Kampung Tok Imam Lapar - Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu

Imagine the odd reaction when you tell people you come from Kampung Tok Imam Lapar (Hungry Tok Imam Village), a village of 400 who are mostly farmers.
The name attracts a lot of attention, there’s no doubt about that.

“Back in the 12th-14 centuries, traders bearing gold and silver used to flock to Kuala Berang to buy elephant tusks, gaharu wood and to replenish their food and water supply.”

“One day, a group of traders, stopped at nearby Sungai Telemong. They ventured into a village near the river and came across a surau, where a religious man was teaching.”

“The man invited them over to his house for a meal, before continuing their journey. At dusk, the traders stopped again by the Sungai Telemong and walked around in search of food."

“They were going round and round for hours until they wound up right in front of the religious man’s house again. That’s when they called out, ‘Tok Imam! Lapar!’ (Tok Imam! We’re hungry!).

“So you see, it wasn’t the imam who was famished, it was the traders!”