Kuala Krai
Encyclopedia
Kuala Krai is a territory (jajahan) and town in the interior of the State of Kelantan
in the north-east of Malaysia.
, which then flows some 70 km northwards through one of the most densely populated flood plains on the Malay Peninsular to its estuary in the South China Sea
near the State capital of Kota Bharu
.
As transport links improved during the 20th century, people moved into the area to take advantage of the abundant land available for farming. A railway was constructed in the 1920s through the undeveloped interior of Malaysia to link Kelantan State with the main centres of population on the west coast. This line ran through Kuala Krai territory, and settlements became established along its route. Road links followed, and towns and villages grew to cater for the mainly agricultural population. Rubber
production was increasingly important throughout Malaysia, and many rubber tree plantations were set up in this area. Later, the country-wide shift to oil palm
in the 1970s and 1980s saw the establishment of oil palm plantations in the territory, some of which replaced rubber.
Infrastructure developed to support the population and by the end of the 20th century Kuala Krai town had become a busy thriving town, and the administrative centre for the territory.
):
Some of the better known towns and villages in the territory include Dabong
, Kemubu, Manek Urai, Pahi and Kampung Laloh.
Ranking Population Jajahan Kuala Krai.
.
and Tanah Merah
, run by Duff Development River Steamers under contract to the Kelantan Government.
The opening of the railway line made a significant difference to the remote interior of the state of Kelantan. River traffic downstream from Kuala Krai was soon completely replaced by rail travel, and the railway became very popular with what was still quite a large planting fraternity in the interior of the state. The town grew as a centre of trade and supplies for the surrounding area.
More recently, road traffic past the town has significantly increased with the proximity of Federal Route 8
which opens a direct road link between Kota Bharu and the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur
. The suburb of Gucil has developed along this road to take advantage of the increased traffic.
Some important events in the history of the town:
main line that runs from Tumpat
and Wakaf Bharu
(close to Kota Bharu) right through the interior of the country to Gemas
on the west of the peninsula, where it joins the main west coast line from Singapore
to Kuala Lumpur
. The town has good road links, with Federal Route 8
passing close to the town. And it is on the western bank of the Kelantan River
, along which there are regular boat services up-river from the town.
& Gynecology, Pediatrics
, Surgery
, Anesthesiology, Pathology
and Medical; there are visiting specialists from Kota Bharu for work in Psychiatric, Dermatology
, Ophthalmology
, Orthopedic and ENT
.
Just upstream from the town is the confluence of the Lebir and Galas rivers to become the Kelantan river, and it became clear that an elevated river level at the Bradley Steps was a good predictor of imminent flooding in the cultivated and populated river basin further downstream. Consequently, stick gauges were placed by the steps so that the river level could be read and monitored by the local police, who transmitted the rainfall and water level information via VHF sets to the Flood Warning and Relief Committee in Kota Bharu.
The Kelantan Department of Drainage and Irrigation has since replaced the stick gauges with metric plates. This facilitates the prediction of flood levels and lead-times in villages all the way from Kuala Krai to the river estuary. The steps, and the floodwater level, can be seen on the Kuala Krai Flood Webcam.
survived and currently has a column in The sun every Tuesday and Thursday, frequently writing on corruption and mismanagement of funds by politicians. Grew up in Kuala Krai and spent his entire childhood and teenage years there. Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award winner.http://www.sun2surf.com/
Kelantan
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ....
in the north-east of Malaysia.
Kuala Krai territory
Kuala Krai territory is a landlocked administrative area in the centre of the State of Kelantan in the north east of Malaysia. The land is hilly, and before the 20th century the entire area was tropical rain forest. The territory contains the confluence of two major rivers, the Lebir and Galas, to form the Kelantan RiverKelantan River
The Kelantan River is the major river in Kelantan, Malaysia. It drains a catchment area of about 11900 km²...
, which then flows some 70 km northwards through one of the most densely populated flood plains on the Malay Peninsular to its estuary in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
near the State capital of Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory 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...
.
As transport links improved during the 20th century, people moved into the area to take advantage of the abundant land available for farming. A railway was constructed in the 1920s through the undeveloped interior of Malaysia to link Kelantan State with the main centres of population on the west coast. This line ran through Kuala Krai territory, and settlements became established along its route. Road links followed, and towns and villages grew to cater for the mainly agricultural population. Rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
production was increasingly important throughout Malaysia, and many rubber tree plantations were set up in this area. Later, the country-wide shift to oil palm
Oil palm
The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...
in the 1970s and 1980s saw the establishment of oil palm plantations in the territory, some of which replaced rubber.
Infrastructure developed to support the population and by the end of the 20th century Kuala Krai town had become a busy thriving town, and the administrative centre for the territory.
Demographics
The territory "Jajahan Kuala Krai" has an area of 2329 km² and comprises three administrative districts (daerahDaerah
Daerah or Daïra |circle]]; plural dawaïr) is an Arabic language subdivision term.- Arab countries :* subdivisions of Algeria: below wilayah , see Daïra of Algeria...
):
- Daerah Olak Jeram (757.6 km²) with 67 villages
- Daerah Batu Mengkebang (726.9 km²) with 122 villages
- Daerah Dabong (844.5 km²) with 27 villages
Some of the better known towns and villages in the territory include Dabong
Dabong
Dabong is a small town in Kelantan, Malaysia. The famous Gua Ikan is situated nearby on the Galas River.Dabong is situated in the Jeli Municipality.-External links:...
, Kemubu, Manek Urai, Pahi and Kampung Laloh.
Secondary Schools
The secondary schools in the territory are:- Maahad Rahmaniah Padang Sembilan (SMU (A)Rahmaniah), 18000 Kuala Krai
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dabong (SMK Dabong), 18200 Dabong
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Keroh (SMK Keroh), 18000 Kuala Krai
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Laloh (SMK Laloh), 18000 Kuala Krai
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Manek Urai (SMK Manek Urai), 18050 Kuala Krai
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Mengkebang (SMK Mengkebang), 18000 Kuala Krai
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pahi (SMK Pahi), 18000 Kuala Krai
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Yahya Petra (1) (SMK Sultan Yahya Petra (1)), 18000 Kuala Krai
- Sekolah Menengah Teknik Kuala Krai (SM Teknik Kuala Krai), 18000 Kuala Krai
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kuala Krai (SMK Kuala Krai), Sungai Durian, 18000 Kuala Krai
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Yahya Petra (2) (SMK Sultan Yahya Petra (2)), 18000 Kuala Krai
- Maktab Rendah Sains Mara Kuala Krai
- Fews Sekolah Menengah Ugama
Population
The population of Kuala Krai territory was 117,800 in 2009.Ranking Population Jajahan Kuala Krai.
| Rank | Daerah/Mukim | Population 2000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Batu Mengkebang(Town) | 55,975 |
| 2 | Olak Jeram | 24,665 |
| 3 | Dabong Dabong Dabong is a small town in Kelantan, Malaysia. The famous Gua Ikan is situated nearby on the Galas River.Dabong is situated in the Jeli Municipality.-External links:... |
11,131 |
Population ethnicity
The population and ethnicity of the territory is as follows:| Race | 1990 | % | 1995 | % | 2000 | % | 2004 | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malay | 92,916 | 91.4 | 110,246 | 90.9 | 130,810 | 90.9 | 149,018 | 90.8 | |||
| Chinese | 5,685 | 5.6 | 7,282 | 6.0 | 8,657 | 6.0 | 9,862 | 6.0 | |||
| Indian | 2,650 | 2.6 | 3,364 | 2.7 | 3,990 | 2.8 | 4,545 | 2.7 | |||
| Other | 354 | 0.4 | 121,339 | 0.4 | 463 | 0.3 | 527 | 0.3 |
Kuala Krai town
Kuala Krai town is about 64 km south of the State capital, Kota BharuKota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory 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...
.
- location: 5°32′0"N 102°12′0"E
- altitude: 53 metres (177 ft)
- postcode: 18000
| Year | 1980 | 1991 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population in thousands | 12.6 | 19.8 | 19.5 |
History
The history of the town of Kuala Krai started with the building of the East Coast Railway in the 1920s. Before that, the only settlement of any significance in the area was called Batu Mengkebang. The area was remote and travel was by river: there was a weekly service from Kota Baru to Batu Mengkebang via Pasir MasPasir Mas
-Geography:The district of Pasir Mas covers an area of 577 square kilometers and is bordered by the districts of Tumpat to the north, Tanah Merah to the south, Kota Bahru to the east, and the Thai district of Su-ngai Kolok to the west...
and Tanah Merah
Tanah Merah
Tanah Merah is a territory and town in the state of Kelantan in northeast Malaysia.The capital and main town is Bandar Tanah Merah where is situated nearby Sungai Kelantan.It is bordered by Pasir Mas in the north, Machang to the East, Kuala Krai to the South East, Jeli to the South West and...
, run by Duff Development River Steamers under contract to the Kelantan Government.
The opening of the railway line made a significant difference to the remote interior of the state of Kelantan. River traffic downstream from Kuala Krai was soon completely replaced by rail travel, and the railway became very popular with what was still quite a large planting fraternity in the interior of the state. The town grew as a centre of trade and supplies for the surrounding area.
More recently, road traffic past the town has significantly increased with the proximity of Federal Route 8
Malaysia Federal Route 8
Federal Route 8 , also known as the Gua Musang Highway, is a main federal road in Malaysia. It connects Bentong in the south until Kota Bharu in the north...
which opens a direct road link between Kota Bharu and the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. The suburb of Gucil has developed along this road to take advantage of the increased traffic.
Some important events in the history of the town:
- 1917 Kuala Krai hospital was opened
- 1926 (December) The great flood, the worst flood in the history of the town, which affected both Kelantan and the neighbouring states of TerengganuTerengganuTerengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
and PerakPerakPerak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay... - 1930 (June 19) Visit of Sir Cecil ClementiCecil Clementi-Early life and education:Born in Cawnpore, India, Clementi was the son of Colonel Montagu Clementi, Judge Advocate General in India, and his wife, Isabel Collard. He attended St Paul's School and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied Sanskrit and the classics. In 1895, he won the Hertford...
, Governor of the Straits SettlementsStraits SettlementsThe Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
and High Commissioner for Malaya 1930-1934, after which he travelled on the newly constructed railway to PahangPahangPahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state... - 1941 The Japanese invasion force landed at Kota BharuJapanese Invasion of MalayaThe 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 and allied troops retreated; 2nd Lieutenant Butters and his section of MahrattasMaratha EmpireThe Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
were left behind in Kuala Kerai with a battalion of the Royal Malay RegimentRoyal Malay RegimentThe Royal Malay Regiment is the premier unit of the Malaysian Army's two infantry regiments. At its largest, the Malay Regiment comprised 27 battalions. At present, two battalions are parachute trained and form part of the Malaysian Army Rapid Deployment Force...
; before leaving the town they attempted to impede Japanese progress using explosives to prevent the railway line being used by the advancing Japanese - 1945 Immediately after the war ended, Kuala Krai was controlled by the communistsMalayan Communist PartyThe Malayan Communist Party , officially known as the Communist Party of Malaya , was founded in 1930 and laid down its arms in 1989. It is most famous for its role in the Malayan Emergency.-Formation:...
for about six months before the arrival of allied forces - 1946 Serious flooding affected the town
- 1961 Opening of the Mini Zoo
- 1967 (Nov 26) Severe flooding: the water level of the Kelantan River rose to 86 ft (26.2 m), which is 36 ft (11 m) above the normal level Large areas of the town were flooded up to first floor level.
- 1967 (Dec) forced landing of an M.S.A. plane at Kuala Kerai which nearly had fatal consequences to the passengers
Transport
Kuala Krai has excellent transport links. The railway station is on the Keretapi Tanah MelayuKeretapi 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...
main line that runs from Tumpat
Tumpat
Tumpat is a town and a district in Kelantan, Malaysia. Tumpat is situated at the end of the East Coast Line train line operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu which links Kelantan to the western part of Peninsular Malaysia. This strategic location makes it the transportation hub of Kelantan...
and 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...
(close to Kota Bharu) right through the interior of the country to Gemas
Gemas
Gemas is a small town in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, just near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor state border. The town is located approximately 165 km from the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. It is the meeting place of Malaysian west and east coast rail lines operated by Malayan Railways. For this...
on the west of the peninsula, where it joins the main west coast line from 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...
to Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. The town has good road links, with Federal Route 8
Malaysia Federal Route 8
Federal Route 8 , also known as the Gua Musang Highway, is a main federal road in Malaysia. It connects Bentong in the south until Kota Bharu in the north...
passing close to the town. And it is on the western bank 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...
, along which there are regular boat services up-river from the town.
General Hospital
Hospital Kuala Krai (HKK) opened in 1917, built on a small hill close to the town. Known as Hospikrai, it now serves a population of 200,000 in the southern part of Kelantan, and has 120 beds and 218 staff. The hospital has resident specialists in ObstetricsObstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
& Gynecology, Pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
, Surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
, Anesthesiology, Pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
and Medical; there are visiting specialists from Kota Bharu for work in Psychiatric, Dermatology
Dermatology
Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases, a unique specialty with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist takes care of diseases, in the widest sense, and some cosmetic problems of the skin, scalp, hair, and nails....
, Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
, Orthopedic and ENT
Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology or ENT is the branch of medicine and surgery that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders....
.
Museum and Mini Zoo
Kuala Krai Mini Zoo is managed by the District Council and open to the public. It is home to a variety of animals, including a male elephant called "Salleh", monkeys, bears, deer and various birds. The site extends to about 10 acres (40,468.6 m²), and also includes a Mini Museum displaying photographs and documents relating to the history of Kuala Krai, as well as a number of preserved animals. The mini zoo first opened in 1961, the only zoo to specialise exclusively in animals from the Malaysian jungle.Public Library
There is a small public library in the town which, as well as giving access to its collection of books, affords public access to the internet for a small charge.Kuala Krai Steps (formerly the Bradley Steps)
Eighty-one concrete steps leading down from the town to the river bank and boat jetty were constructed sometime between 1927 and 1929, and were named the Bradley Steps after a Mr. Gerald Bradley who was the energetic District Officer of the interior of Kelantan at the time. They have recently been renamed the Kuala Krai Steps.Just upstream from the town is the confluence of the Lebir and Galas rivers to become the Kelantan river, and it became clear that an elevated river level at the Bradley Steps was a good predictor of imminent flooding in the cultivated and populated river basin further downstream. Consequently, stick gauges were placed by the steps so that the river level could be read and monitored by the local police, who transmitted the rainfall and water level information via VHF sets to the Flood Warning and Relief Committee in Kota Bharu.
The Kelantan Department of Drainage and Irrigation has since replaced the stick gauges with metric plates. This facilitates the prediction of flood levels and lead-times in villages all the way from Kuala Krai to the river estuary. The steps, and the floodwater level, can be seen on the Kuala Krai Flood Webcam.
Education
There are a number of schools and colleges in the town, including:- SMU (Arab) Rahmaniah, Padang Sembilan Kuala Krai
- SMK Sultan Yahya Petra 1http://smksyp1.kelantan.edu.my
- SMK Sultan Yahya Petra 2
- SMK Bangol Guchil
- MRSM Kuala Krai
- SM Teknik Kuala Krai
- SMK Kuala Krai
- RISDA College
- SMK PAHI
Other
- Batu Jong Training Camp, a national serviceMalaysian National ServiceThe National Service Training Programme, or Program Latihan Khidmat Negara , is Malaysia's national service program. The conscripts are 18-year-old youths that are selectively drafted...
training camp, opened in January 2005 - Lake Gardens (Taman Tasik), a pleasant public space in the town
- Lata Rek, Known to be a hydroelectric dam, is also a popular spot with a nice waterfall and recreational area ..and homestay
Famous people from Kuala Krai
- Tengku BudriahTengku BudriahTengku Budriah binti Tengku Ismail was the Raja Perempuan of Perlis, consort of Raja Syed Putra Jamalullail, and the third Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia.-Early life:...
binti Al-Marhum Tengku Ismail, the Raja Perempuan of Perlis, was born in Kuala Krai on March 28, 1924. Her husband, Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan JamalullailTuanku Syed PutraRaja Syed Putra ibni Syed Hassan Jamalullail, KCMG was the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya, and later of Malaysia , and sixth Raja of Perlis from 1945 to 2000....
was elected as the third KingElective monarchyAn elective monarchy is a monarchy ruled by an elected rather than hereditary monarch. The manner of election, the nature of the candidacy and the electors vary from case to case...
of Malaysia (known as Yang di-Pertuan AgongYang di-Pertuan AgongThe Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the head of state of Malaysia. The office was established in 1957 when the Federation of Malaya gained independence....
) from 1960 to 1965. - Datuk Rafiah SalimRafiah SalimDatuk Rafiah Salim was the first female Vice-Chancellor in Malaysia, posted to Universiti Malaya since 1 May 2006....
, is the first female Vice-Chancellor in Malaysia, posted to Universiti Malaya. - Zang ToiZang Toi-Early life:He was born in the Kuala Krai district in the state of Kelantan on 11 June 1961.Toi left his native Malaysia at the age of eighteen, and via Toronto, landed in New York a year later. There he attended Parsons School of Design and apprenticed with Mary Jane Marcasiano and Ronaldus Shamask...
, New York fashion designer, was born in Kuala Krai on 11 June 1961 - T. Wignesan, writer, was born in Kuala Krai in the early 1930s
- Mee Fong, a commercial photographer, had a studio in Kuala Krai in 1930
- Terence Fernandez, a Journalist and current deputy editor special reports & investigations of The Sun Newspaper. Was kidnapped in Iraq in 2003 but
survived and currently has a column in The sun every Tuesday and Thursday, frequently writing on corruption and mismanagement of funds by politicians. Grew up in Kuala Krai and spent his entire childhood and teenage years there. Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award winner.http://www.sun2surf.com/