Setiu is one of the

districts A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

in Terengganu, Malaysia. This district is bordered by Besut to the north, Hulu Terengganu to the south, and on the east, Kuala Nerus District. Setiu is the second youngest and least populated district in Terengganu. Its capital is Bandar Permaisuri which also serves as its economic and commercial centre. Other towns are Chalok, Sungai Tong, Guntong and Penarik.

Etymology and history

The district of ''Setiu'' is believed to have taken its name from a ''Tok Setiu'', a

Bugis The Bugis people (pronounced ), also known as Buginese, are an ethnicity—the most numerous of the three major linguistic and ethnic groups of South Sulawesi (the others being Makassar and Toraja), in the south-western province of Sulawe ...

commander who escaped the Dutch conquest of the Indonesian archipelago in the 19th century and immigrated to Terengganu. The

Sultan Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...

allowed Tok Setiu and his followers to open a kampong in the plains located north of Kuala Terengganu. Setiu, as a district, had existed as early as the 1920s, with a smaller territory than its present-day borders, during the early days of British protection over Terengganu. In 1923 it was annexed into the neighbouring Besut District until 1935, when it was made a separate district. That same year Setiu district was partitioned between Besut district and the state capital Kuala Terengganu. Setiu district with its present-day borders was reorganised in 1985, merging Mukim Merang, Mukim Hulu Nerus and Mukim Belara (portion) from Kuala Terengganu (now Kuala Nerus) and Mukim Caluk, Mukim Guntung, Mukim Pantai Tasik and Mukim Hulu Setiu from Besut.

Demographics

Majority of the inhabitants of Setiu are ethnic Malays, with remainder from the minority Chinese, Siamese and Indian communities. Most Malays in Setiu especially in the northern part speaks Kelantan-Pattani Malay however those that live in southern Setiu speaks Terengganu Malay.

Administrative divisions

Setiu is divided into 7 ''

mukim A mukim is a type of administrative division used in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The word ''mukim'' is a loanword in English. However, it was also originally a loanword in Malay from the Arabic word: (meaning ''resident''). The clo ...

s'', which are: * Chaluk * Guntung * Hulu Nerus * Hulu Setiu * Merang * Pantai * Tasik

Tourist attractions

Among the places of interest in this district are Terengganu International Equestrian Park (TIEP), Setiu Wetlands, Lata Payung, Lata Changkah, Mount Tebu, Rhu Sepuluh Beach, and Terrapuri CUltural Village.

Federal Parliament and State Assembly Seats

List of LMS district representatives in the Federal Parliament (Dewan Rakyat)

List of LMS district representatives in the State Legislative Assembly of Terengganu

References