Pontian District
District in Johor, Malaysia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pontian District (Malay: Daerah Pontian) is a district located in southwest part of the Malaysian state of Johor. It borders Batu Pahat and Kluang Districts to the north and Kulai and Johor Bahru Districts to the east.[3]
Pontian District | |
|---|---|
| Daerah Pontian | |
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Flag  Coat of arms | |
| Motto: | |
 Location of Pontian District in Johor | |
 Interactive map of Pontian District | |
  Pontian District Location of Pontian District in Malaysia | |
| Coordinates: 1°35′N 103°25′E | |
| Country |  Malaysia |
| State |  Johor |
| District Council Established | 1 November 1976 |
| Granted Municipal Status | 31 July 2021 |
| Seat | Pontian Kechil |
| Local area government(s) | Pontian Municipal Council |
| Government | |
| • District officer | Haji Zulkifly bin Haji Mohd Tahir |
| • Pontian Member of Parliament | Ahmad Maslan (UMNO) |
| Area | |
• Total | 932.64 km2 (360.09 sq mi) |
| Population (2010)[2] | |
• Total | 144,324 |
| • Density | 154.75/km2 (400.79/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+8 (Not observed) |
| Postcode | 82xxx |
| Calling code | +6-07 |
| Vehicle registration plates | J |
The district is home to Tanjung Piai, the southernmost point of the Malay Peninsula and mainland Eurasia as a whole.
Etymology
The name of Pontian was derived from the Malay word “Perhentian” which means a stop, a reference to the sailors travelling to and from Singapore or Malacca stopping at Pontian Besar River for shelter from the rough waters in the Strait of Malacca.[4]
Administrative divisions
Administration
Pontian Municipal Council Majlis Perbandaran Pontian | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 31 July 2021 |
| Preceded by | Pontian District Council |
| Leadership | |
President | Abdul Azim Shamsuddin (since 3 February 2025) |
Secretary | Tifla Mohd Addi (since 15 January 2024) |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 23 |
Political groups | Councillors: |
Length of term | 1 April 2024–31 December 2025 |
| Motto | |
| Setia Khidmat (Faithfully We Serve) | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Jalan Alsagoff, 82000 Pontian,Johor Darul Ta'zim | |
| Website | |
| www | |
The entire Pontian District is administered by the Pontian Municipal Council (Malay: Majlis Perbandaran Pontian, MPPN), which was previously known as the Pontian District Council (Malay: Majlis Daerah Pontian, MDPontian). The latter was formed on 1 November 1976 by merging the Pontian Town Council and the local councils of Pekan Nanas, Benut, Ayer Baloi and Permas. The upgradation of the District Council as the Municipal Council took place on 31 July 2021.[6]
Presidents
Departments
- Management Services (Khidmat Pengurusan)
- Treasury (Perbendaharaan)
- Valuation and Property Management (Penilaian dan Pengurusan Harta)
- Urban Planning and Landscape (Perancang Bandar dan Landskap)
- Public Health (Kesihatan Awam)
- Licensing and Enforcement (Pelesenan dan Penguatkuasaan)
- Engineering and Building (Kejuruteraan dan Bangunan)
- Community Development (Pembangunan Masyarakat)
Units
- Public Relations and Corporate (Perhubungan Awam dan Korporat)
- Law (Undang-undang)
- Internal Audit (Audit Dalam)
- One Stop Centre (Pusat Sehenti)
- Tourism (Pelancongan)
Administration areas (zones)
As of 2025, Pontian District is divided into 23 zones represented by 23 councillors to act as mediators between residents and the municipal council.[10] The councillors for the 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2025 session are as below:
| Zone | Councillor | Political affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Pontian A | Jamaludin Abd Majid | UMNO |
| Pontian B | Faridah A Kadir | UMNO |
| Pontian C | Oh Jit Hwa | MCA |
| Pontian D | Rosdi Hassan | UMNO |
| Pontian E | Mohd Iskandar Selamat | UMNO |
| Pontian F | Heng Zhi Li | MCA |
| Pontian G | Mohd Isa Ismail | UMNO |
| Pontian H | Mohd Mokhtar Tang Abdullah | UMNO |
| Pontian I | Md Israk Abdullah | UMNO |
| Pontian J | Tan Lye Huat | MCA |
| Pekan Nanas A | Abdul Razif Ruhani | UMNO |
| Pekan Nanas B | Teo Yi Chang | MCA |
| Pekan Nanas C | Zarina Mohamed Baen | UMNO |
| Pekan Nanas D | Krishnan Kumar Letchumenan | MIC |
| Benut A | Bariman Ahmad | UMNO |
| Benut B | Tan Wei Jie | MCA |
| Benut C | Mohamad Jahis Othman | UMNO |
| Benut D | Siti Zaharah Jumat | UMNO |
| Permas A | Kok See Chin | MCA |
| Permas B | Syahdan Rahmat | UMNO |
| Permas C | Tan Jia Liang | MCA |
| Ayer Baloi A | Ajit Singh Jasbir Singh | MIC |
| Ayer Baloi B | Tan Sing Ling | MCA |
Demographics
Economy
The main economic activities in the district are agriculture, construction, ecotourism, fishery and marine and food processing industries. The former includes pineapple farms and palm oil plantations, which are mainly focused in the town of Pekan Nanas.[13][14][15]
Transportation
Road
The district is accessible by bus from Larkin Sentral (BAS.MY Johor Bahru - J50) in Johor Bahru.[16][17]
Sea
There are regularly scheduled ferries connecting fishing village Kukup in Serkat Mukim with Tanjung Balai Karimun in Riau Islands, Indonesia.[18]
