Bukit Besi was a key driver of economic growth in the country, particularly in Terengganu, during the 20th century, when a Japanese company, Kuhara Mining Limited, began large-scale iron ore mining, later continued by a British company.

Mining activities in Bukit Besi not only reflect the colonial legacy in the socio-economic life of local communities but also provide evidence of an international settlement in Malaysia during its peak, inhabited by people from Japan, Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, South Africa, India, and China.

To uncover this remarkable history, six researchers from the Institute of Product and Malay-Islamic Civilisation Research (INSPIRE), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), led by YBhg. Associate Prof. Dr. Wan Mohd Yusof Wan Chik, successfully secured an International Research Grant from The Sumitomo Foundation, Japan, to study the history of iron ore mining, particularly under Japanese mining companies.

The two-year research was also assisted by Mr. Kazuki Iseno, a lecturer from UniSZA originally from Japan. The findings of this study will be published in a luxury coffee table book entitled “Bukit Besi – Tracing the Heritopolis of Asia.”

As part of this effort, the research team presented the completed findings to KETENGAH management on 9 February 2025. Also present at the presentation session was YM Dato’ Tengku Ahmad Nadzri Tengku Musa, General Manager of KETENGAH.

If successfully published, this luxury book will be a significant addition to Malaysia’s historical publications, documenting the heritage of a once-thriving civilization in the country. It is expected to serve as a valuable reference for historians, students, various agencies, and the general public.