The Pahang River ( ms, Sungai Pahang) is a river that flows through the state of
Pahang
Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. At 459 km in length, it is the longest river on the
Malay Peninsula. The river begins at the
confluence of
Jelai and
Tembeling rivers on the
Titiwangsa Mountains
The Titiwangsa Mountains ( Malay: ''Banjaran Titiwangsa,'' بنجرن تيتيوڠسا, ), also known as ''"Banjaran Besar"'' (Big Range) by locals, is the chain of mountains that forms the backbone of the Malay Peninsula.
The northern section ...
and drains into the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phi ...
.
River course
From the upper slopes of the
Titiwangsa Mountains
The Titiwangsa Mountains ( Malay: ''Banjaran Titiwangsa,'' بنجرن تيتيوڠسا, ), also known as ''"Banjaran Besar"'' (Big Range) by locals, is the chain of mountains that forms the backbone of the Malay Peninsula.
The northern section ...
at
Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands ( ms, Tanah Tinggi Cameron, , ta, கேமரன் மலை) is a district in Pahang, Malaysia, occupying an area of . To the north, its boundary touches that of Kelantan; to the west, it shares part of its border with ...
, the
Jelai River
The Jelai River ( ms, Sungai Jelai) is a 97.14 km long river in Pahang, Malaysia.
See also
* List of rivers of Malaysia
This is an incomplete list of rivers that are at least partially in Malaysia. The rivers are grouped by strait or sea ...
flows in a southeasterly direction, passing through
Padang Tengku
Padang () is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of West Sumatra. With a Census population of 1,015,000 as of 2022, it is the 16th most populous city in Indonesia and the most populous city on the west coast of Sumatra. Th ...
and
Kuala Lipis
Kuala Lipis ( ms, كوالا ليڤيس, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is a mukim and capital of Lipis District, Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000.
History
Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining centre before the British arrived in ...
before merging with the
Tembeling River
The Tembeling River ( ms, Sungai Tembeling) is a river in Pahang, Malaysia. It is a main tributary of the Pahang River.
See also
* List of rivers of Malaysia
This is an incomplete list of rivers that are at least partially in Malaysia. The rive ...
. The Tembeling River, which begins at
Pahang
Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
and the
Terengganu
Terengganu (; Terengganu Malay: ''Tranung'', Jawi: ), formerly spelled Trengganu or Tringganu, is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, ''Dāru l- Īmān'' ("Abode of Faith" ...
state border at
Ulu Tembeling, flows in a southwesterly direction passing through
Kuala Tahan
Kuala Tahan is a Malaysian village located at the confluence of the Tahan and Tembiling Rivers, in Jerantut District, Pahang.
Etymology
The word ''Kuala'' means "confluence" in Malay (refer Kuala Lumpur), and the Tahan River is a tributary of t ...
. The Pahang River flows in a southerly direction passing through
Jerantut Feri,
Kuala Krau,
Kerdau
Kerdau (Pahang Malay: ''Keghda'') is a mukim in Temerloh District, Pahang, Malaysia. This settlement in Kerdau, has been open since 1800. The name Kerdau was taken from the tree. In the past, this village was planted with Kerdau trees and this Kerd ...
and
Temerloh
Temerloh is a municipality in central Pahang, Malaysia. Temerloh has been proven to be the "centre of Peninsular Malaysia" (Malay: ) 3TS, which is situated at Kampung Paya Siput, Lanchang.
Located about from Kuala Lumpur along the Kuantan–Kua ...
. At
Mengkarak, the river turns to the northeast, passing through
Chenor
Chenor is a mukim in Maran District, Pahang, Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into ...
and then turning east at
Lubuk Paku Lubuk Paku is a small town in Maran District, Pahang, Malaysia. The town is located near Maran town. The main features of this town are the historical Lubuk Paku police station and Pahang River.
Historical Lubuk Paku police station
This historical ...
and
Lepar into the floodplain of
Paloh Hinai
Paloh Hinai is a small town in Pekan District, Pahang, Malaysia, located along the Pahang River
The Pahang River ( ms, Sungai Pahang) is a river that flows through the state of Pahang, Malaysia. At 459 km in length, it is the longest river ...
,
Pekan and
Kuala Pahang before draining into the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phi ...
.
From the source to the mouth, the Pahang River basin comprises almost all the districts in Pahang, including Cameron Highlands,
Lipis
The Lipis District is a district located in north-west of Pahang, Malaysia. The district covers an area of 5,198 km2. Lipis district is bordered by Cameron Highlands and Perak on the west, Jerantut on the east, Kelantan and Raub on the nor ...
,
Jerantut
Jerantut is a town in Jerantut District, Pahang, Malaysia. It is the largest district in the State of Pahang. It covers an area of 2,900 square miles (755,771.93 Hectares). Bordered by the States of Kelantan and Terengganu in the North, Temerlo ...
,
Temerloh
Temerloh is a municipality in central Pahang, Malaysia. Temerloh has been proven to be the "centre of Peninsular Malaysia" (Malay: ) 3TS, which is situated at Kampung Paya Siput, Lanchang.
Located about from Kuala Lumpur along the Kuantan–Kua ...
,
Bera
Bera may refer to:
Acronyms
* Bioelectric recognition assay, a method in electrophysiology
* Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority, an energy regulatory body in Botswana
* Brainstem evoked response audiometry, a screening test to monitor for heari ...
,
Maran
Maran () is an honorific title for exceptionally respected rabbis who are considered influential teachers and leaders. The term is more prevalent among Sephardi Jews, but it is also widely used by Ashkenazi Haredi Jews. It is an Aramaic word used ...
and
Pekan. The
Lipis River
Lipis River ( ms, Sungai Lipis) is a river of Pahang, Malaysia.
See also
* List of rivers of Malaysia
This is an incomplete list of rivers that are at least partially in Malaysia. The rivers are grouped by strait or sea. The rivers flowing int ...
, a tributary of the Jelai River, begins at the Pahang and
Perak state border in
Ulu Sungai
An ulu ( iu, ᐅᓗ, plural: ''uluit'', 'woman's knife') is an all-purpose knife traditionally used by Inuit, Iñupiat, Yupik, and Aleut women. It is utilized in applications as diverse as skinning and cleaning animals, cutting a child's hair, cu ...
,
Raub district
Raub District is a district in Pahang, Malaysia. Located in the west of Pahang, the district bordered Lipis District, Jerantut District,
Temerloh District, Bentong District and Hulu Selangor District of Selangor clockwisely. Raub district cons ...
and ends at the confluence of Jelai River and Lipis River at Kuala Lipis.
Semantan River, a tributary of the Pahang River begins in
Bentong district and ends at the confluence of the Pahang River and Semantan River at
Kuala Semantan. The
Triang River and
Bera River, tributaries of the Pahang River, begin at the
Jelebu
The Jelebu District (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Jolobu'') is the second largest district in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia after Jempol, with a population over 40,000. Jelebu borders on the Seremban District to its west and Kuala Pilah District to ...
and
Jempol
The Jempol District is the largest district in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan. The district borders Jelebu District to the northwest, Kuala Pilah District to the west, Tampin District to the south, Bera District, Pahang to the northeas ...
districts of
Negeri Sembilan state while the
Lepar River, another tributary of the Pahang River, passing through
Kuantan
Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Peni ...
district in the east before ending at the confluence of the Pahang River and Lepar River at Paloh Hinai.
The only district in Pahang that does not have a tributary of the Pahang River or have the Pahang River flowing through it is
Rompin
The Rompin District is a district located in the southeastern corner of Pahang, Malaysia. Rompin is currently under the Rompin District Council.
The district covers an area of 5,296 km and located 130 kilometres from Kuantan, the capital ci ...
.
History
The banks of the Pahang River were settled as early as 1400 by warriors and seafarers from around
Maritime Southeast Asia
Maritime Southeast Asia comprises the countries of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and East Timor. Maritime Southeast Asia is sometimes also referred to as Island Southeast Asia, Insular Southeast Asia or Oceanic Sout ...
including places such as
Aceh,
Riau
Riau is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the central eastern coast of Sumatra along the Strait of Malacca. The province shares land borders with North Sumatra to the northwest, West Sumatra to the west, and Jambi to the south. Acco ...
,
Palembang and
Sulawesi. The earliest historical records of the Pahang River, the riverine inhabitants or the people of
Pahang
Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
were found in the
Malay Annals and
Hikayat Abdullah.
Early transportation role
The Pahang and
Muar Rivers were nearly connected at a place called
Jempol
The Jempol District is the largest district in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan. The district borders Jelebu District to the northwest, Kuala Pilah District to the west, Tampin District to the south, Bera District, Pahang to the northeas ...
, in
Negeri Sembilan as the
Serting River
Serting is a small town in Jempol District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South ...
flows into the
Bera River, a tributary of the Pahang River. The
Jempol River flows into the
Muar River
The Muar River ( ms, Sungai Muar) is a river which flows through the states of Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang in Malaysia. The river also flows through Muar town.
History
The Muar River formed part of the '' Penarikan'', an ancient overlan ...
. Trading boats from the Muar could continue their journey until they reached Kuala Pahang in Pekan, or Kuala Lipis to continue into Terengganu, Kelantan or Perak.
Natural history
During the
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed in ...
epoch or
Mesolithic period about 10,000 years ago, there was a 5 degrees celsius drop in the global temperature. At mountaintops, snow accumulated as ice caps and glaciers (including
Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu ( ms, Gunung Kinabalu, Dusun: ''Gayo Ngaran or Nulu Nabalu'') is the highest mountain in Borneo and Malaysia. With an elevation of , it is third-highest peak of an island on Earth, and 20th most prominent mountain in the worl ...
), thus disrupting the global hydrological cycle. Due to lack of water discharge into the sea, the sea level was 120 meters lower than it is today. The South China Sea dried up, exposing the
Sunda Shelf
Geologically, the Sunda Shelf is a south-eastern extension of the continental shelf of Mainland Southeast Asia. Major landmasses on the shelf include the Bali, Borneo, Java, Madura, and Sumatra, as well as their surrounding smaller islands. I ...
and previous deep trenches became huge ancient rivers called the North
Sunda River.
Mainland Asia, the Malay Peninsula,
Sumatra and Java became connected to
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...
via the landbridge of exposed Sunda Shelf. The North Sunda River provided vital connection to the
Mekong River
The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's twelfth longest river and the third longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annual ...
in Vietnam and the
Chao Phraya River in Thailand to the north, the
Baram and
Rajang rivers in
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...
to the east and the Pahang River and
Rompin River to the west of the massive land mass. Freshwater catfishes from those rivers migrated and mated to exchange their genetic materials about 10,000 years ago. Thus, after the
Holocene
The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togeth ...
, when the temperature increased, a substantial amount of the ice that had accumulated melted, increasing sea levels, inundating the landbridges and the Sunda River, thus isolating the catfish populations. However, their genetic motives are still in the
DNA as an evidence of the previous connections of the Pahang River to other isolated rivers in Indochina and Borneo.
Towns and Bridges
Jerantut is 15 km from the confluence of the Jelai River and the Tembeling River. Temerloh is situated on the confluence between the Semantan River and Pahang River. The town of Pekan, which is Pahang's royal town, is situated on the southern bank of the river, near the river mouth.
There are seven bridges built across the river. The bridges are the
Abu Bakar Bridge in Pekan, the Paloh Hinai bridge of
Tun Razak Highway
Tun Razak Highway, Federal Route 12 ''(Lebuhraya Tun Razak),'' also known as Segamat-Kuantan Highway ''(Lebuhraya Segamat-Kuantan)'', Asian Highway Route 142, is a federal highway running from the town of Segamat, Johor to Gambang before proce ...
in Paloh Hinai, the
Chenor Bridge in Chenor, the new
Temerloh Bridge
Sultan Ahmad Shah Bridge or Temerloh Bridge is the main bridge on Pahang River near Temerloh, Pahang, Malaysia. The 575 m bridge is located at Federal route Federal Route 2.
History
In 1971, the old Temerloh Bridge spanning across the Pahang ...
in Temerloh, the
Semantan Bridge
Sultan Ahmad Shah II Bridge or Semantan Bridge is the longest highway bridge in the East Coast Expressway network. It bridges the Pahang River in Pahang, Malaysia. This 700-metre bridge was opened when the East Coast Expressway was built. It cro ...
of
East Coast Expressway
The East Coast Expressway is an interstate controlled-access highway running parallel to the northeastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The currently operational segment of the expressway runs between Karak, Pahang and Kuala Nerus, Terengganu ...
in
Sanggang, the Sultan Ahmad Shah Bridge in Kuala Krau and the Sultan Abdullah Bridge in Jerantut Feri.
Bera is the only district on the Pahang River watershed that has no bridge crossing the river.
Gallery
File:Sungei Pahang.JPG, Pahang River near Chenor.
File:Jambatan Sungei Pahang.JPG, A new concrete bridge over the Pahang River.
File:Old Temerloh bridge damaged in 1972 flood.JPG, Damaged Temerloh bridge during 1971/72 flood.
File:Steel bridge constructed in 1973.JPG, Steel bridge constructed in 1973 near Temerloh.
File:Raft house near Temerloh.JPG, Raft-house on Sungei Pahang near Temerloh town.
File:Temerloh bridge3.JPG, The confluence of Sungei Semantan on the right near Pekan Sari Temerloh.
References on Historical Pahang
* Sejarah Melayu. 1612-1615. Tun Seri Lanang.
* Yusoff Iskandar, Abdul Rahman Kaeh; W G Shellabear. Sejarah Melayu : satu pembicaraan kritis dari pelbagai bidang.
* Abdullah, W. G. (William Girdlestone) Shellabear. Hikayat Munshi Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir
* Anon. The Hikayat Abdullah.
* A. C Milner. A Missionary : Source for a Biography of Munshi Abdullah.
* Anthony Milner. The Invention of Politics in Colonial Malaya.
* C. M. (Constance Mary) Turnbull The Straits Settlements, 1826-67: Indian Presidency to Crown Colony.
* ''
Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
The ''Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society'' (JMBRAS) is a scholarly journal published by the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (MBRAS). The journal covers topics of historical interest concerning peninsular Ma ...
''.
* ''Journal of the Federated Malay States Museums''
* The Selangor Journal: Jottings Past and Present.
* S. L. Wong Exciting Malaysia: A Visual Journey.
*
Carl A. Trocki. 1999. Opium, Empire and the Global Political Economy: Asia's Transformations.
* Virginia Matheson Hooker. A Short History of Malaysia: Linking East and West.
*
Nicholas Tarling. The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia.
* S. Durai Raja Singam. 1980. Place-names in Peninsular Malaysia.
* Muhammad Haji Salleh. Sajak-Sajak Sejarah Melayu.
* Lucian Boia. Great Historians from Antiquity to 1800: An International Dictionary.
* MacKinnon K, Hatta G, Halim H, Mangalik A.1998. The ecology of Kalimantan. Oxford University Press, London.
See also
*
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
*
Pahang
Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
*
Prehistoric Malaysia
*
Pekan District
The Pekan District is a district in Pahang, Malaysia. Located in the east of Pahang, the district borders Kuantan District on the north, South China Sea on the east, Maran District on the west and Rompin District on the south.
Demographics
...
*
Muar River
The Muar River ( ms, Sungai Muar) is a river which flows through the states of Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang in Malaysia. The river also flows through Muar town.
History
The Muar River formed part of the '' Penarikan'', an ancient overlan ...
*
Taman Negara National Park
Taman Negara is a national park in Peninsular Malaysia. It was established in 1938/1939 as the King George V National Park after Theodore Hubback lobbied the sultans of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan to set aside a piece of land that covers the ...
*
Malay Peninsula
*
Titiwangsa Mountains
The Titiwangsa Mountains ( Malay: ''Banjaran Titiwangsa,'' بنجرن تيتيوڠسا, ), also known as ''"Banjaran Besar"'' (Big Range) by locals, is the chain of mountains that forms the backbone of the Malay Peninsula.
The northern section ...
External links
Up close with Sungai Pahang
Mat Kilau, the Malay warrior
Unexplored Corner of Pahang. Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society
Bridges over Sungai Pahang
New Species from Sungai Pahang
Fish of Sungai Akah
Sungei Jeli
Pahang ICT
Palaeoecology of Pahang
Pahang Overview
Pahang peatswamp
Pahang interest
Melioidosis in Pahang
Caves in Pahang
Forest Collectors
Human Development
{{Coord, 3, 32, N, 103, 28, E, display=title, region:MY_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki
History of Pahang
Rivers of Pahang
Rivers of Malaysia