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Kelantan
*** Shopping-Tip: Kelantan
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'''Kelantan Darul Naim'''
'''كلنتن دار النّعيم'''
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'''Kelantan Darul Naim'''
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Image:Flag of Kelantan.svg 150px
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Image:Kelantan.jpg 140px
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Flag of Kelantan State Flag
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Emblem of Kelantan Coat of Arms
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''State Motto: Berserah kepada Tuhan Kerajaan Kelantan (English : Submit to God, government of Kelantan
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Image:MalaysiaKelantan.png Peninsular Malaysia.html" title="Meaning of 300px 300px|center|Map showing Kelantan in [[Peninsular Malaysia .html" title="Meaning of center|Map showing Kelantan in [[Peninsular Malaysia">300px|center|Map showing Kelantan in [[Peninsular Malaysia ">center|Map showing Kelantan in [[Peninsular Malaysia">300px|center|Map showing Kelantan in [[Peninsular Malaysia
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|| Capital ||
Kota Bharu
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|| Sultan ||
Sultan Ismail Petra of Kelantan Tuanku Ismail ibni al-Marhum
Sultan Yahya Petra
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|| Chief minister ||
Nik Aziz Nik Mat Tuan Guru Dato' Haji Nik Aziz Nik Mat
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|| Area
|| 14,922 km²
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Population
||
1.4 million people comprising of 95%
Malay people Malay, 3%
Thai (ethnic group) Thai, 1.9%
Chinese Malaysian Chinese, 0.1% Others
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|| State anthem ||
Lanjutkan usia Al-Sultan kami
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'''Kelantan''' (
Jawi: كلنتن,
Thai:�ลันตัน), is one of the states in
Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is
Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is ''Darul Naim'', ("The Beautiful Abode").
The “Cradle of Malay Culture�, Kelantan offers a delightful profusion of colourful traditions, charm and scenic beauty. Located in the north-eastern corner of the peninsula, Kelantan, which translates as the "Land of Lightning" is an
Agriculture agrarian state with lush
paddy fields, rustic fishing villages and
casuarina-lined beaches. Nature-based activities range from simple river cruises, rafting, and bird watching to jungle trekking. Caving, a goldmine, and deer park, ethno-botanical garden and aboriginal settlements are also in Kelantan.
Kelantan is positioned in the north-east of
Peninsular Malaysia. It is bordered by
Thailand to the north,
Terengganu to the south-east,
Perak to the west, and
Pahang to the south. To the north-east of Kelantan is the
South China Sea.
With the
Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) in power for many years, Kelantan is also Malaysia's most socially conservative state.
History
The name '''Kelantan''' is said to be a corruption of ''gelam hutan'', i.e. the
Malay language Malay name for the
cajuput, or swamp tea tree (''
Melaleuca Melaleuca leucadendron''). Other theories claim the name comes from the Malay word ''kilatan'', 'shiny/glittery' or ''kolam tanah'', 'clay pool'.
The early history of Kelantan is rather obscure, but archaelogical finds indicate traces of human settlement dating to prehistoric times. Early Kelantan had links to the
Funan Kingdom, the
Khmer Empire,
Srivijaya and
Siam. Around 1411, Raja Kumar, the ruler of Kelantan, became independent of Siam and Kelantan became an important centre of trade by the end of the 15th century. In 1499, Kelantan became a vassal state of the
Malacca Sultanate. With the fall of Malacca in 1511, Kelantan was divided up and ruled by petty chieftains. With the conquest by
Siam in 1603, most of these petty Kelantan chiefs became subject to
Patani. Around 1760, a petty chieftain of Kubang Labu in Kelantan succeeded in unifying the territory of the present Kelantan. Shortly thereafter, in 1764, Long Yunos seized the throne and proclaimed himself
Raja of Kelantan. However, with his death, Kelantan came under the influence of neighboring
Terengganu.
In 1800, Raja Muhammad declared himself as the first
Sultan of Kelantan. In 1812, he broke from Terengganu's influence and became a separate tributary of Siam. In the 1820s, Kelantan was one of the most populous and prosperous states in the Malay Peninsula, having avoided the wars and disputes which plagued the southern and western states. Siam continued to play an important role in Kelantan throughout the 19th century.
Under the terms of the
Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, Siam surrendered its claims over Kelantan,
Terengganu,
Kedah and
Perlis to
Great Britain, and Kelantan thus became one of the
Unfederated Malay States with a
British Resident.
Kelantan was the first place in Malaya to be occupied by the
Japan Japanese, who invaded on December 8, 1941. During the Japanese occupation, Kelantan came again under control of Siam, but after the defeat of Japan in August 1945, Kelantan reverted to British rule.
Kelantan became part of the
Federation of Malaya on February 1, 1948 and together with other states attained independence on August 31, 1957. On September 16, 1963, Kelantan became one of the component states of
Malaysia.
Geography
Rising high on the slopes of Gunung Korbu, the second highest peak in
Peninsular Malaysia, the Nengiri River flows east to merge first with the Galas, and then with the Lebir — the latter born in the wilds of
Taman Negara Taman Negara National Park — before turning decisively northwards and emptying into the shallow waters of the South China Sea. From Kuala Krai the conjoined streams become the
Kelantan River, a broad, mud-coloured stream which dominates the fertile coastal plains and defines the geography of the region. The Kelantan River valley is a fertile rice-bowl, rich in hardwoods and
rubber and lush with tropical fruits.
For centuries, Kelantan was all but separated from the rest of the country by the
Titiwangsa Mountains, a mountain range running from north to south through the peninsula. Weeks of hard travel were required to reach Kelantan. The "easy way" to Kelantan was to sail around the peninsula, braving the sea and pirates. For this reason Kelantan's history often involves the sea, and boats. Even today, many of its people are very much tied to the sea. A discussion with many coastal residents will confirm that their ancestors, as far back as they know, were "of the sea."
In the early 1980s, trunk roads were build to link it with nearby states. Presently, one can travel by road from the capital city Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu through the mountain range within 8 hours.
Economy
Kelantan has a chiefly agrarian economy dominated by
padi,
rubber and
tobacco.
Fishing along its 96-kilometre coastline is also an important economic activity.
Cottage industries which employ traditional skills in handicraft production such as
batik, woodcarving and
songket weaving are also evident. Logging activities are active given the vast remaining area of forest. In recent years, tourism, especially to offshore islands, has increased in importance. A few reputable hotels have been established and more modern shopping malls have been opened to cater for urban folks.
The main market at the Kota Bharu city centre is still the main attraction. Notably, most of the stall operators are women with a good business sense.
Kota Bharu, the capital, is the major urban centre, and there are also plans to open up the southern portion of the state under an ambitious multi-million-dollar development project.
Climate
Kelantan has a
tropical climate, with temperatures from 21 to 32 °C and intermittent rain throughout the year. The wet season is the east-coast
monsoon season from November to January.
Politics
Image:Flag of Kelantan.svg 150px|left|thumb|The flag consists of a white emblem on a red background. The red background signifies the loyalty of the people of Kelantan. The white emblem stands for the sanctity of the office of the Ruler.
A part of the deeply conservative
Malay people Malay heartlands, Kelantan has been ruled by the opposition
Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) since
1990, with re-elections in
1995,
1999 and
2004. It is currently the only Malaysian state not ruled by the
Barisan Nasional coalition.
PAS and the State of Kelantan are intimately related for various reasons. Firstly, PAS is the only and the oldest Malaysian opposition Islamic Party (established in 1951) while Kelantan is the only state of the thirteen states in Malaysia which is ruled by PAS, and in fact the only one ruled by the opposition.
Secondly, almost all PAS members are Malay Muslims, as are about 95% of Kelantan's population.
Thirdly, the State of Kelantan is almost synonymous with PAS, as Kelantan has been under PAS rule for two lengthy periods. (Neighbouring Terengganu has also been under PAS rule twice, but for short periods each time [1959–1962 and 1999–2004].) The first period of PAS rule in Kelantan began two years after independence, in 1959, and lasted 18 years (1959–1978); the current period is 15 years long and counting.
The interval between the two periods of PAS government, viz. when the Barisan Nasional Party ruled the state, was only about twelve years long (11 March 1978 to 21 October 1990). In the 1990 General Election, PAS returned with an overwhelming victory, winning all the 39 State and 13 Parliamentary seats. The victory was achieved through the PAS-led opposition coalition, called
Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah (APU). In the following General Election in 1995, PAS won again, though with a reduced majority. PAS won big in 1999, due in significant part to Malay anger over the treatment of former Vice–Premier
Anwar Ibrahim by then–Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohammed and other officials of the national government. However, PAS nearly lost control of Kelantan in 2004, when
Barisan Nasional, under the new leadership of
Abdullah Badawi following Tun Mahathir's retirement, won by a landslide nationally.
For years, PAS has attempted to impose a strict interpretation of
Islamic Law on Kelantan. It has succeeded in imposing certain social strictures such as single-sex queues in supermarkets; separate public benches for men and women; and limiting entertainment centres to prohibit "salacious behaviour". Proposals to institute punishments such as amputation of limbs for thievery and execution for blasphemy (collectively known as
Hudud Hudud Law), however, have been blocked by the national government on constitutional grounds.
One of the most controversial steps PAS has taken in Kelantan is to place tough restrictions or outright bans on the traditional performance of syncretic Malay theatrical forms, such as
Wayang Wayang Kulit,
Makyong,
Dikir barat Dikir Barat, and
Main Puteri. Newfangled versions without the traditional references to Hindu
Deva (Hinduism) dewa–
Devi dewi and traditional Malay ''hantu'' (spirits or ghosts) and otherwise in keeping with orthodox
Islam are, however, tolerated in certain cases. Also restricted are public performances by women: Aside from
Qur'an Quran recitals, such performances are completely banned if any men are in the audience. While PAS has maintained that these steps were essential to promote Islam and put an end to immoral behavior among the Muslim population, many consider them simply an act of defiance against Barisan Nasional's laws — which are more tolerant or laxer, depending on your viewpoint — and also a major loss to Malay traditional arts.
The hereditary
Sultan of Kelantan since 1979 has been Sultan Ismail Petra. His ''Menteri Besar'' or Chief Minister is currently Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, a religious teacher and member of PAS.
Demographics
The people of Kelantan are known for their hospitality. The largely rural state preserves rich Malay traditions such as kite-flying contests, top-spinning contests, and bird singing competitions, and traditional handicrafts such as
batik,
songket, and silver crafts. As a border state and former vassal state of Thailand, Kelantan has absorbed influences from Thai customs and traditions that help to make the state's culture distinct from those of other states of Malaysia. The Kelantanese people, regardless of ethnic origin, are very proud of their state and its unique local culture and dialect.
All the ethnicities generally live together harmoniously in Kelantan. For example, members of the Thai community received a permit to build a very large statue of the Buddha without any objection from the Malay community or the PAS government that granted the permit.
Malay
Kelantan Malays consider themselves an unusual breed. Many have some Thai blood, as intermarriages between the Thais and Malays have been and remain common. Kelantan Malays also note differences between themselves and the Malays of other states. The
Yawi Patani Malays of southern Thailand are very similar in ethnicity and culture to the Malays of Kelantan.
Kelantanese
Malay language Malay dialect, heavily influenced by the
Thai language, is distinguished from standard Malay as well as other Malay dialects by its unique grammar, pronunciation and figures of speech.
Kelantanese Malay is the only
lingua franca of the state, is used in the local mass media, and is so commonly used for daily communication that some Kelantanese cannot speak the standard form of Malay, as promoted by the Federal Government. The dialect is also prevalent beyond the state borders into southern Thailand and in
Besut, the nothernmost district of
Terengganu. Whilst the
Arab script called
Jawi has less influence in the other parts of Malaysia, it is still widely used in writing and printing the Malay language in Kelantan. Signboards in Kelantan are written in both
Jawi and
Rumi. To a certain extent,
Thai language Thai is also used.
95% of Kelantan's population are ethnic Malay, and under the Malaysian Constitution, all Malays are Muslims; therefore, Islam is the most influential religion in the state.
To most Malaysians, Kelantan is synonymous with Malay
arts and crafts. Kota Bharu, as the state capital, is a popular centre for such pursuits as
silat,
martial arts, and kertok drumming. Here, too, more than any other place in Malaysia, the traditional pastimes of top-spinning — known as gasing — and the flying of giant, elaborately-decorated kites called wau, are still much in evidence.
Thai
The
Thai (ethnic group) ethnic Thai inhabitants of Kelantan are mostly centered in an area around the coastal town of
Tumpat, site of most of the state's twenty or so Buddhist temples, and noteworthy for its number of confident and relatively well-off Siamese villages.
The dialect of the
Thai language spoken in Kelantan is called "Tak Bai", after the southernmost coastal town in
Narathiwat, just across the
Golok River from Malaysia. ''Tak Bai'' dialect differs substantially from standard southern Thai and other regional Thai dialects, and it seems certain that the Kelantan Thais are the descendants of an original enclave of Narathiwat settlers established in sparsely-populated Malay territory as long as four centuries ago.
Buddhism is also visible, in that hundreds of Thai
wat wats can be found throughout the state. The local Muslims are ambivalent in their attitude towards Thai Buddhism, which is seen as a relatively prestigious religion, certainly preferable to
atheism, and more obviously an organised community faith than that of the Kelantan Chinese. The Malays definitely approve of the Thais as a religious people, and are generally impressed by the architecture and style of the Buddhist temples, which are recognised as a cultural asset of the region.
Chinese
China Chinese assimilation in Kelantan is manifested as: "Malay behaviour as frontstage and Chinese behaviour as backstage". "Frontstage" or public behaviour includes speaking Kelantanese Malay even when among themselves, adopting Malay-style clothing, not eating pork, and observing certain Malay customs and holidays. "Backstage" or private behaviour includes maintaining certain traditional Chinese beliefs and customs confined only to the home. Many Kelantanese Chinese feel a sense of separateness from other
Chinese Malaysian due to their illiteracy and lack of fluency in Chinese.
In Kelantan, the Chinese see themselves as either Cina Kampung (village Chinese) or Cina Bandar (town Chinese). In other parts of Malaysia, the Chinese see themselves as either Hokkiens, Cantonese, Hakka, etc. (identifying themselves by the Han subgroup their ancestors were part of in China), but not in Kelantan. Descendants of the earlier waves of small-scale migration are known as Orang Cina kita (our very own Chinese) and the elders are seen as Orang Kelantan betul (true Kelantanese). Speaking excellent Kelantanese Malay dialect unites both Cina Kampung and Cina Bandar.
The Chinese in Kelantan have native speaker competence in the Kelantanese dialect. It is impossible to tell a Malay from a Chinese by just listening to his speech in the Kelantanese dialect, without looking at the person.
Orang Asli
In addition, there are
Orang Asli, mostly
Temiar, a people who have lived in the forests of Kelantan and Perak for thousands of years.
Cuisine
The Kelantanese cuisine, heavily influenced by
Thai cuisine, is quite popular among
Malaysians. In fact, many visitors come to Kelantan just to taste the special delicacies that cannot be found elsewhere. The use of sugar is a must in every Kelantanese kitchen, and thus most Kelantanese dishes are sweet.
Kelantanese food makes more use of
coconut milk than anywhere else in the country.
Curries are richer, creamier, and more influenced by the tastes of nearby Thailand.
Local specialties
Apart from delicacies imported from Thailand, there are delicacies which are invented by the Kelantanese themselves such as:
*'''Nasi Dagang'''
This is a mix of white rice and brown glutinous rice (special glutinous rice) which is cooked with
coconut milk (santan), blended onions and garlic and some spices (such as
fenugreek). Fish or chicken curry comes as an add-on to complete the dishes, so it's recommended to take only a small portion as it is extremely filling. The Nasi Dagang is one of the tastiest dishes in Kelantan and goes well with fish curry, sour salad, hard boiled eggs and curried chicken.
*'''Nasi Kerabu'''
Nasi Kerabu literally means "salad rice". Kelantan's Nasi Kerabu is a "white rice" and served with "tumis" gravy with local herbs, leaves and vegetables. This is considerably different from the version served in other parts of Malaysia, which is a dyed-blue rice without a "tumis" gravy. The colouring comes from a type of flower, although some sellers use artificial equivalents. Apart from that it is also served with fried fish, ''keropok'', salted egg, "solok lada" (fish fillet and coconut-stuffed chillis), and pickled garlic.
*'''Nasi Tumpang'''
Rice packed in a cone-shaped
banana leaf. A pack of Nasi Tumpang consists of an
omelette,
rousong meat floss,
chicken curry and sweet gravy. It is traditionally meant for travellers.
*'''Ayam Golek/Ayam Percik'''
Wood-fire broiled chicken dressed with sweet coconut gravy. Ayam Golek/Ayam Percik is eaten with white rice in major family dishes and can also be dipped into "cholek" (Thai chilli sauce).
*'''Nasi Berlauk'''
Most Kelantanese have Nasi Berlauk as their breakfast. Nasi Berlauk is rice served with fish and vegetables cooked with tumeric and galangal infused yellow gravy.
*'''Nasi Ulam'''
''Ulam'' is the local term for raw vegetables - the meal consists of white rice served with a variety of raw vegetables, and is considered one of the healthiest dishes found in Malay cuisine.
*'''Kau-Jam'''
Also termed as ''
chlorophyll rice'', the Kau-Jam is a green rice cooked using up to seven types of herbs, and served with raw vegetables (such as bean sprouts, cucumber, and long beans), fish flakes and local ''Keropok''. The meal is often accompanied by ''Budu'' and sometimes served with deep-fried fish.
*'''Keropok'''
These are Kelantanese fish crackers. Their texture and colour are noticeably rougher and darker than the usual variety found on the West Coast of Malaysia. Like the curries, the crackers are influenced by Thai cooking and produce a sharper, saltier taste.
*'''Keropok Gote'''
These are Kelantanese fish sausages. Made by combining fish flesh and sago, keropok gote is rolled into long firm sticks and then steamed or boiled. To enjoy it, one has to cut it into desired bite sized and deep fried. Different from Terengganu's keropok lekor, the Kelantan variety is thicker and longer in size and has to be fried to be eaten. Keropok Gote is probably the one snack which all Kelantanese children grow up with. It is a must at all school canteens.
*'''Kelantanese Laksa'''
The
Laksa dish, white noodles served with curry and vegetables, is made differently in every state in Malaysia. The Kelantanese laksa employs the creamy white gravy which is richer and has full-bodied flavour. The main ingredients is fish flesh, although connoisseurs would certainly prefer the ones made of eels.
Thai-influenced dishes
Perhaps the most characteristic Kelantanese-Thai dish is 'kaeng matsaman'—a mouth-watering beef curry cooked with peanuts, potatoes and chopped red onions in a thick coconut milk sauce. Other Kelantanse-Thai specialities include: 'kaeng phanaeng kai'—savoury chicken and coconut curry. 'Kaeng som nom mai dong'—hot and sour fish ragout with pickled
bamboo. 'Pla see siad haeng thawt'—deep fried semi-dried ''pla see'' fish. 'Khao yam pak tai'—an intriguing breakfast salad. The presentation is exquisite. A small pile of fragrant boiled rice, accompanied by finely chopped heaps of
lemon grass, peanuts, bean sprouts, green beans, sour mango and chopped makrut or
kaffir lime is served with spicy
chilli pepper, fresh
Lime (fruit) lime and a piquant sweet-sour sauce. It's unusual, elegant, and very typical of Kelantan. Kelantanse dishes, like central Thai, are usually accompanied by generous helpings of 'khao suay', or "beautiful rice"—the best of which, 'khao hawm mali', or jasmine-fragrance rice, is steamed until each grain is tender but separate.
Dipping
*'''Cholek'''
Cholek is the most popular
dipping sauce in Kelantan. The cholek is different from other chilli sauces because cholek is very thin and rather sweet. This dipping sauce is used for any kind of chicken, but also goes well with shrimp, fish cake, spring roll, sausage, etc. The most popular brand is "Mae Pranom" from Thailand.
*'''Budu'''
Budu is a salted (fermented) anchovy sauce eaten with rice, grilled fish and vegetables. A bit of lemon juice, hot chillis and onions are added on for taste. Once so combined, the purple-brownish condiment has a blend of salty and sour taste. Nowadays, other types of fish are also used to create Budu.
*'''Tempoyak'''
Tempoyak is a fermented durian dip, used for example with Nasi Kerabu.
Government structure of Kelantan
Districts
Districts in Kelantan are called ''Jajahan''s, though in actual fact the direct translation of ''Tanah Jajahan'' in Malay to English is 'Occupied Territories'. Kelantan was a divided feudal state, a common situation in the Malay Peninsula, with separate petty local rulers. However, a strong one managed to rise and conquer all these small petty territories. In the end, Kelantan became united under one
Sultan.
The ''jajahans'', from left to right, are written in Roman, Thai and Arabic
#Jajahan
Kota Bharu || โ�ตาบารู || كوتا بارو
#Jajahan
Pasir Mas || ปาสิรมัส || Ù?اسير ماس
#Jajahan
Tumpat || ตุมปัต || تومقات
#Jajahan
Pasir Puteh || ปาสีรปูเตะห์ || Ù?اسير Ù?وتيØ
#Jajahan
Bachok || บาเจาะ || باجوك
#Jajahan
Kuala Krai || �ุวาลา �รัย || كوالا كراي
#Jajahan
Machang || มาจัง || ماجغ
#Jajahan
Tanah Merah || ทานะห์ เมระห์ || ØªØ§Ù†Ø Ù…Ø±Ø
#Jajahan
Jeli || เจà¸à¸¥à¸µ || جلى
#Jajahan
Gua Musang || �ุวา มูซัง || كوا موسغ
State anthem
The Goanese Bandmaster of the Kelantan Police Band,
Haji Mohamed bin Mohamed Sa'id (1888–1939) was ordered to compose a song (only tunes) to be played to the then-Sultan of Kelantan, Ismail, on
July 5,
1927. Subsequently, the words were composed by
Mahmood bin Hamzah (1893–1971), who was the State secretary at that time.
''Original Malay version''
Lanjutkan usia Al-Sultan kami
Sultan Kelantan raja ikrami
Aman sentosa Tuhan sirami
Kekal memerintah kami
Kasih dan taat setia disembahkan
Keriangan diucapkan
Segala kebesaran Allah cucurkan
Bertambah kemuliaan
''Translated English version''
Extend the life of our Sultan
The divine Sultan of Kelantan
In peace with God's blessing
Forever rule us
Love and loyalty we offer
A wish of happiness we utter
May Allah pour out all His greatness
And his glory increase
Kelantan and Patani
Historically, Kelantan had a strong relationship with the
Pattani Kingdom. Pattani and Kelantan are geopolitically divided but culturally united. Kelantan and Southern Thai people cross the border frequently to visit their relatives and transporting goods for small business.
External links
-
Official site of Kelantan State Government
{{Districts of Kelantan}}
{{Malaysia}}
Category:States of Malaysia
ar:كلنتن دار النعيم
de:Kelantan
fr:Kelantan
gl:Kelatan
id:Kelantan
ja:クランタン州
ms:Kelantan
fi:Kelantan
zh:吉兰丹
see
Template:Districts of Kelantan
*** Shopping-Tip: Kelantan
