P26 | Ketereh | Abdul Aziz Abdul Kadir | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
List of Kota Bharu district representatives in the State Legislative Assembly (Dewan Undangan Negeri
Dewan Undangan Negeri
A state legislative assembly is the legislature of each of the 13 Malaysian states. Members of a state legislative assembly comprises elected representatives from single-member constituencies during state elections through the first-past-the-post system....
)
| Parliament | State | Seat Name | State Assemblyman | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P20 | N5 | Kijang | Wan Ubaidah Omar | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P20 | N6 | Chempaka | Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P20 | N7 | Panchor | Mohd Amar Abdullah | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P21 | N8 | Tanjong Mas | Rohaini Ibrahim | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P21 | N9 | Kota Lama | Tan Teng Loon @ Anuar Tan Abdullah | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P21 | N10 | Bunut Payong | Takiyuddin Hassan | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P24 | N17 | Salor | Husam Musa | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P24 | N18 | Pasir Tumboh | Ahmad Baihaki Atiqullah | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P24 | N19 | Demit | Muhammad Mustafa | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P26 | N23 | Melor | Wan Ismail Wan Jusoh | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P26 | N24 | Kadok | Azami Mohd Nor | Pakatan Rakyat (PR) |
| P26 | N25 | Barisan Nasional (BN) | ||
Demographics
The city population has a overwhelming majority Malay population. The Chinese minorities are more prominent in Kota Bharu compared to other parts of Kelantan due to the fact that the Chinese usually reside in urban areas.Ranking Population Kota Bharu District (Jajahan)
Districts of Malaysia
Districts in Malaysia are known as Daerah or Jajahan . A district governed directly by the federal government is known as a Federal Territory, and they are Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan....
| Rank | Sub-districts (Mukim) Mukim In Brunei, a mukim is a subdivision of a daerah . The equivalent of the word 'mukim' in English would be 'sub-district'.In Malaysia, a mukim can either be a subdivision of a daerah or a subdivision of sub-district, In Singapore, a mukim is one of two varieties of survey... |
Population 2000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Panji | 59,291 |
| 2 | Kubang Kerian Kubang Kerian Kubang Kerian is a town and also a parliamentary constituency in Kota Bharu district, Kelantan, Malaysia. The Universiti Sains Malaysia branch campus is located here. This campus is also referred to as the USM Health Campus. The campus houses 3 schools - the School of Medical Sciences, the School... |
48,714 |
| 3 | Kota Bharu | 47,790 |
| 4 | Ketereh | 34,430 |
| 5 | Kemumin(P.C) | 32,484 |
| 6 | Badang | 30,237 |
| 7 | Kota | 21,824 |
| 8 | Peringat | 20,721 |
| 9 | Sering | 19,098 |
| 10 | Banggu | 17,739 |
| 11 | Kadok | 17,064 |
| 12 | Pendek | 15,570 |
| 13 | Limbat | 14,778 |
| 14 | Salor | 9,790 |
| 15 | Dewan Beta | 9,305 |
Religion
Kota Bharu's population is 70% Muslim. With the remainder consisting of Buddhists and Christians. The Indigenous peoples which reside in the outskirts are generally practising Christians. The local Chinese community which are mainly urban practise mainly Buddhism. The local state government is helmed by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, hence it has pursued a stricter form of Islam in the city and state, Kota Bharu was declared an Islamic City vis-a-vis Kota Bharu Bandaraya Islam. Morality police are ubiquitous here and apprehend people who engaged in acts perceived immoral. Kota Bharu is the most conservative city in Malaysia. The Jawi script is applied in streetnames and restaurants.Social activities that do not contradict with the Islamic norm are allowed. Government offices and many stores are closed on Fridays and Saturdays, but the vibrant markets remain open except for Islamic prayer times. The conservative Kelantanese state government under PAS has implemented some Islamic laws. These include switching on lights in cinemas during screening time until cinemas were closed down and separate check-out counters in supermarkets for males and females and khalwat
Proxemics
Proxemics is the study of measurable distances between people as they interact. The term was introduced by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in 1966...
, the Islamic rule on proximity between males and females. However, these regulations only apply for Muslims only.
The Kota Bharu Municipal Council, the local government authority, discourage the wearing of indecent attire by female employees in retail outlets and restaurants. Those who are caught for dressing indecently may be fined up to RM
Malaysian ringgit
The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen...
500. The definition of indecent dressing include "body hugging outfits which show off the body, blouses which show the navel
Navel
The navel is a scar on the abdomen caused when the umbilical cord is removed from a newborn baby...
, see through blouses, mini-skirts and tight pants."
Culture
The Kelantanese culture is a smorgasbord of Malay and Thai influences due to its geographical proximity with Thailand. The Chinese here are much more assimilated with local culture compared with other parts of Malaysia. Much of the food are spicy with rice as the primary staple as the local diet. Traditional dances like Mak YongMak Yong
Mak yong or mak yung is a traditional form of dance-drama from northern Malaysia, particularly the state of Kelantan. It was banned by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party in 1991 because of its animist and Hindu-Buddhist roots which pre-date Islam in the Asian region by far. In 2005 UNESCO declared mak...
and Wayang Kulit were widely practised here but the practise was clamped down by the local authorities due to perceived Hindu Influences which is thought to contradict Islam.
Food
Nasi berlauk, Nasi DagangNasi Dagang
Nasi dagang is a Malaysian and Southern Thai dish consisting of rice steamed in coconut milk, fish curry and extra ingredients such as fried shaved coconut, hard-boiled eggs and vegetable pickles.Nasi Dagang literally means "Trading Rice"...
and nasi kerabu are popular local cuisine. Kelantanese also have a liking for sweet cakes or kuih
Kuih
Kuih are bite-sized snack or dessert foods found in the Malay Archipelago as well as the Southern China provinces of Fujian and Canton...
. These include apom
APOM
-Further reading:...
, akok
Akok
-External links:*...
, lompat tikam, netbak, pisang goreng
Pisang goreng
Pisang goreng is a snack food mostly found throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. In Singapore and some parts of Malaysia it is known as "goreng pisang" . It is consumed as a snack in the morning and afternoon...
, curry puff
Curry puff
Curry puff is a Malaysian, Singaporean, and Thai snack. It is a small pie consisting of specialised curry with chicken and potatoes in a deep-fried or baked pastry shell...
and much more.
Shopping
The more famous shopping destination in Kota Bharu is Pasar Siti Khadijah (Kota Bharu Central Market), where many goods are sold. Most of the sellers are women. Next to Central Market is the nearly completed construction of Kota Bharu Trade Center (KBTC) which is considered one of the largest mall in Kota Bharu and has opened in August 2009. ParksonParkson
Parkson is a popular department store company in Malaysia which offers items at a medium rate. Parkson was established in 1987 as one of the largest retail chains in Malaysia at that time...
is the anchor tenant for this shopping mall. These two buildings are connected by an overpass on the second floor. Other shopping centers in Kota Bharu are KB Mall, Pelangi Mall, Kota Seri Mutiara, Pantai Timur, The Store and the new Nirwana Maju (at Bandar Baru Kubang Kerian). A new Tesco hypermarket has opened in 2008. Most of Kota Bharu's downtown shopping area is currently undergoing a major reconstruction and several multi-story shopping centers are in their early construction phases in this vicinity. By March 2010, a new Mydin Mall has been opened and located at Bandar Baru Kubang Kerian on the east. Other shopping complex will open soon is Mydin Mall, is located at Bandar Baru Tunjong on south of Kota Bharu. Giant Hypermarket also take place to be open in Bandar Baru Tunjong.
Beaches
All major beaches in the Kota Bharu vicinity are currently prone to excessive erosion by strong surf. The community has been implementing wave breakers and tries to protect the shoreline by piling up massive amounts of boulders. Regular beach activity has become impossible as visitors frequent beaches further south. The most famous beach in Kota Bharu as a tourist attraction is Pantai Cahaya Bulan.Wreck diving
Diving in Kota Bharu is a relatively new activity, with only one dive operator currently offering trips out to the Japanese Invasion Wreck (IJN Awazisan MaruIJN Awazisan Maru
The Awazisan Maru, also known as Awajisan Maru or Awagisan Maru was a 9,794 gross ton freighter that was built by Tama Shipbuilding Co., Tamano for Mitsui & Co. Ltd. launched in 1939 and was notable for being the most advanced freighter of its time...
). This Japanese transport ship was the very first vessel to sink in The Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. There is a vast variety of marine life around the ship, most notably the giant barracudas that circle around. The wreck is only a 30 minute boat journey from the jetty, which is 10 minutes outside of Kota Bharu.
External links
- MPKB-BRI website
- [Typical daily life in Kota Bahru, streetscene >Short Video attachment>]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUM0q4F886w
- KB Backpackers > Local Tourism Website
- Dive The Japanese Invasion Wreck in Kota Bharu
- Vacation house in Kelantan