Ayer Rajah is a residential
neighbourhood
A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural are ...
within the city of
George Town in
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. Located within the
Pulau Tikus
Pulau Tikus is a northwestern suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Situated between the city centre and Tanjung Tokong, this upper class suburb was named after a rock just off the coast of Penang Island. It is home to small minorities of ...
suburb, the neighbourhood lies west of the city centre. This leafy, affluent neighbourhood, situated adjacent to the
Penang Botanic Gardens, mostly consists of landed properties such as
bungalow
A bungalow is a small house or cottage that is either single-story or has a second story built into a sloping roof (usually with dormer windows), and may be surrounded by wide verandas.
The first house in England that was classified as a b ...
s and
semi-detached houses, surrounded by tree-lined avenues.
Etymology
Ayer Rajah was named after Ayer Rajah Bay, the northern bay of
George Town which forms the city's northern shoreline and includes the present-day
Gurney Drive
Gurney Drive (,, ) is a popular seafront promenade within George Town, Penang, Malaysia. The road is also famous for the street cuisine at the seafront's hawker centre and has been listed as one of the 25 best streets worldwide to visit by the A ...
.
History
By 1796, 10 years after the establishment of
George Town by
Francis Light
Captain Francis Light ( – 21 October 1794) was a British explorer and the founder of the British colony of Penang (in modern-day Malaysia) and its capital city of George Town in 1786. Light and his lifelong partner, Martina Rozells, were th ...
, more than of the area had been cleared, forming the Ayer Rajah Estate.
The agricultural plantation, founded by Light's
Scottish partners, David Brown and James Scott, was owned by the Brown and Scott families.
In particular, Scott Road, which runs through the neighbourhood, was named after James Scott.
Other prominent personalities who once resided within this neighbourhood include the first
Malaysian Prime Minister
The prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label=Jawi alphabet, Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branc ...
,
Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah ( ms, تونكو عبد الرحمن ڤوترا الحاج ابن سلطان عبد الحميد حليم شاه, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 8 Febru ...
, and local
DAP
DAP or Dap may refer to:
Science
* DAP (gene), human gene that encodes death-associated proteins, which mediate programmed cell death
* Diamidophosphate, phosphorylating compound
* Diaminopimelic acid, amino acid derivative of lysine
* Diamin ...
politician-cum-lawyer,
Karpal Singh
Dato' Seri Utama Karpal Singh s/o Ram Singh Deo ( pa, ਕਰਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ, Karpāl Siṅgh; 28 June 1940 – 17 April 2014) was an Indian Malaysian politician and lawyer. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Bu ...
.
Transportation
The major thoroughfares within the neighbourhood include Ayer Rajah Road (now ''Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman'') and Brown Road.
Western Road (''Jalan Utama'') forms the southern end of the neighbourhood, which is also bounded by
Burmah Road to the north.
Rapid Penang
Rapid Penang (styled as ''rapidPenang'') is a public bus brand in the State of Penang, Malaysia. Formed as a subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia in 2007, to date it is the main public transport operator within Penang; its bus network serves commut ...
bus route 10 includes a handful of stops along Gottlieb Road.
Education
![Disted College Campus, George Town, Penang](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Disted_College_Campus%2C_George_Town%2C_Penang.jpg)
The neighbourhood is served by two
primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
s, three
high schools
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
and two private colleges, as well as an international school.
Primary schools
* St. Xavier's Primary Branch School
* Penang Chinese Girls' Primary School
High schools
* Convent Pulau Tikus
*
Penang Chinese Girls' High School
Penang Chinese High School (PCGHS) (; Malay: Sekolah Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan China Pulau Pinang) is a secondary school in Penang, Malaysia. Often referred to as "Bīn huá" () among the local Chinese community in Penang. The school provides co ...
*
Penang Chinese Girls' Private High School
International school
* St. Christopher's International Primary School
Private colleges
*
DISTED College
DISTED College is a private college within George Town, the capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang. It was established in 1987 as the first Penang-based private tertiary institution. The college provides various pre-university, diploma ...
* PTPL College
Aside from these institutions, the
Adventist College of Nursing and Health Sciences, operated by the nearby
Penang Adventist Hospital
The Penang Adventist Hospital ( ms, Hospital Adventist, ) is a Christian nonprofit medical institution in Penang, Malaysia. It is operated by the Adventist Hospital & Clinic Services (M) (255697-M), and is part of an international network of h ...
, is also situated at
Burmah Road.
Health care
The
Penang Adventist Hospital
The Penang Adventist Hospital ( ms, Hospital Adventist, ) is a Christian nonprofit medical institution in Penang, Malaysia. It is operated by the Adventist Hospital & Clinic Services (M) (255697-M), and is part of an international network of h ...
, a major private hospital, is located at
Burmah Road. Founded in 1924, the 253-bed hospital offers specialist treatments for a variety of medical conditions and has emerged as one of the more well-known hospitals among medical tourists in
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
.
Consulates
Ayer Rajah is also home to a number of consulates.
* : Ayer Rajah Road
* :
Burmah Road
* : Ayer Rajah Road
See also
*
Pulau Tikus
Pulau Tikus is a northwestern suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Situated between the city centre and Tanjung Tokong, this upper class suburb was named after a rock just off the coast of Penang Island. It is home to small minorities of ...
*
Kampong Serani
*
Kampung Siam
References
{{Penang
Neighbourhoods in George Town, Penang