Pasir Mas

Pasir Mas Overview

Pasir Mas functions as a town situated in the Pasir Mas District of north-western Kelantan, Malaysia. Operating within the Asia/Kuala_Lumpur timezone at coordinates 6.04934 latitude and 102.13987 longitude, the urban settlement stands as Kelantan's second largest city by population, recording 230,424 residents in the 2020 census.

A historical turning point for the area centers on its foundational legend and subsequent administrative displacements. According to local history, the area was initially opened up by Che Leh Ismail, also known as Che Leh Tok Pendekar, who was forced to move to Pasir Mas from Kota Bharu after his land was taken over by the Sultan to build a palace. Later, following Quranic lessons taught by a visiting religious teacher from Bachok, three pots of gold mysteriously appeared in some bushes and rolled into a pond at the fringe. Witnesses shouted Mas! Mas!, providing the settlement with its name, while the word Pasir derived from a large field of sand situated at the bank of the Kelantan River near the town.

Urban expansion has experienced structural shifts over the decades. Haphazard development has generated residential housing formations encircling the town, rendering potential land acquisition for commercial development both complex and costly. Consequently, a new township is taking shape approximately four miles away at the Mukim of Lubuk Jong, a previously swampy area located along the road leading to Rantau Panjang.

The city's demographic and administrative footprint connects to multiple recognized figures. Notable individuals originating from the area include actress Neelofa, national weightlifter Siti Aisyah Rosli, Tunku Puan Zanariah who served as Tunku Puan of Johor and the 8th Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia, and Zulkifeli Mohd Zin, the 18th and former Chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces.