PONTIAN: Tanjung Piai, located about 30km from the Pontian district is known to the local community and visitors for its famous tourist area, Tanjung Piai Johor National Park, the southernmost point of mainland Asia.
Currently, Tanjung Piai is becoming the talk of the town following the upcoming Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election on Nov 16.
The by-election is being held following the death of the MP Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik on Sept 21 due to heart complications.
There are two state constituencies under Tanjung Piai, namely Kukup and Pekan Nanas.
Tanjung Piai, located in Serkat sub-district, is said to get its name from the golden leather fern, which grows in abundance in the area.
A resident of Kampung Serkat Laut Jamal Ahmad, who is also an activist in history said that it was understood that in the past the British had visited Tanjung Piai and thought that it could be turned into a port.
“Maybe it was not suitable, the British did not open a port here (Tanjung Piai) and later it was said that the British also ordered the area to be planted with mangrove trees.
“Tanjung Piai is also said to have existed since the year 1800, but it has since become increasingly popular as a tourist spot after being declared a Ramsar site or wetland of international importance,” said Cikgu Jamal, as he is fondly known.
He said Tanjung Piai cannot be separated from Serkat as it is located in the sub-district of Serkat, which is one of the sub-districts in Pontian.
Jamal said he was told by his ancestors that Serkat, which is divided into Serkat Laut, Serkat Timur, Serkat and Serkat Barat, was opened by Datuk Nakhoda Mintol, originally from Batu Bara, Sumatra, who was appointed as ‘Datuak’, the head of the community or religious leader.
Jamal, who is late Dr Md Farid’s uncle, said the majority of Serkat residents are fishermen and farmers as well traders, with the average population being in their 50s, 40s and younger generations.
He said besides Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Serkat, another primary school in Serkat is SK Andek Mori.
“The late Andek Mori was the great uncle of the late Dr Md Farid. Besides Md Farid, among the leaders who attended the school was Kukup assemblyman Datuk Md Othman Yusof,“ said the SK Serkat senior assistant teacher.
Jamal said he hoped that whoever won the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat would be able to provide the best services to the people in the area. — Bernama
