Rompin

About Rompin

Rompin is the second largest district in Pahang located in the southern part of the state, bordering the state of Johor.

Rompin district has 6 mukims, namely Endau, Keratong, Pontian, Kuala Rompin, Tioman and Bebar. Its main town, Kuala Rompin, is known as 'Bandar Udang Galah' (Lobster Town).

History

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Kuala Rompin was a traditional fishing village between Merchong in the north and Pontian in the south. According to the story, Rompin got his name from an unusual ru tree, which is a slender ru tree unlike other ru trees. Initially, it was called 'Ru Ramping' (Slender Ru tree) and later became Rumping or Rumpin (Rompin) as it is now.

Encik Yahya bin Muhammad, who is over 100 years old, stated that there are various versions of the story about the origin of the name Rompin. Among them is the story that in the past there was a man named Riffin who lived under a big ru tree. Because of that the place was called by people as ‘Rupin’ which eventually changed to ‘Rumpin’.

Kampung Kuala Rompin as it is known now is an old town that was opened by Datuk Pahlawan Ahmad in 1888, a man who had done a lot for the Sultan of Pahang at that time and also in the events of the Klang War (1872-1873). As this place is located far to Ulu, the residents there have moved and opened a new village opposite Tanjung Tengku. According to the story the village was later opened in 1926. 

Since the new village was opened, more and more people have come and opened land in the village. So Kuala Rompin is a big fishing village that is stopped by small ships along the coast that go back and forth from Singapore and Kuantan. Before becoming a district, Rompin was a mukim under the administration of the Pekan district. The first chief of Rompin sub -district was Panglima Kechik

In 1952, the Pahang government established four sub-districts, namely Jerantut, Chenor, Triang and Rompin. The purpose is to facilitate communication with the area, especially in administrative matters. An administrative officer performing the duties of an Assistant District Officer is stationed in this sub -district.

The Rompin district administration at that time contained five sub -districts, namely Endau, Pontian, Pulau Tioman, Keratong and Rompin, which were based in Kuala Rompin. J.B. Melford was appointed the first Assistant District Officer on December 16, 1952 to run the administration of the Rompin sub -district.

The earliest communication system in Rompin was by sea. Goods are found through small ships that go down the coast and large boats such as starlings and barges. However during the monsoon season this sea road to Kuala Rompin is dangerous and closed to the route.

The difficulty of traveling between the cities in the south and north with Kuala Rompin ended when the road from Pekan to Endau was completed in the early 1960s. Later, the ferry used to transport vehicles across the Rompin River in Sabak was replaced by a bridge in 1975.

On 31 July 1976, Rompin was declared a full district and became the 9th district in the state of Pahang Darul Makmur with a total area of ​​5,247 square kilometers.

Credit: Pahang State Museum Corporation