Mersing (Terengganu Malay: Merecing or Ngesing) is a town, mukim and the capital of Mersing District, Johor, Malaysia. The town is located at the southern end of the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. As of 2010, the town has an estimated population of 70,894.[1]

Mersing
Merecing/Ngesing
Mersing Town
Bandar Mersing
Other transcription(s)
 • Jawiمرسيڠ
 • Chinese丰盛港 (Simplified)
豐盛港 (Traditional)
Fēngshènggǎng (Hanyu Pinyin)
 • Tamilமெர்சிங்
Merciṅ (Transliteration)
Mersing town centre
Mersing town centre
Flag of Mersing
Coat of arms of Mersing
Mersing is located in Johor
Mersing
Mersing
Mersing in Johor
Mersing is located in Peninsular Malaysia
Mersing
Mersing
Mersing (Peninsular Malaysia)
Mersing is located in Malaysia
Mersing
Mersing
Mersing (Malaysia)
Coordinates: 2°26′N 103°50′E / 2.433°N 103.833°E / 2.433; 103.833
Country Malaysia
State Johor
DistrictMersing
Government
 • TypeLocal government
 • BodyMersing District Council
 • PresidentMohd Norman Noh
Area
 • Total761.47 km2 (294.01 sq mi)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total70,894
 • Density93/km2 (240/sq mi)
Postcode
86800
Vehicle registrationJ
Websitewww.mdmersing.gov.my
Mersing District Council

Majlis Daerah Mersing
Type
Type
History
Founded26 May 1977
Leadership
President
Mohd Norman Noh
District Secretary
Mohd Amin Kadiman
Motto
Perkhidmatan Untuk Rakyat (Service for the People)
Meeting place
No. 1 Jalan Tun Dr. Ismail, 86800 Mersing, Johor Darul Takzim
Website
www.mdmersing.gov.my

Mersing town is particularly significant for a number of reasons: it is one of only two major towns in the eastern half of Johor state (the other being Kota Tinggi); it lies on the main trunk road that connects southern as well as eastern Johor with the east coast of Pahang state including Pahang's capital Kuantan (part of Federal Route; and it is the main departure point for ferries to the nearby offshore islands such as Pulau Rawa of Sultan Iskandar Marine Park (Malay: Taman Laut Sultan Iskandar) and also Tioman Island, Pahang.

Mersing Harbour Centre, opened by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar in 2017.[2]
South China Sea coast in the vicinity of Mersing

Government and politics

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Mersing District Council (Malay: Majlis Daerah Mersing) is the local authority of the whole Mersing District including Mersing town. It was formed on 26 May 1977 through the merger of the Mersing Town Council (Malay: Majlis Bandaran Mersing) and the local councils (Malay: Majlis Tempatan) of Jemaluang, Kampung Hubong, Kampung Pengkalan Batu, Kampung Sri Pantai and Mersing Kecil.[3]

 
Mukim Mersing and Mersing Town (Bandar Mersing) in Mersing District

Climate

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Climate data for Mersing (1991–2020 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 35.3
(95.5)
33.6
(92.5)
34.8
(94.6)
37.4
(99.3)
38.2
(100.8)
37.0
(98.6)
36.0
(96.8)
36.5
(97.7)
35.7
(96.3)
36.2
(97.2)
34.8
(94.6)
35.3
(95.5)
38.2
(100.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 29.2
(84.6)
30.0
(86.0)
31.2
(88.2)
32.4
(90.3)
32.8
(91.0)
32.4
(90.3)
31.9
(89.4)
31.9
(89.4)
31.9
(89.4)
31.8
(89.2)
30.6
(87.1)
29.4
(84.9)
31.3
(88.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 26.4
(79.5)
26.9
(80.4)
27.2
(81.0)
27.4
(81.3)
27.4
(81.3)
27.0
(80.6)
26.6
(79.9)
26.5
(79.7)
26.4
(79.5)
26.5
(79.7)
26.3
(79.3)
26.2
(79.2)
26.7
(80.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 24.3
(75.7)
24.4
(75.9)
24.0
(75.2)
23.8
(74.8)
23.8
(74.8)
23.6
(74.5)
23.3
(73.9)
23.2
(73.8)
23.1
(73.6)
23.2
(73.8)
23.4
(74.1)
23.8
(74.8)
23.7
(74.7)
Record low °C (°F) 19.3
(66.7)
19.9
(67.8)
20.0
(68.0)
21.6
(70.9)
21.1
(70.0)
21.2
(70.2)
20.2
(68.4)
20.8
(69.4)
20.9
(69.6)
21.0
(69.8)
21.4
(70.5)
21.0
(69.8)
19.3
(66.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 363.6
(14.31)
130.4
(5.13)
135.9
(5.35)
111.4
(4.39)
140.0
(5.51)
138.2
(5.44)
163.6
(6.44)
168.4
(6.63)
156.8
(6.17)
191.6
(7.54)
315.5
(12.42)
532.9
(20.98)
2,548.2
(100.32)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 12.9 6.3 8.4 8.6 10.8 10.8 11.8 12.5 10.9 12.9 18.7 18.6 146.6
Mean monthly sunshine hours 169.6 200.4 229.8 211.5 222.8 200.6 199.1 193.7 175.7 175.8 142.5 129.0 2,250.5
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization[4]
Source 2: NOAA[5]

Culture

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Masjid Bandar mosque

The Malays of Mersing are unique compared to the rest of Johor is that many of them are of Terengganu ancestry, this are proven by the Keropok Lekor industries which is popular in the town and many still speak Terengganu Malay along with the Johor dialect of Malay.

The Chinese community in Mersing mainly belongs to the Cantonese dialect group and speak Cantonese, however, many locals, especially business owners have no issue conversing in Mandarin.

Transportation

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Mersing Bus & Taxi Terminal

Being located along Federal Route 3, Mersing is relatively accessible for a town its size. Northward this highway goes to Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu before terminating at Rantau Panjang at the border with Thailand. Southwards highway 3 goes to Jemaluang and Kota Tinggi and terminates at Johor Bahru, the state capital. Jalan Felda Nitar connects Felda Nitar, Kluang, Ayer Hitam and Batu Pahat, also connects to North–South Expressway Southern Route via Ayer Hitam Interchange to Kuala Lumpur.

Mersing Bus and Taxi Terminal (Malay: Terminal Bas dan Teksi Bandar Mersing) on Jalan Tepian Sungai is served by various companies including Transnasional and Causeway Link. Long-distance services are offered to most major cities in peninsular Malaysia such as Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Malacca, as well as local buses to towns and cities around Johor state.[6]

Water

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Mersing port in the mouth of Mersing River is also the main port for ferries to Tioman Island and the more than 40 other islands in the Seribuat Archipelago.

References

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  1. ^ Helders, Stefan. "Johor (State, Malaysia) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". World Gazetteer. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  2. ^ Said, Halim (10 September 2017). "Sultan of Johor launches Mersing Harbour Centre". nst.com.my. New Straits Times. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Latar Belakang".
  4. ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Mersing Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Bas - Express Bus Schedule". mdmersing.gov.my. Majlis Daerah Mersing. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
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