Pekan
Encyclopedia
Located 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. It is the home of the state's royal family headed by Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mu'adzam Shah
. It is also the hometown of the second Prime Minister of Malaysia
, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, and the current Prime Minister of Malaysia
, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
. Najib is also Pekan's current Member of Parliament.
The Masjid Abdullah, which dates from the 1920s, and the newer Masjid Abu Bakar
is near the Sultan Abu Bakar Museum.
. The river at the Pekan town (near Mengkasar village) is also called Pekan River, however there is no source for the claim that Pekan got its name from this river. Other sources say the name "Pekan" came from the word "Pekan Sehari" (the word "Sehari" was eventually omitted). For easier pronunciation, the locals simply called it "Pekan" and the name is still used. (Pekan Sehari or Sunday Market still exists until today)
Pekan town is said to have existed since the 17th century, but no exact date has been verified. Several Arab
and Chinese
writers mentioned Pekan.
The villagers at Kampong Mengkasar, about one kilometer from Pekan in the direction of Kuantan, are said to be direct descendants of Tok Tuan from Makassar
in Sulawesi
, Indonesia
. Among the well-known figures, Tun Abdul Razak was recognized as having a Sulawesi heritage.
Pekan district representative in the Federal Parliament (Dewan Rakyat)
List of Pekan district representatives in the State Legislative Assembly (Dewan Undangan Negeri)
, Pekan is accessible by 3 routes, namely Tanjung Lumpur Highway
(Federal Route ) which runs through Tanjung Lumpur
, Penor and Ceruk Paloh, Jalan Pekan (Federal Route and ) and also through Gambang, Pahang
by Tun Razak Highway
(Federal Route ). From Kuala Lumpur
, one may travel to Pekan by the East Coast Expressway
, exiting at the Gambang Interchange to the Tun Razak Highway
. From Johor
, a scenic coastal road passes through Kuala Rompin
. Alternatively, the Tun Razak Highway
can be taken, which links Segamat
and Kuantan
.
culture. The museum was officially opened by Sultan Ahmad Shah in October 1976. It is located in the former residence of the British Resident
, which was built in 1929. It was acquired by the Sultan
of Pahang in 1948 and was renamed Kota Beram Palace. In 1965, the Sultan moved his residence to a new palace (the Abu Bakar Palace), where the current Royal Palace is situated.
The museum was officially opened to the public in October 1976, in conjunction with the birthday celebrations of the Sultan of Pahang. The first Chairman of the museum was the late YBhg. Dato' Haji Mohd Mokhtar bin Haji Daud and the first Director/Curator was YBhg. Dato' Mohamed Mokhtar bin Haji Abu Bakar. The museum expanded its collections of artifacts very actively during this era up to 1997. The locals eagerly surrendered and provided as gifts certain unique artifacts to the museum. One example of these is a keris (a type of Malay dagger) which was found by a young man in a river about 20 km from the town of Pekan. This particular keris drew a lot of attention, coupled with strange stories of its mystical prowess. The keris is still on display at the museum.
The museum has dedicated galleries focusing on water transportation, personal belongings of the late Sultan Abu Bakar and the late Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tengku Afzan.
As of October 2008, the museum has been undergoing renovations. Visitors are advised to call the museum first for more information.
Nearby the Royal Pahang Polo Field is a long-established Islamic college, known as Kuliah Sultan Abu Bakar (the Sultan Abu Bakar Kulliyyah). It has produced eminent scholars all over the State of Pahang and Malaysia. Its students consistently further their studies in the esteemed Al-Azhar University
in Cairo
, Egypt
.
Pekan is 15 minutes from clean, sandy beaches. North on the way to Kuantan, there is Pantai Legenda (Lagenda Beach), which features a golf course). South on the way to Kuala Rompin is the Pantai Batu 16 (the 16th Mile Beach), which used to have a royal retreat complex.
A one-hour drive from Pekan is Lake Chini, a beautiful freshwater lake which is one of the largest in Malaysia. It features a resort with restaurant, jungle trekking paths and a boat station. Boat trips are available by various routes around the lake. Prices differ according to the chosen routes (duration of boat trip from 45 minutes to 3 hours). There are also Orang Asli
(natives) settlements nearby providing a hands-on experience of their living culture.
Pekan is also the location of the permanent campus of Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP).
Kampong Mengkasar is also well known of its Murtabak
. It is a unique variant of the original Indian dish that can only be found in Pekan. The Murtabak Pekan was not started in Kampong Mengkasar, but it is available here throughout the year. Other murtabak outlets in Pekan , such as the Murtabak Mawar (also known as murtabak Sultan), are only available in the month of Ramadhan.
It is believed that the original Murtabak Pekan was started by an Indian Muslim Restaurant located at the second floor of the central market known as Restoran Salam in the early 1970s. It was one of the favorite dish of the late Sultan of Pahang (Sultan Abu Bakar) for breaking fast during the month of Ramadhan. Due to the great demands, more outlets start selling murtabak all over Pekan. Murtabak has since referred as the special dish of Pekan, and one should not pass Pekan without trying and appreciate its delicious taste.
Pahang River
Pahang 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...
50 km south of Kuantan
Kuantan
Kuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the 3rd largest state in Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. If one measures the distance along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it is located roughly halfway between Singapore and Kota Bharu...
, Pekan is the royal town of the Malaysian state of Pahang Darul Makmur
Pahang
Pahang 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...
. 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. It is the home of the state's royal family headed by Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mu'adzam Shah
Ahmad Shah of Malaysia
HRH Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah ibni Sultan Abu Bakar Riayatuddin al-Muadzam Shah is the fifth Sultan of Pahang, and also served as the seventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from 1979 to 1984....
. It is also the hometown of the second Prime Minister of Malaysia
Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...
, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, and the current Prime Minister of Malaysia
Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is officially appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, who in HM's judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House of Representatives , the...
, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Najib Tun Razak
Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the sixth, and since 2009, Prime Minister of Malaysia. He previously held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from 7 January 2004 until he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister on 3 April 2009. Najib is President of the United...
. Najib is also Pekan's current Member of Parliament.
The Masjid Abdullah, which dates from the 1920s, and the newer Masjid Abu Bakar
Abu Bakar Royal Mosque
The Abu Bakar Royal Mosque or Masjid Diraja Abu Bakar is Pahang's royal mosque which is located in Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia.Its interesting features include the Abdullah Mosque or Old Royal Mosque and a royal mausoleum.-List of graves:...
is near the Sultan Abu Bakar Museum.
History
According to the old folk, the Bunga Pekan flower grows wild at the banks of Pahang RiverPahang River
Pahang 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...
. The river at the Pekan town (near Mengkasar village) is also called Pekan River, however there is no source for the claim that Pekan got its name from this river. Other sources say the name "Pekan" came from the word "Pekan Sehari" (the word "Sehari" was eventually omitted). For easier pronunciation, the locals simply called it "Pekan" and the name is still used. (Pekan Sehari or Sunday Market still exists until today)
Pekan town is said to have existed since the 17th century, but no exact date has been verified. Several Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
and Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
writers mentioned Pekan.
The villagers at Kampong Mengkasar, about one kilometer from Pekan in the direction of Kuantan, are said to be direct descendants of Tok Tuan from Makassar
Makassar
Makassar, is the provincial capital of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and the largest city on Sulawesi Island. From 1971 to 1999, the city was named Ujung Pandang, after a precolonial fort in the city, and the two names are often used interchangeably...
in Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. Among the well-known figures, Tun Abdul Razak was recognized as having a Sulawesi heritage.
Federal Parliament and State Assembly Seats
Pekan district representative in the Federal Parliament (Dewan Rakyat)
| Parliament | Seat Name | Member of Parliament | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| P85 | Pekan | Najib Tun Razak | BN Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence... |
List of Pekan district representatives in the State Legislative Assembly (Dewan Undangan Negeri)
| Parliament | State | Seat Name | State Assemblyman | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P85 | N20 | Pulau Manis | Khairuddin Mahmud | BN Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence... |
| P85 | N21 | Peramu Jaya | Ibrahim Awang Mahmud | BN Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence... |
| P85 | N22 | Bebar | Ishak Muhamad | BN Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence... |
| P85 | N23 | Chini | Abu Bakar Harun | BN Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia, formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance . Along with its predecessor, it has been Malaysia's federal ruling political force since independence... |
Subdistricts
Pekan has 11 mukim or subdistricts.- Bebar (176,400 Ha)
- Penyor (73,600 Ha)
- Lepar (47,100 Ha)
- Pulau Manis (22,000 Ha)
- Pekan (17,300 Ha) (Capital)
- Temai (12,700 Ha)
- Ganchong (11,4000 Ha)
- Langgar (9,600 Ha)
- Kuala PahangKuala PahangKuala Pahang is a small town within Pahang River in Pahang, Malaysia. The town is located about 13 kilometres from Pekan town. The Pahang Old Royal Mausoleum is located at Kampung Marhum....
(3,900 Ha) - Pahang Tua (3,900 Ha)
- Pulau Rusa (2,600 Ha)
Transportation
From KuantanKuantan
Kuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the 3rd largest state in Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. If one measures the distance along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it is located roughly halfway between Singapore and Kota Bharu...
, Pekan is accessible by 3 routes, namely Tanjung Lumpur Highway
Tanjung Lumpur Highway
Tanjung Lumpur Highway or Jalan Abu Bakar, Federal Route is a major highway in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.-Notable features:At most section, the Federal Route 183 was built under the JKR R5 road standard, allowing maximum speed limit of up to 90 km/h.-List of junctions:...
(Federal Route ) which runs through Tanjung Lumpur
Tanjung Lumpur
Tanjung Lumpur is a traditional fishing village located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. It is loosely translated into English as the " Cape of Mud". This village was in fact one of the earliest villages opened by the Malays in Kuantan many decades ago. It is located in the district of Kuantan...
, Penor and Ceruk Paloh, Jalan Pekan (Federal Route and ) and also through Gambang, Pahang
Gambang, Pahang
Gambang is a transit town in Pahang, Malaysia. It is about 30 km from the state capital, Kuantan. It is located at a junction between Federal route , MEC Highway and Tun Razak Highway . The Malaysia Electric Corporation town and electrical appliances manufacturing factory is located here...
by Tun Razak Highway
Tun Razak Highway
Tun Razak Highway, Federal Route , or also known as Segamat-Kuantan Highway is a federal highway running from the town of Segamat, Johor to Gambang before proceeding another via Federal route to Gambang near Kuantan, Pahang...
(Federal Route ). From 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...
, one may travel to Pekan by the East Coast Expressway
East Coast Expressway
The East Coast Expressway, ECE or is an expressway in Malaysia. It is an extension of Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway, which starts from Kuala Lumpur to Karak. It provides a link from the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia to the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It features a closed toll system...
, exiting at the Gambang Interchange to the Tun Razak Highway
Tun Razak Highway
Tun Razak Highway, Federal Route , or also known as Segamat-Kuantan Highway is a federal highway running from the town of Segamat, Johor to Gambang before proceeding another via Federal route to Gambang near Kuantan, Pahang...
. From Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
, a scenic coastal road passes through Kuala Rompin
Kuala Rompin
Kuala Rompin is a town in the Rompin district of the State of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located on the South-East coast of Peninsular Malaysia and faces the South China Sea. It is about 133 km south from Kuantan, the State Capital of Pahang. From Singapore, travellers must travel 215 km...
. Alternatively, the Tun Razak Highway
Tun Razak Highway
Tun Razak Highway, Federal Route , or also known as Segamat-Kuantan Highway is a federal highway running from the town of Segamat, Johor to Gambang before proceeding another via Federal route to Gambang near Kuantan, Pahang...
can be taken, which links Segamat
Segamat
Segamat is a town and district located in the north of the state of Johor in Malaysia, bordering two other states of Malaysia . It is located roughly 172 kilometres from Johor Bahru, the capital city of Johor State. It is 95 km travel distance via North-South Expressway from Johor Bahru to...
and Kuantan
Kuantan
Kuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the 3rd largest state in Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. If one measures the distance along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it is located roughly halfway between Singapore and Kota Bharu...
.
Sultan Abu Bakar Museum
The museum displays many artifacts which are important in the state's history and the local MalayMalay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
culture. The museum was officially opened by Sultan Ahmad Shah in October 1976. It is located in the former residence of the British Resident
Resident (title)
A Resident, or in full Resident Minister, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indirect rule....
, which was built in 1929. It was acquired 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...
of Pahang in 1948 and was renamed Kota Beram Palace. In 1965, the Sultan moved his residence to a new palace (the Abu Bakar Palace), where the current Royal Palace is situated.
The museum was officially opened to the public in October 1976, in conjunction with the birthday celebrations of the Sultan of Pahang. The first Chairman of the museum was the late YBhg. Dato' Haji Mohd Mokhtar bin Haji Daud and the first Director/Curator was YBhg. Dato' Mohamed Mokhtar bin Haji Abu Bakar. The museum expanded its collections of artifacts very actively during this era up to 1997. The locals eagerly surrendered and provided as gifts certain unique artifacts to the museum. One example of these is a keris (a type of Malay dagger) which was found by a young man in a river about 20 km from the town of Pekan. This particular keris drew a lot of attention, coupled with strange stories of its mystical prowess. The keris is still on display at the museum.
The museum has dedicated galleries focusing on water transportation, personal belongings of the late Sultan Abu Bakar and the late Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tengku Afzan.
As of October 2008, the museum has been undergoing renovations. Visitors are advised to call the museum first for more information.
Other places of interest
Other places of interest include the Royal Palace (the Sultan Abu Bakar Palace), Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Mosque, Royal Mausoleum, the Royal Pahang Polo Field nearby the Palace, the Royal Pekan Golf Club, birth house of late Tun Abdul Razak at Kampung Pulau Keladi and the Pahang Royal Silk Weaving Centre.Nearby the Royal Pahang Polo Field is a long-established Islamic college, known as Kuliah Sultan Abu Bakar (the Sultan Abu Bakar Kulliyyah). It has produced eminent scholars all over the State of Pahang and Malaysia. Its students consistently further their studies in the esteemed Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Pekan is 15 minutes from clean, sandy beaches. North on the way to Kuantan, there is Pantai Legenda (Lagenda Beach), which features a golf course). South on the way to Kuala Rompin is the Pantai Batu 16 (the 16th Mile Beach), which used to have a royal retreat complex.
A one-hour drive from Pekan is Lake Chini, a beautiful freshwater lake which is one of the largest in Malaysia. It features a resort with restaurant, jungle trekking paths and a boat station. Boat trips are available by various routes around the lake. Prices differ according to the chosen routes (duration of boat trip from 45 minutes to 3 hours). There are also Orang Asli
Orang Asli
Orang Asli , is a generic Malaysian term used for people indigenous to Peninsular Malaysia...
(natives) settlements nearby providing a hands-on experience of their living culture.
Pekan is also the location of the permanent campus of Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP).
Cuisine
Pekan offers a variety of delicious food. Being a Royal Town, Pekan enjoys the best kuih-muih (Malay delicacies) which are prepared by the same people or their descendants who used to prepare the same delicacies for the palace. Breakfast menu is aplenty to choose from. One particular novelty for breakfast is the 'roti naik' (a kind of bread similar to buns sold in supermarkets). This particular bread can only be found in very few places, Pekan being one of them. Other delicacies are nasi dagang, kuih bakar, ikan bakar (fresh grilled fish) and others.Kampong Mengkasar is also well known of its Murtabak
Murtabak
Martabak or murtabak, also mutabbaq, is a stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread which is commonly found in Saudi Arabia , Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Brunei. Depending on the location, the name and ingredients can significantly vary...
. It is a unique variant of the original Indian dish that can only be found in Pekan. The Murtabak Pekan was not started in Kampong Mengkasar, but it is available here throughout the year. Other murtabak outlets in Pekan , such as the Murtabak Mawar (also known as murtabak Sultan), are only available in the month of Ramadhan.
It is believed that the original Murtabak Pekan was started by an Indian Muslim Restaurant located at the second floor of the central market known as Restoran Salam in the early 1970s. It was one of the favorite dish of the late Sultan of Pahang (Sultan Abu Bakar) for breaking fast during the month of Ramadhan. Due to the great demands, more outlets start selling murtabak all over Pekan. Murtabak has since referred as the special dish of Pekan, and one should not pass Pekan without trying and appreciate its delicious taste.