Gurun, Kedah

Gurun is a mukim in Kuala Muda District, Kedah, Malaysia. "Gurun" in English means desert, however the town does not resemble in the slightest the meaning of its English translation. Gurun derived its name from the word "gerun", which means terrify or "kurun" meaning elephant in the Siamese dialect. These words are associated with an incident during the reign of King Ekataat’s grandsons, Sultan Jaafar Mad Azam Syah]], Sultan of Islamic Siam Kingdom of Ayutthia, who was killed in 1876 by the invading Thai armies when they crushed his body using an elephant. This incident took place behind the current Gurun Police Station.

Administratively, Gurun is under the district of Kuala Muda and falls within the local government administration of Sungai Petani Municipal Council. Gurun is designated as N22 for the Kedah State Legislative Council Zone and is represented by Dr Leong Yong Kong (National Front - BN) (incumbent) who defeated Salma binti Ismail (People Justice Party - PKR) with majority of 1,296 votes in the 2013 General Election. Its Member of Parliament (P12 - Jerai) is Datuk Seri Jamil Khir bin Baharom (National Front - BN) who defeated Mohd. Firdaus Ja'afar (Malaysian Islamic Party - PAS) by a majority of 1,196 votes.

Gurun is located between Guar Chempedak to the north and Bedong to the south and can be reached via a highway; the North-South Expressway, and it even has its own train station. The main road junction in the town center connects the eastern part of Kedah to the town of Jeniang and the district of Sik. The junction was currently shifted to a new location situated in front of Gurun Post Office due to the construction of Malaysian double track railroad. The construction of Gurun Railway Station is a part of the Bukit Mertajam - Alor Setar railway extension project started in late 1912 and completed in 1915. The project was carried out under the Federated Malay States Railway Administration and the Pinang Tunggal to Gurun track was officially opened to the public on 1st March 1915 and the Gurun to Alor Star on 4th October 1915. The station was now demolished in order to make way for a new railway station located about 1 kilometer to north of the old station.

Gunung Jerai, formerly known as Kedah Peak, is a massive limestone outcrop situated to the west of Gurun and is the highest point in Kedah rising 986 metres (3,235 ft). It is the main tourist attraction to Gurun.

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