TRENGGANU
With a territory of about 5,500 square miles, an extensive sea-board, and a popula- tion at the 1921 census of 153,765, Trengganu is the least developed of all the Malay States. Its situation lies between latitudes 4° 30′ and 5° 45′ North and longitude 102° 15' and 130° 30′ East. The capital is Kuala Trengganu, situated on both banks of the mouth of the Trengganu River, with a population of 12,453.
There are about 53 miles of road open to traffic. Communication with the interior as by good native paths and rivers. The latter, however, are not navigable beyond a
certain point from the sea owing to rapids. There are no railways.
M
A sixty-mile trunk road from Kuala Trengganu to the Northern boundary of the State is under construction. When completed, this will link up Trengganu with the Kelantan road and railway system.
Regular steamship communication is maintained with Singapore and Bangkok, and locally built motor-boats maintain passenger service along the Trengganu coast.
During the North-East Monsoon, from November till March, the weather is at times such as to close the coast to shipping for short periods. The rainfall and tem- perature conditions are similar to those in the other Malay States.
There are
Telegraph communication was established with Singapore in 1922. small local telephone exchanges at Kuala Trengganu, Kemaman and Besut.
The total value of the trade for the State in 1928 was $11,867,600, as against ($14,304,227 in 1927 (Exports: 1928, $6,768,065; 1927, $8,244,479. Imports: 1928,
$5,099,535; 1927, $6,064,758).
The chief Exports were:-Dried fish, $1,011,494; tin-ore, $2,052,387; para rubber, $1,285,127; silk sarongs, $157,103; copra, $524,447; haematite, $139,640; areca nuts, $286,973.
The chief Imports were:-Rice, $603,583; cotton piece goods, $340,965; tobacco, cigars and cigarettes, $371,443; sugar, $273,082; machinery, $172,981; petroleum, $128,086; silk and silk fabrics, $115,356.
The Malays are ingenious and industrious, and excel as boat-builders and fisher- men. They also engage in silk and cotton weaving, net making, and iron, brass and nickel manufacturers.
The revenue of the State for the year 1347 (June 19th, 1928, to June 6th, 1929) amounted to $1,361,026 and the expenditure to $1,520,149, the corresponding figures for A.H. 1345 being $1,364,105 and $1,341,410.
By an agreement between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Trengganu, dated 24th May, 1919, His Highness Sultan Muhammad bin Zainalabidin agreed to receive a British Adviser in place of an Agent, whose advice must be asked and acted upon in all matters affecting the general administration of the country.
Two loans of $1,000,000 each for development purposes were granted by the Straits Settlements Government in 1922 and 1925. These have enabled the State (by resump- ition of concessions) to recover control of important natural resources, and to incur Marge expenditure on essential works of development-surveys, machinery, buildings
and roads.
A third loan of $1,500,000, to be spent on road construction, was approved by the Straits Government in 1928.
Regular steamship communication is maintained with Singapore and Bangkok, and locally-built motor-boats maintain passenger service along the Trengganu coast. A programme of road construction that will connect Trengganu with Kelantan and the F.M.S. Railway system is now in hand. The rainfall and temperature conditions are similar to those in the other Malay States.
DIRECTORY
GOVERNMENT
Sultan-His Highness Sir Suleiman Badaru'lalam Shah, K.C.M.G., ibni Almerhom
Sultan Zainalabidin
Mentri Besar-Haji Ngah bin Yusof (Dato Sri Amar Diraja), C.B.E. State Secretary--Tengku Omar bin Ösman (Tengku Sri Setia Raja)