Mentakab, Pahang

Mentakab

Mentakab is a main town in Pahang, Malaysia, originally known as Pasir Rawa. It is close to Temerloh, Lanchang, Kampung Tualang, Kampung Gantok, Mengkarak and Kerdau. Mentakab was once considered by the State Government in the year 1901 to be the new centre of all administrative works in the state of Pahang. However, due to a problem of uneven land, Kuantan was to be the new capital of the state. Mentakab is located under the district of Temerloh. Temerloh is a large district and contains many towns. Mentakab, being a fairly large town, is often thought by people to be a district in itself, separate from Temerloh.

Trade and industry

Agriculture

Mentakab is currently popular for urban swiftlet farming, most shops or shophouses are modified on the top floor to provide space for swiftlet farming. Successful urban farming can be rewarding as each kilogram of swiflets' nest can be sold for as high as US$2000. However, few have succeeded and disadvantages towards urban residents can potentially outweigh economic gains such as widespread of diseases or bird flu and excessive bird droppings.

The Semantan River that goes through the town is the water source for the agricultural activities. Mentakab is seldom caught in serious floods but serious flooding did occur in the years 1970 and 2007.

Industries

Robin Resources (M) Sdn. Bhd. is the only company manufacturing medium-density fibreboard in Pahang since 1995. 100% of workers from Robin Resources (M) Sdn. Bhd. are employed locally and hence provides working opportunities to the local community. 80% of the manufactured medium-density fibreboard from Robin Resources are exported to the international market, including countries such as Saudi Arabia and China.The Malaysian Newsprint Industries (MNI) started up a greenfield paper mill in Mentakab in the year 1999. MNI is one of the biggest scale paper factories in Southeast Asia.

Mentakab Veneer & Plywood Sdn Bhd (MVP) was incorporated in 1986 as a joint venture company between Malaysian and Taiwanese shareholders. It main business is to engage in the manufacture and marketing of plywood.Mentakab Veneer & Plywood’ factory which is a located at the 5th Mile, Jalan Karak, P.O. Box 12, 28400 Mentakab, Pahang Darul Makmur (Mentakab is strategically located 123km from Kuala Lumpur, 181km from KLIA and 192km from Port Klang (major port in Malaysia), commenced plywood production in 1986 and marketed it’s product for local consumption and a small volume for export.Today, MVP is an active member of The Malaysian Panel-Products Manufacturer’s Association (MPMA) and it manufactures Urea Formaldehyde, Phenol Formaldehyde and Melamine Urea Formaldehyde Plywood.

Night market

Mentakab has a daily night market (pasar malam) located along the Jalan Mok Hee Kiang stretch. At around 5pm, this road will be closed to motorists to make way for hawkers. Jalan Mok Hee Kiang is one of the street where most of the citizens often visit due to its wide variety of daily goods sold. Jalan Mok Hee Kiang is famous among Mentakab citizens.

Star Mall

Located in Taman Rimba, Star Mall is an under-construction large scale project undertaken by a private developer from Kuantan namely Sistem Duta Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary body of Kinsteel Bhd, owned by Tan Sri Dato' Pheng Yin Huah, a steel industry tycoon in Malaysia. Mentakab Star Mall consists of a three storey with two lower ground basement shopping complex and 168 units of two storey shop, linked by sky bridge to the shopping complex itself.

Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) finalised their decision to penetrate the Pahang central market via this project which means it will subsequently boost the local lifestyle and provides even more job opportunities. Pacific Hypermarket is set to be Star Mall's anchor tenant.

Hypermarket

Mentakab has one of the largest hypermarkets in the district of Temerloh, namely TF Value Mart and 'The Store'. These department stores are located in the busiest area of Mentakab where the night market is just a stone's throw away. Traffic congestions are common in this area. The traffic congestion becomes worse during peak hours.

Cuisine

Fast food

There are several fast food outlets available in Mentakab. For instances, Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Mcdonald's. Mcdonald's Mentakab and Pizza Hut Mentakab are the first outlets operating in central Pahang and second in Pahang overall (after Kuantan, with the exception of Genting Highlands).

Local delicacies

Tom yum restaurant at Kampung Suria (formerly Kampung Baru Mentakab). The proprietor and his wife (who is a Thai) travels to Thailand frequently to stock up on ingredients.

Hainanese chicken rice is also another type of popular food among Mentakab residents and local tourists alike. Restoran Sin Sek Kee, located near the junction between Jalan Mok Hee Kiang and Jalan Zabidin, is popular for their chicken rice and attracts a lot of customers during lunch and also dinner. This restaurant used to serve Water Convolvulus & Squid in sauce (鱿鱼蕹菜). Water Convolvulus & Squid in sauce was the restaurant's signature dish before venturing into Hainanese chicken rice.

Cendol is also another type of popular dessert in Mentakab. Restoran Talib Cendol,74, Jalan Temerloh, Mentakab. The restaurant has been operating on the main road of Mentakab. If you ever visit Mentakab, you must go this restaurant and try the delicious Cendol and still strongly supported by regular customers. This Cendol eatery started as a small stall 35 years ago, and since expanded to a restaurant. There are more than 10 kinds of iced dessert, such as Cendol, Cendol Pulut, Cendol ice-cream,ABC, ABC Pulut, ABC ice-cream, and others. This restaurant offer you the option to add a scoop of ice-cream to your choice of dessert to enhance the flavourand to relieve the heat during hot sunny days. These high quality ice-cream are firm yet smooth, and the ingredient used are of high quality.

Hotels

Bukit Bendera Resort

(This hotel became famous after Jackie Chan stayed here during the filming of Who Am I?)

Address : 8, Lorong Bendera 1-F, Taman Bukit Bendera, 28400 Mentakab, Pahang.

Tel. : +609 278 2828

Newton Villa Hotel

Address : No. 24-27, Jalan Gopeng 1, 28400 Mentakab, Pahang

Tel. : +609 277 0976

I-Winton Hotel

Address : 26, Jalan Bunga Raya, 28400  Mentakab, Pahang

Tel. : +609 277 6633

Sherwinton Hotel

Address : No. 71, Jalan Bunga Tanjung, Pahang

Tel. : +609 277 8833

Supreme Hotel

Address : No. 11, Jalan Yap Lee, Pahang

Tel. : +609 277 1744

Classic Cosy Inn

Address : 10A, Jalan Ponniah, Pahang

Hotel Kheng Hai

Address : No. 14, 1st Floor, Jalan Zabidin, 28400 Mentakab, Pahang

Tel. : +609 277 7987

EV World Hotel

Address : No.68, Jalan Orkid, 28400 Mentakab, Pahang.

Tel. : +609 277 8585

Most of the hotel price range start from MYR45.00 to MYR180.00 per night.