Temerloh

History

According to Haji Zakaria Hitam, the modern-day Temerloh developed from a small settlement called Kuala Semantan. Kuala Semantan was actually a small old village at the bank of Semantan River. According to the folk story, the name Semantan came from the words Seman Tahan. Osman, or Seman Tahan as the villagers called him, is a Bruneian who settled at the small river connected to Pahang River. He mastered the martial art of silat, thus many people came all the way and settled here to learn silat from him. As Seman Tahan became popular among the villagers, they named the river Seman Tahan River. Thus, the town near the river was called Kuala Seman Tahan ( in Malay means 'river confluence'). The name Seman Tahan gradually became Semantan. The Temerloh district, on the other hand was established on July 1, 1889, when J. P. Rodger, the first Pahang Resident divided Pahang state into six smaller administration areas (districts): Pekan, Rompin, Kuala Pahang, Kuantan, Temerloh and Hulu Pahang. The capital of Temerloh district then (1 July 1889) was Kuala Semantan. As Kuala Semantan begin to develop rapidly, the name Kuala Semantan was thought unsuitable as the only refers to the river confluence. Hence, Kuala Semantan changed its name to Temerloh. Before the British colonization, Temerloh was governed by several headvillagers (village level) and (dignitaries) under the Pahang's administration of the Orang Besar System. The Temerloh people (then) were mainly Malay and Orang Asli; however, there were also small groups of Chinese and Arabs there.

Most-observed species

• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  44
• Common Amberwing

  Brachythemis contaminata (Fabricius, 1793) · Insecta
  18
• Asian Openbill

  Anastomus oscitans (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  16
• Bitter gourd, Bitter melon, Bitter balsam apple, Balsam apple, Wild balsam-apple, Bitter apple, Bitter squash, Bitter cucumber, Bitter gourd, Carilla gourd, Carilla bush, Balsam Pear, Jumbee pumpkin, Maiden apple

  Momordica charantia L. · Magnoliopsida
  13
• Red Junglefowl

  Gallus gallus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  12
• Asian Weaver Ant

  Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius, 1775) · Insecta
  11
• slider

  Trachemys scripta (Thunberg In Schoepff, 1792) · Testudines
  11
• Pawpaw

  Carica papaya L. · Magnoliopsida
  11