# Gasing: The Spinning Top That Became a Test of Strength and Stamina on the East Coast

> Gasing is far more than a wooden toy for children. In Kelantan, Terengganu and Melaka, it is contested in two distinct ways — gasing pangkah, which tests the force of the strike, and gasing uri, which tests spinning endurance — and it has been recognised as a National Heritage since 2009.

- Category: arts-culture
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-07-24
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/arts-culture/gasing

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The sound arrives first — heavy wood striking heavy wood, followed by cheers. On a village field around Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, two groups stand facing each other. One player throws his top with a cord; another is already spinning, waiting on the ground. The winner is not the fastest — it is the one whose top is still spinning after the strike.

That is gasing pangkah. And it is only half the story.

## Two games, one object

The Department of National Heritage (Jabatan Warisan Negara) records that gasing is played in two ways that differ entirely in purpose:

| | Gasing pangkah | Gasing uri |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purpose | Striking or knocking an opponent's spinning top | Testing which top can spin the longest |
| Focus of victory | Opponent's top stops or is knocked off course | One's own top keeps spinning after the others stop |
| Nature of play | Direct confrontation, two sides competing simultaneously | A test of endurance and stability, not impact |

The National Security Council (Majlis Keselamatan Negara, MKN) portal describes the mechanics of gasing pangkah in more detail: the top is played by striking the opponent's spinning top on the upper part of its body, which has been fitted with iron. That iron is not decorative — it is the part that receives and transmits the impact.

According to the same source, three criteria determine which top lasts longer: speed, balance and strength. A top that is fast but unbalanced will veer off course before it can land a blow; a top that is sturdy but slow is easily evaded.

## Not just one type of gasing

The Department of National Heritage also records the various types of gasing found in Malaysia: gasing jantung, gasing piring or leper, gasing kelamar, gasing telur, gasing berembang, gasing Melayu, gasing Cina, gasing buku benang and gasing pinang.

The size of a gasing is not uniform either. According to the Department of National Heritage, both adults and children can play gasing — the only difference is the size of top suited to the player. This is what sets gasing apart from most other heritage games: it is not simply a children's game "upgraded" for adults, but a game designed from the outset to span all age groups.

## Why the East Coast

The Department of National Heritage states clearly that gasing is very popular in Peninsular Malaysia, especially in the states of Terengganu and Kelantan, as well as Melaka. This connection is not a faded piece of history — it is still alive today.

TRDI, the official media of Terengganu state, reports active efforts to preserve the craft of making gasing pangkah in villages around Kuala Nerus, including Kampung Lingai. The National Security Council, meanwhile, records Kampung Tepoh, also in Kuala Nerus, as among the villages that still make, play and hold gasing pangkah competitions every year.

The game is traditionally played after the paddy harvest season or fruit season — the farming community's period of leisure, not everyday entertainment. MKN also records that more and more gasing pangkah groups are now being re-established around Kuala Nerus, with friendly inter-village competitions being held with increasing frequency.

## Status as heritage

Gasing is not merely observed by a government department — it has been gazetted. Official records from the Department of National Heritage show that gasing was included in the National Heritage declaration on 14 February 2009, under the intangible cultural heritage category "Traditional Games", together with Malaysia's traditional wau and congkak.

That recognition gives gasing formal standing under the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645) — not merely general cultural status, but a statutory record that supports preservation efforts such as those taking place in Kuala Nerus today.

## Common misconceptions

- **Equating gasing pangkah with gasing uri.** Both use the same object but test different things — one is direct confrontation, the other is uninterrupted spinning endurance.
- **Assuming gasing is only a children's toy.** Official records note that it is played across age groups according to the size of top used, and gasing pangkah competitions in Terengganu are organised by adults as serious community events.
- **Assuming only one type of gasing exists.** At least nine types are officially recorded — shapes and materials differ according to use and state.

## What's next

For another heritage games craft from the East Coast also recognised as National Heritage alongside gasing, read [wau](/en/arts-culture/wau). For state context behind today's gasing pangkah competitions, start with [Terengganu](/en/states/terengganu) and [Kelantan](/en/states/kelantan).

## Sources

- Permainan Tradisi — https://www.heritage.gov.my/en/pengenalan-cawangan-adat-budaya/permainan-tradisi.html (Jabatan Warisan Negara)
- Pengisytiharan Warisan Kebangsaan 2009 — https://www.heritage.gov.my/en/pengisytiharan-2009.html (Jabatan Warisan Negara)
- Gasing Pangkah Warisan Tradisional Masyarakat Melayu — https://www.mkn.gov.my/web/ms/2026/02/04/gasing-pangkah-warisan-tradisional-masyarakat-melayu/ (Majlis Keselamatan Negara)
- Kuala Nerus Pertahan Seni Warisan Pembuatan Gasing Pangkah — https://trdi.my/index.php/kuala-nerus-pertahan-seni-warisan-pembuatan-gasing-pangkah (TRDI (Media Rasmi Negeri Terengganu))

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