QuickCheck: Was Broga town named after a monster?

Hiker cresting the peak of Bukit Broga.

LEGEND has it that Broga, a border town situated in Semenyih between Negri Sembilan and Selangor, was said to be named after the Buragas, a mythical monster.

Is this true?

Verdict:

TRUE

Broga’s name takes after the Broga river, which in turn was reputedly named after the Buragas, a fabled creature that lives in the jungle.

As the Buragas isn’t as well known as other creatures of Malay folklore, information on it is scarce.

What little is known of the Buragas is that it is said to be large, violent, and occasionally heads to nearby waterfalls to bathe.

Broga town sits on the Titiwangsa mountain range and is popular for the Broga Hill.

Hikers often climb up the hill in the early morning to catch the sunrise from the peak which is said to be particularly stunning.

Broga Hill, which stands at about 400m above sea level, is known among Locals as ‘Bukit Lalang’ as the tall grass grows abundantly there.

One of the origin stories of Semenyih, meanwhile, is that the mukim (sub-district) derives its name from the word ‘semunyi' from the Minangkabau dialect, which is similar to the Malay ‘sembunyi’, or ‘hide’.

The story goes that the area was a place where soldiers who lost in war came to hide.

References:

1. https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broga

2. https://www.wonderfulmalaysia.com/attractions/broga-hill.htm