Mersing should not be confused with Mersin.
| Mersing | |
| Native Name: | Merecing/Ngesing (Terengganu Malay) |
| Settlement Type: | Town and district capital |
| Official Name: | Mersing Town |
| Coordinates: | 2.4333°N 153°W |
| Pushpin Map: | Malaysia Johor#Malaysia West#Malaysia |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Malaysia |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Mersing |
| Motto: | Perkhidmatan Untuk Rakyat "Service For The People" (motto of Mersing District Council) |
| Leader Title: | President |
| Leader Name: | Abdul Karim Bakar (since 16 October 2025) |
| Government Type: | Local government |
| Governing Body: | Mersing District Council |
| Area Total Km2: | 761.47 |
| Population As Of: | 2010 |
| Population Total: | 70,894 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Postal Code Type: | Postcode |
| Postal Code: | 86800 |
| Area Code Type: | Calling code |
| Registration Plate: | J |
| Mersing District Council | |
| Native Name: | Majlis Daerah Mersing |
| Native Name Lang: | Malay |
| Coa Pic: | The_Seal_of_Mersing_Municipal_Council.png |
| Coa Caption: | Emblem |
| Session Room: | Mersing District Council.JPG |
| Foundation: | 26 May 1977 |
| House Type: | Local authority |
| Jurisdiction: | Mersing |
| Seats: | 24 |
| Political Groups1: | Councillors: BN (24) |
| Term Length: | 1 April 2024–31 December 2025 |
| Leader1 Type: | President |
| Leader1: | Abdul Karim Bakar (since 16 October 2025)[1] |
| Leader2 Type: | Secretary |
| Leader2: | Muhammad Lufti Abas[2] |
| Meeting Place: | No. 1 Jalan Tun Dr. Ismail, 86800 Mersing, Johor Darul Takzim |
| Motto: | Perkhidmatan Untuk Rakyat (Service for the People) |
Mersing (Terengganu Malay: Merecing or Ngesing) is a town, mukim and the capital of Mersing District, Johor, Malaysia. The town is located at the southern end of the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. As of 2010, the town has an estimated population of 70,894.[3]
Mersing town is particularly significant for a number of reasons: it is one of only two major towns in the eastern half of Johor state (the other being Kota Tinggi); it lies on the main trunk road that connects southern as well as eastern Johor with the east coast of Pahang state including Pahang's capital Kuantan (part of Federal Route; and it is the main departure point for ferries to the nearby offshore islands such as Rawa Island of Sultan Iskandar Marine Park (Malay: Taman Laut Sultan Iskandar) and also Tioman Island, Pahang.
Mersing District Council (ms|Majlis Daerah Mersing) is the local authority of the whole Mersing District including Mersing town. It was formed on 26 May 1977 through the merger of the Mersing Town Council (ms|Majlis Bandaran Mersing) and the local councils (ms|Majlis Tempatan) of Jemaluang, Endau, Kampung Hubong, Kampung Pengkalan Batu, Kampung Sri Pantai and Mersing Kecil.[4]
As of 2025, Mersing town is divided into 24 zones represented by 24 councillors to act as mediators between residents and the district council.[5] The councillors for the 1 April 2024 to 31 December 2025 session are as below:
| Zone | Councillor | Political affiliation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jemaluang Kiri | Ng See Sian | MCA | |
| Jemaluang Kanan | Ngiau Wei Chen | MCA | |
| Taman Sri Pantai | Rina Farhana Abdullah | UMNO | |
| Taman Wawasan 1 | Mohd Haidil Yusof | UMNO | |
| Taman Wawasan 2 | Nor Janah Jamaian | UMNO | |
| Taman Sri Mersing | Abdul Razak Abd Majid | UMNO | |
| Taman Sri Nakhoda | Md Hodari Abu Rahim | UMNO | |
| Mersing Kechil | Krishnan Balasebaramaniam | MIC | |
| Taman Mersing | Ayathura Arumugam | MIC | |
| Taman Sri Daik | Mahmood Dolmat | UMNO | |
| Bandar | Wong Kam Nam | MCA | |
| Mersing Kanan | Mohd Rasul Kushairi Mohd Mustapha | UMNO | |
| Taman Pantai Timur | Jamaliah Muhamed | UMNO | |
| Taman Air Merah | Rufiah Shawal | UMNO | |
| Sri Lalang | Mohd Salleh A Rahman | UMNO | |
| Taman Intan | Azhar Zainal Abidin | UMNO | |
| Pulau | Sheikh Zulkifli Sheikh Abdul Rahim | UMNO | |
| Eric Ng Khye Loon | MCA | ||
| Rumah Murah | Mohd Sofian Hussain | UMNO | |
| Jalan Merlimau | Chew Yuh Ling | MCA | |
| Desa Sri Endau | Kan Pei Ying | MCA | |
| Taman Markisa | Tan Teck Kin | MCA | |
| Taman Fajar | Goh Guo Yong | MCA | |
| Taman Haji Ariffin | Azmi Mahmood | UMNO |
The Malays of Mersing are unique compared to the rest of Johor is that many of them are of Terengganu ancestry, this are proven by the Keropok Lekor industries which is popular in the town and many still speak Terengganu Malay along with the Johor dialect of Malay.[6]
The Chinese community in Mersing mainly belongs to the Cantonese dialect group and speak Cantonese, however, many locals, especially business owners have no issue conversing in Mandarin.
Being located along Federal Route 3, Mersing is relatively accessible for a town its size. Northward this highway goes to Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu before terminating at Rantau Panjang at the border with Thailand. Southwards highway 3 goes to Jemaluang and Kota Tinggi and terminates at Johor Bahru, the state capital. Jalan Felda Nitar connects Felda Nitar, Kluang, Ayer Hitam and Batu Pahat, also connects to North–South Expressway Southern Route via Ayer Hitam Interchange to Kuala Lumpur.
Mersing Bus and Taxi Terminal (ms|Terminal Bas dan Teksi Bandar Mersing) on Jalan Tepian Sungai is served by various companies including Transnasional and Causeway Link. Long-distance services are offered to most major cities in peninsular Malaysia such as Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Malacca, as well as local buses to towns and cities around Johor state.[7]
Mersing port in the mouth of Mersing River is also the main port for ferries to Tioman Island and the more than 40 other islands in the Seribuat Archipelago.
