Wan Mat Saman Canal, Alor Setar

Wan Mat Saman Canal, Alor Setar (24 April, 2017)


Wan Mat Saman Canal or Terusan Wan Mat Saman, is an irrigation canal in Alor Setar, Kedah. It is the longest canal of its kind in Malaysia. Wan The canal was a monumental achievement during its time. Construction began in 1885, and was completed in 1896, eleven years later. It connects Sungai Kedah in Alor Setar to Gurun, providing a vital channel for the irrigation of paddy fields in the Kedah plains.

Wan Mat Saman Canal was named after the Menteri Besar, or Prime Minister of the Sultanate of Kedah at that time, Dato' Wan Muhammad Saman. Wan Mat Saman was Menteri Besar during the reigns of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Mukarram Syah and Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Syah. The Wan Muhammad Saman Building in the centre of town was named after him.

Sungai Anak Bukit is one of the streams that flows through Alor Star. It connects to Sungai Kedah, which then connects to the Wat Mat Saman Canal. Sungai Anak Bukit flows behind Masjid Zahir in the centre of Alor Star.

The Wan Mat Saman Canal is 36 kilometers in length. You can still see the start of this canal at its confluence with Sungai Kedah ( on the map; GPS: 6.11447, 100.3645) The canal runs alongside Federal Route 1. The best place to look at it is at the junction of Jalan Dato' Wan Mat Saman with Federal Route 1 ( on the map; GPS: 6.11314, 100.36445) For much of the way, it has been reduced to just a drain. Though the canal is not actually a tourist attraction, the canal is nonetheless a point of interest for history enthusiasts.

Where to view the Wan Mat Saman Canal

The Sungai Anak Bukit, which flows into the Wan Mat Saman Canal, can be viewed from the riverside promenade behind Masjid Zahir.

Wan Mat Saman Canal, Alor Setar (24 April, 2017)

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