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Seberang Perai is a
city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in the Malaysian state of
Penang Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Th ...
. Located on the
Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula is located in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area contains Peninsular Malaysia, Southern Tha ...
and separated from Penang Island by the Penang Strait, it shares borders with
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...
to the north and east and
Perak Perak (; Perak Malay: ''Peghok'') is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kel ...
to the south. The city spans an area of and had a population of 946,092 , making it the third largest city in Malaysia. Originally a part of
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...
, the territory containing the city was ceded to the
British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
in 1800. It was named Province Wellesley and has been administered as part of Penang ever since. The territory became a centre for cash crop agriculture, while the development of new towns such as Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam followed with the advent of roads and railways towards the end of the 19th century. After Malaya's independence, Seberang Perai benefitted from the development spillover from George Town. The Port of Penang, the third busiest seaport in the country, was relocated to the municipality in 1974, bolstering its industrial-based economy that has attracted numerous
multinational companies A multinational corporation (MNC; also called a multinational enterprise (MNE), transnational enterprise (TNE), transnational corporation (TNC), international corporation, or stateless corporation, is a corporate organization that owns and cont ...
. Two road bridges were constructed to physically connect Seberang Perai with George Town, complementing an existing ferry service between the two cities. Penang Sentral, a new transit-oriented development, has strengthened Seberang Perai's role as the logistics hub of northwestern Malaysia. Following decades of rapid urbanisation and infrastructural developments, Seberang Perai was conferred city status in 2019.


Etymology

Seberang Perai was originally named Province Wellesley after Richard Wellesley, who was the
Governor-General of India The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the emperor o ...
when the territory was acquired by the
British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
(EIC) in 1800. The term "Seberang Perai" is believed to have emerged from a local expression used to refer to the northern banks of the Perai River. After the acquisition of Province Wellesley, the river became the boundary between British-held territory to the south and
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...
to the north. ''Seberang'' means "the other side" in Malay. The Thai word ''plāi'' (), meaning "the end", referred to the southern limits of Kedah, which were formed by the river. The Hokkiens referred to the northern banks of the river as ''koay kang'', which means "across the river". At the time, passengers from George Town would land at
Perai Perai is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Butterworth to the north. The area now know ...
and cross the river to get to Butterworth and the hinterland beyond. The term ''koay kang'' coincides with the Malay name Seberang Perai.


History


Early history

Seberang Perai bears evidence of human habitation during the
Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
era. The site of Guar Kepah, located on the southern banks of the Muda River, is home to human remains found in shell middens that indicate the settlement of the area in that period. Guar Kepah remains the only known example of coastal adaptation among Neolithic humans in Malaysia. Seberang Perai was once a part of the Bujang Valley civilisation. The Mahanavika Buddhagupta plaque and the Cherok Tok Kun
megalith A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. More than 35,000 megalithic structures have been identified across Europe, ranging geographically f ...
, found at Bukit Mertajam, both indicate significant
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
influence at the area between the 5th and 6th centuries.


British rule

In 1786,
Francis Light Francis Light ( – 21 October 1794) was a British sailor and explorer best known for founding the colony of Penang and its capital city of George Town in 1786. Light was the father of William Light, who founded the city of Adelaide in South A ...
acquired Penang Island from
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...
in exchange for British military protection. However, when Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah of Kedah attempted to retake the island by force in response to the EIC's reneging on military protection, British forces launched a preemptive assault on
Perai Perai is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Butterworth to the north. The area now know ...
. The Kedahan forces were routed and the Sultan was forced to sue for peace. In 1800, the EIC annexed a strip of the mainland from Kedah for a sum of 4,000
Spanish dollar The Spanish dollar, also known as the piece of eight (, , , or ), is a silver coin of approximately diameter worth eight Spanish reales. It was minted in the Spanish Empire following a monetary reform in 1497 with content fine silver. It w ...
s. This acquisition, negotiated by George Caunter on behalf of Lieutenant-Governor George Leith, gave the EIC permanent sovereignty over both Penang Island and the newly acquired territory, which was named Province Wellesley after
Governor-General of India The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the emperor o ...
Richard Wellesley. The Perai River became the international border between British and Kedah territories. The EIC had sought to turn the island into an agricultural outpost. The annexation of Province Wellesley allowed for the expansion of the cash crop industry from the island to the mainland. This led to the harvesting of spices and sugar, which attracted migrants from
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
and the
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
, as well as Malay refugees from Kedah fleeing the Siamese conquest of their homeland. In 1831, the EIC expanded Province Wellesley northwards, moving the international border between British and Siamese territories from the Perai River to the Muda River. The territory's boundaries were further extended in 1868 and in the Pangkor Treaty of 1874, effectively enlarging the British-held territory from the Muda River in the north to the Kerian River in the south. The development of roads and railways in the early 20th century promoted the growth of Province Wellesley's rubber industry. Malaya's new rail lines, which ran from the Siamese border to the north to
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
to the south, cut through Province Wellesley, allowing the Port of Penang to become a major tin exporter. This led to the emergence of new towns, such as Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam, as logistics hubs. The Municipal Ordinance of 1913 resulted in the creation of three local governments within Province Wellesley the Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam town boards, and the Province Wellesley Rural Board. The creation of local governments further accelerated infrastructural developments within the territory.


World War II

RAF Butterworth was opened just a few months prior to the outbreak of hostilities between Britain and Japan in December 1941. As Japanese troops landed in
Kota Bharu Kota Bharu ( Kelantanese: ''Koto Baghu''), colloquially referred to as KB, is a town in Malaysia that serves as the state capital and royal seat of Kelantan. It is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia and lies near the mout ...
and
Songkhla Songkhla (, ), also known as Singgora or Singora (Kelantan-Pattani Malay, Pattani Malay: ซิงกอรอ, Singoro), is a city (''thesaban nakhon'') in Songkhla Province of southern Thailand, near the border with Malaysia. Songkhla lies ...
, Allied squadrons defending northern Malaya were decimated and had to retreat to RAF Butterworth by 8 December. The air base was subsequently attacked by Japanese bombers the following day. The
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
abandoned it on 15 December, and Penang fell to the Japanese four days later. During the Japanese occupation, Province Wellesley, like George Town, underwent significant social upheaval. Civilians suffered harsh treatment from the Japanese, who attempted to enforce order, while living conditions worsened along with the economic situation. Rice farmers in Province Wellesley were encouraged to increase their yields, but the rice supply deficit proved too great to overcome. Despite the establishment of "pioneer farms" in the territory by Japanese administrators in 1944, food shortages persisted until the end of the war when British forces liberated Penang. Following the war's end, British authorities swiftly undertook action to restore order in Province Wellesley, which was plagued by elements of the Chinese underworld and
communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
infiltrations.


Post-independence

In 1953, the British reorganised the local governments within the territory. Five local governments one each for the municipalities of Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam, and three rural district councils were instituted. After Malaya gained independence in 1957, the ruling
Alliance An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or sovereign state, states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an a ...
coalition moved to amalgamate the local governments within Seberang Perai. In 1961, the Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam municipalities were consolidated with the North and Central Seberang Perai rural district councils, respectively. The three remaining local governments were subsequently
merged Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of a company, business organization, or one of their operating units is transferred to or consolidated with another entity. They may happen through direct absorpt ...
into a single municipality in 1974. Two years later, Seberang Perai was conferred municipal status and the local government was renamed the Seberang Perai Municipal Council. In the early 1960s, the Penang state government began industrialising Seberang Perai through the establishment of the first industrial estates at Mak Mandin and
Perai Perai is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Butterworth to the north. The area now know ...
. In 1974, the Port of Penang was relocated from George Town to the municipality, and in 1980, the adjacent Perai Free Industrial Zone was created to take advantage of the available maritime and rail infrastructure. These were accompanied by a significant increase in the municipality's population, which was largely due to the spillover of development from George Town. Decades of economic growth and the availability of industrial land have led to substantial investments in infrastructure, including the completions of the Penang Bridge and the Second Penang Bridge that connect the municipality with George Town. The industrial sector has also spurred the development of newer townships within the municipality, such as Seberang Jaya and Batu Kawan. Seberang Perai was granted city status in 2019.


Geography

Seberang Perai spans the entire mainland portion of Penang. With a total land mass of , Seberang Perai is slightly larger than
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
. The terrain of the city is mostly flat and
alluvial Alluvium (, ) is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluvium is also sometimes called alluvial deposit. Alluvium is ...
, except for the hilly region that lays along its eastern border with Kedah. Standing at a height of , Mertajam Hill is the tallest point within Seberang Perai. The city's coast is divided into a northern sandy shoreline and a muddy, mangrove-covered southern coastline. The southern coast is geographically sheltered by Penang Island, while the northern shoreline is more exposed to the Malacca Strait. Seberang Perai's jurisdiction also includes two offshore islets Aman and Gedung islands. These islets feature mudflats that connect with the mainland due to sedimentation that occurred during the construction of the Penang Bridge. The city is demarcated by the Muda River to the north, which serves as the border between Seberang Perai and
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...
. To the south, the
tripoint A triple border, tripoint, trijunction, triple point, or tri-border area is a geography, geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries or Administrative division, subnational entities meet. There are 175 international tripoints ...
between Seberang Perai, Kedah and Perak lies within the Kerian River. Several riverine systems flow through the city, including
Perai Perai is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Butterworth to the north. The area now know ...
, Juru, Jejawi and Tengah rivers. River pollution caused by industrial waste has been a persistent issue for decades, with the Juru, Jawi and Perai rivers classified as having average water quality (Class III) by Malaysia's Department of Environment since 2016.


Climate


Governance and politics


Local government

Throughout the 19th century, Province Wellesley was administered from George Town without any local governance structure in place. This changed in 1913 when the Municipal Ordinance came into effect, mandating the establishment of local governments in Province Wellesley. Three local governments were created, namely the town boards for Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam, and the Province Wellesley Rural Board, which administered the rest of the territory. The Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) was formed following several reorganisations throughout the 20th century. In 1953, the Province Wellesley Rural Board was split into three rural district councils for the Northern, Central and Southern districts. After Malaya's independence, the local governments were gradually amalgamated by the then
Alliance An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or sovereign state, states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an a ...
-controlled
state government A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonom ...
. The Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam municipal governments were
merged Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of a company, business organization, or one of their operating units is transferred to or consolidated with another entity. They may happen through direct absorpt ...
with the North and Central Seberang Perai rural district councils, respectively, in 1961. The three remaining district councils were consolidated into a single municipality in 1974. As a municipality, Seberang Perai was conferred municipal status in 1976 and city status in 2019. One of the two city governments in Penang, MBSP is led by a mayor, assisted by a secretary and 24 councillors who perform oversight responsibilities over 18 departments. The Penang state government appoints the mayor and councillors, with the councillors serving under an extendable one-year term. Local government elections were put in place in 1961, but were suspended due to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and have not been reinstated since. , the mayor of Seberang Perai is Hj Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid. The City Tower, located at Bukit Tengah, serves as the city council's headquarters. MBSP's current
urban planning Urban planning (also called city planning in some contexts) is the process of developing and designing land use and the built environment, including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas, such as transportatio ...
strategy is outlined in the ''Seberang Perai Local Plan 2030'', first published in 2021. In 2025, MBSP projected its estimated revenue at RM367.3 million and an estimated expenditure of RM416.1 million, which included allocations for environment, public safety and infrastructure.


State and national representation

Seberang Perai is represented by seven Members of Parliament and 21 state constituencies. Prior to 2023, state elections had been conducted simultaneously with nationwide general elections every five years. ,
ethnic Malays Malays ( ; , Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ) are an Austronesian peoples, Austronesian ethnoreligious group native to eastern Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and coastal Borneo, as well as the smaller islands that lie between these locations. These locatio ...
formed the majority in 11 of the 21 state constituencies, especially in the city's north. On the other hand, non-Malays were largely clustered in urban constituencies such as at Butterworth,
Perai Perai is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Butterworth to the north. The area now know ...
, Bukit Mertajam and Batu Kawan, as well as many of the coastal areas in the
south South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
. In the 2023 state election, the
Pakatan Harapan Pakatan Harapan (PH; stylised as HARAPAN; ) is a Malaysian Parliamentary group, political coalition consisting of Centre-left politics, centre-left political parties which was formed in 2015 to succeed the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. It has led ...
-
Barisan Nasional Barisan Nasional (BN; ) is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1974 as a coalition of centre-right and right-wing political parties to succeed the Alliance Party. It is the third largest political coalition with 30 seats in ...
alliance retained 12 of Seberang Perai's constituencies, whereas the
far-right Far-right politics, often termed right-wing extremism, encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by ultraconservatism, authoritarianism, ultranationalism, and nativism. This political spectrum situates itself on the far end of the ...
Perikatan Nasional Perikatan Nasional (PN; ) is a Malaysian Parliamentary group, political coalition consisting of Right-wing politics, right-wing and Far-right politics, far-right political parties. It is the second largest political coalition in Dewan Rakyat w ...
opposition bloc won nine Malay-majority seats across swathes of the north and southeast. Parliamentary constituencies * Kepala Batas * Tasek Gelugor *
Bagan Bagan ( ; ; formerly Pagan) is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that w ...
* Permatang Pauh * Bukit Mertajam * Batu Kawan *
Nibong Tebal Nibong Tebal is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located at the northern bank of the Kerian River within the Southern Seberang Perai District, it is the southernmost populated place of Penang. Nibong Tebal containe ...
State constituencies * Penaga * Bertam * Pinang Tunggal * Permatang Berangan * Sungai Dua * Telok Ayer Tawar * Sungai Puyu * Bagan Jermal * Bagan Dalam * Seberang Jaya * Permatang Pasir * Penanti * Berapit * Machang Bubuk * Padang Lalang *
Perai Perai is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Butterworth to the north. The area now know ...
* Bukit Tengah * Bukit Tambun * Jawi * Sungai Bakap * Sungai Acheh


Judiciary

Seberang Perai has a judicial system that consists of the magistrate and sessions courts. Each of the city's three districts is served by these courts. The north district cases are under the jurisdiction of the Butterworth Magistrates Court, while the central district cases are presided over by the Bukit Mertajam Magistrates Court. The south district cases are handled by the Jawi Magistrates Court. The
Royal Malaysia Police The Royal Malaysia Police (often abbreviated RMP) (; Jawi script, Jawi: ), is a (primarily) uniformed national and federal police force in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organisation, and its headquarters are located at Bukit Aman, Kuala ...
is responsible for law enforcement within Seberang Perai, maintaining a total of 20 police stations throughout the city .


Demographics

According to the 2020 Malaysian census, Seberang Perai had a population of 946,092 within its jurisdiction of , giving it a population density of . This also makes Seberang Perai the third largest city by population in Malaysia after
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
and
Kajang Kajang is a city in Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia, located southeast of Kuala Lumpur. Kajang, along with much of Hulu Langat District, is governed by the Kajang Municipal Council. Kajang town is located on the eastern banks of the L ...
. Seberang Perai is also the most populous settlement within the George Town Conurbation, containing over 54.3% of Penang's population. The city centre of Butterworth recorded a population of 80,378, or approximately 8.5% of the total population of Seberang Perai. In the decades following Malaya's independence, Seberang Perai's population grew rapidly due to the spillover of development from George Town. Between 1975 and 1990, suburban sprawl became more pronounced within the northern and central districts of the city. By 1991, Seberang Perai's population outstripped that of Penang Island for the first time in the state's history.


Ethnicities

, Malays accounted for 49% of Seberang Perai's population and were the majority ethnic group in the northern part of the city. Ethnic Chinese constituted a significant proportion of the city's population at nearly 33%, followed by the Indians at almost 10%. During the British colonial era, agriculture promoted significant immigration from China and India, resulting in sizable non-Malay populations within the central and southern districts of the city. In particular, Chinese comprised the majority at areas such as Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam and
Nibong Tebal Nibong Tebal is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located at the northern bank of the Kerian River within the Southern Seberang Perai District, it is the southernmost populated place of Penang. Nibong Tebal containe ...
.


Economy

Formerly regarded as a "poor cousin" to George Town, Seberang Perai has undergone significant transformation in the decades following Malaya's independence. The Penang state government has been actively promoting a policy of balanced development between the two cities, and Seberang Perai has been positioned as the "future of Penang". In 2021, "Penang Bay", an initiative aimed at promoting sustainable development, urban regeneration and creative economy between downtown George Town and Butterworth, was officially announced. With significant industrialisation since the 1970s, the city has been designated a "growth centre" within the George Town Conurbation. Nine of Penang's industrial clusters are located in the city, which has emerged as a significant recipient of
foreign direct investment A foreign direct investment (FDI) is an ownership stake in a company, made by a foreign investor, company, or government from another country. More specifically, it describes a controlling ownership an asset in one country by an entity based i ...
(FDI) and the seventh largest exporter in Malaysia. The development of newer townships has also driven economic diversification, with a growing services sector concentrated around retail and tourism. In 2020, Seberang Perai's
GDP Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the total market value of all the final goods and services produced and rendered in a specific time period by a country or countries. GDP is often used to measure the economic performance o ...
was worth RM45.149 billion (US$10.836 billion), accounting for about 46.5% of Penang's total GDP. The economy of Seberang Perai is primarily driven by the services and manufacturing sectors, which together contributed nearly 93% of the city's GDP that year.


Manufacturing

The first industrial estates in Penang were established in the 1960s at Mak Mandin and
Perai Perai is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Butterworth to the north. The area now know ...
during the tenure of the state's first
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union ter ...
Wong Pow Nee. However, these early efforts at industrialisation were limited to
import substitution Import substitution industrialization (ISI) is a protectionist trade and economics, economic policy that advocates replacing foreign imports with domestic production. It is based on the premise that a country should attempt to reduce its foreign ...
. After the revocation of George Town's free port status and the fall of the
Alliance An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or sovereign state, states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an a ...
-led state government in 1969, newly elected Chief Minister Lim Chong Eu sought to restructure Penang's economy. The Nathan Report of 1970, produced by Robert R. Nathan Associates, proposed an export-led growth strategy and the strengthening of linkages with the global economy. In 1980, the Perai Free Industrial Zone was created with the aim of becoming a significant manufacturing hub for bulk items, taking advantage of its proximity to the Port of Penang and the railway line that connects it to the rest of western Peninsular Malaysia. Seberang Perai is now home to nine of Penang's industrial clusters namely at Mak Mandin, Perai, Seberang Jaya, Bukit Tengah, Bukit Minyak, Simpang Ampat and Batu Kawan. The availability of industrial land has attracted several local and
multinational companies A multinational corporation (MNC; also called a multinational enterprise (MNE), transnational enterprise (TNE), transnational corporation (TNC), international corporation, or stateless corporation, is a corporate organization that owns and cont ...
(MNCs), such as
Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company headquartered in El Segundo, California. Founded in Los Angeles by Harold Matson and the husband-and-wife duo of Ruth Handler, ...
, Flex, Sanmina, JinkoSolar,
Honeywell Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building automation, industrial automa ...
and
Lam Research Lam Research Corporation is an American supplier of wafer-fabrication equipment and related services to the semiconductor industry. Its products are used primarily in front-end wafer processing, which involves the steps that create the active ...
. In 2022, Seberang Perai received investments worth nearly RM10.9 billion, which accounted for 79% of Penang's total inbound investments that year. Within the same year, RM65.7 billion worth of exports passed through the Port of Penang, making Seberang Perai the seventh largest exporter among Malaysian cities.


Services

The development of newer townships, namely Seberang Jaya and Batu Kawan, has given rise to a thriving retail sector, attracting major players such as Sunway Group and
IKEA IKEA ( , ) is a Multinational corporation, multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in Sweden that designs and sells , household goods, and various related services. IKEA is owned and operated by a series of not-for-profit an ...
, respectively. In 2016, Design Village, Penang's first premium
outlet mall An outlet store, factory outlet or factory store is a brick and mortar or online store where manufacturers sell their merchandise directly to the public. Products at outlet stores are usually sold at reduced prices compared to regular stores du ...
, was launched, further enhancing Batu Kawan as a retail destination. The Penang state government has undertaken initiatives to promote
agritourism Agritourism or agrotourism involves any agriculturally based operation or activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch. It encompasses a wide range of activities, including direct-to-consumer sales such as farm stands and u-pick, agricultu ...
and
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of nature-oriented tourism intended to contribute to the Ecological conservation, conservation of the natural environment, generally defined as being minimally impactful, and including providing both contributions to conserv ...
in Seberang Perai. The Penang Tourism Master Plan, formulated in 2021, identified the city's agricultural sector, as well as natural features like mangroves, mudflats and waterways, as having untapped tourism potential. Seberang Perai has historically been the logistical hub of Penang, serving as a termini for rail and
ferry A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus ...
services. The relocation of the Port of Penang to the city in 1974 facilitated the development of new container services. In 2022, the seaport handled close to 1.32 million TEUs of cargo, the third highest in Malaysia. The logistical role of Seberang Perai is further complemented by Penang Sentral, a transit-oriented development (TOD) at Butterworth.


Agriculture

Known as the "rice bowl" of Penang, Seberang Perai has a long history of agriculture. During British rule, spice, sugar and rubber were some of the major crops in the territory. Post-independence, the focus has shifted to rice, palm oil and coconut cultivation. , agriculture made up nearly 44% of Seberang Perai's land use. The city had approximately of paddy fields , mainly located in the
north North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...
. Despite limited land availability, Penang has consistently recorded the highest average rice yield in Malaysia since 2018, with a total yield of RM190.8 million in 2022.


Culture

Seberang Perai's ethnic diversity has given rise to a variety of cultural celebrations throughout the year.
Chinese New Year Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival (see also #Names, § Names), is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holi ...
is celebrated at Chinese-majority areas such as Butterworth, where public events and decorated streets are a common sight during the annual festivities. The Minor Basilica of St. Anne at Bukit Mertajam plays host to the annual Novena feast, which draws thousands of pilgrims from abroad. The 'Street of Harmony' at Seberang Jaya has nine places of worship, each representing a different faith, and is a tribute to religious diversity within the township. As part of
urban renewal Urban renewal (sometimes called urban regeneration in the United Kingdom and urban redevelopment in the United States) is a program of land redevelopment often used to address real or perceived urban decay. Urban renewal involves the clearing ...
efforts, several locations at Butterworth have been adorned with
street art Street art is visual art created in public locations for public visibility. It has been associated with the terms "independent art", "post-graffiti", "neo-graffiti" and guerrilla art. Street art has evolved from the early forms of defiant gr ...
. Additionally, container art pieces showcasing the identities of Penang's local communities have also been installed at Butterworth and Batu Kawan. In recent years, Seberang Perai has emerged as a venue for newly introduced events that celebrate the city's culture and nascent arts scene, such as the Butterworth Fringe Festival and the Penang International Paddy Festival.


Sports

The 40,000-seater Penang State Stadium at Batu Kawan is the main stadium of Penang. Constructed in 2000 for the Sukma Games held that year, the multi-purpose stadium has a
FIFA The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (), more commonly known by its acronym FIFA ( ), is the international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to o ...
-certified football field, and also hosts
motorsports Motorsport or motor sport are sporting events, competitions and related activities that primarily involve the use of automobiles, motorcycles, motorboats and powered aircraft An aircraft engine, often referred to as an aero engine, is the po ...
events and concerts. In addition to the stadium, newer sports facilities have been planned in areas like
Nibong Tebal Nibong Tebal is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located at the northern bank of the Kerian River within the Southern Seberang Perai District, it is the southernmost populated place of Penang. Nibong Tebal containe ...
and Seberang Jaya.


Education

In the late 19th century, Islamic education, taught in huts called ''pondoks'' in Malay, was common in the rural areas of Province Wellesley. These ''pondoks'' served as the precursors to the
madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
system and modern religious schools that are still prevalent across the city. , Seberang Perai is home to a total of 159 primary schools and 79 secondary schools, in addition to one international school located in the city's south. In 2001,
Universiti Sains Malaysia Universiti Sains Malaysia ( 'University of Science Malaysia'; abbreviated as USM) is a public research university in Malaysia. Founded on 1 June 1969 as a statutory body with its own constitution, it is the oldest institute of higher learning ...
relocated its engineering campus to
Nibong Tebal Nibong Tebal is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located at the northern bank of the Kerian River within the Southern Seberang Perai District, it is the southernmost populated place of Penang. Nibong Tebal containe ...
, and it is now one of the two public universities in the city, the other being a
Universiti Teknologi MARA The MARA Technological University ( Malay: ''Universiti Teknologi MARA''; Jawi: اونيۏرسيتي تيكنولوڬي مارا; abbr. UiTM) is a public university in Malaysia, based primarily in Shah Alam, Selangor. It was established to ...
campus at Permatang Pauh. Several private institutions have also been established throughout the city, including at Batu Kawan, where local colleges have formed partnerships with foreign universities such as
University of Wollongong The University of Wollongong (UOW) is an Australian public university, public research university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, approximately south of Sydney. , the university had an enrolment of more than 33,000 s ...
and
University of Plymouth The University of Plymouth is a public research university based predominantly in Plymouth, England, where the main campus is located, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges across South West England. With students, it is the ...
. Following the success of the Penang Digital Library in George Town, the Penang state government has initiated the construction of similar digital libraries at Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam.


Healthcare

Healthcare in Penang is provided by a two-tier system consisting of public and private hospitals. The Malaysian Ministry of Health administers four public hospitals in Seberang Perai namely at Kepala Batas, Seberang Jaya, Bukit Mertajam and Sungai Bakap. In addition, six private hospitals are scattered throughout the city. In recent years, private hospitals such as Bagan Specialist Centre, Sunway Medical Centre and KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital have contributed significantly in making Penang the top destination for
medical tourism Medical tourism is the practice of traveling abroad to obtain medical treatment. In the past, this usually referred to those who traveled from less-developed countries to major medical centers in highly developed countries for treatment unavaila ...
in Malaysia. The Seberang Perai City Council has also installed three
automated external defibrillator An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac Heart arrhythmia, arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and is able ...
s (AEDs) throughout the city as part of a state-wide initiative to enhance survival rates of
cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...
cases.


Transportation


Land

Seberang Perai is connected to George Town by two road bridges. The Penang Bridge connects the suburb of
Perai Perai is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Butterworth to the north. The area now know ...
with Gelugor in the island city. Opened in 2014, the Second Penang Bridge spans between Batu Kawan and Batu Maung on the island. The North-South Expressway, a expressway along western
Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia, historically known as Malaya and also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, is the western part of Malaysia that comprises the southern part of the Malay Peninsula on Mainland Southeast Asia and the list of isla ...
, passes through the length of the city. Other toll routes within the city include the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) and the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway. , Seberang Perai's road system, excluding toll routes, measured in length. This included of federal roads, of state roads and of municipal roads. The
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) (; Jawi: ) or colloquially referred to simply as KTM, is the main rail operator in Peninsular Malaysia. The railway system dates back to the British colonial era, when it was first built to transport tin. ...
(KTM) West Coast Line also runs through Seberang Perai, with the Butterworth railway station serving as the main terminal of northwestern Malaysia. Apart from the regular KTM services, Butterworth is one of the main stops of the Eastern and Oriental Express service between
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
and
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
. Opened in 2018, Penang Sentral is a transit-oriented development (TOD) located adjacent to the Butterworth railway station and the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal. It serves as an integrated hub for bus, rail and ferry services. Rapid Penang is the primary public transport operator in Seberang Perai, with a total of 14 public bus routes within the city, along with two cross-strait routes connecting the city and George Town, as well as five interstate routes that run to southern
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...
and northern
Perak Perak (; Perak Malay: ''Peghok'') is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kel ...
. In recent years, the Penang state government has proposed the introduction of
urban rail Urban rail transit is a wide term for various types of local rail systems providing passenger service within and around urban or suburban areas. The set of urban rail systems can be roughly subdivided into the following categories, which som ...
across the state as part of the Penang Transport Master Plan. The plan includes the cross-strait Mutiara LRT line linking the city with George Town, and a monorail line between Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam.


Sea

In 1974, the Port of Penang was relocated from George Town to Seberang Perai in order to facilitate new container services. The seaport now consists of seven terminals and berths located across Butterworth and
Perai Perai is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Butterworth to the north. The area now know ...
, including the North Butterworth Container Port (NBCT) which has been designated a Free Commercial Zone (FCZ) since 2021. It serves as a crucial export hub for northwestern Malaysia and
southern Thailand Southern Thailand (formerly Southern Siam and Tambralinga) is the southernmost cultural region of Thailand, separated from Central Thailand by the Kra Isthmus. Geography Southern Thailand is on the Malay Peninsula, with an area of around , bo ...
. The Port of Penang is the third busiest in Malaysia, handling nearly 1.32 million TEUs and RM65.7 billion worth of exports in 2022. Prior to the completion of the Penang Bridge in 1985, the Penang ferry service was the only transportation link between the city and George Town. Since 2023, three ferries have been operating daily between both cities across the Penang Strait. The introduction of newer ferries that year significantly improved service frequencies to 20 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes during non-peak hours.


Utilities

In 1968, the
Asian Development Bank The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank to promote social and economic development in Asia. The bank is headquartered in Metro Manila, Philippines and maintains 31 field offices around the world. The bank was establishe ...
approved a loan of US$7.2 million for Penang to extract water from the Muda River, which forms the boundary between Seberang Perai and
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...
. The Muda River Water Scheme was inaugurated in 1973 by the then
Prime Minister of Malaysia The prime minister of Malaysia (; ) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the Government of Malaysia, federal government. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints the prime minister who is a membe ...
,
Abdul Razak Hussein Abdul Razak bin Dato’ Hussein (; 11 March 1922 – 14 January 1976) was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who served as the second prime minister of Malaysia from 1970 until his death in 1976. He also served as the first Deputy Prime Minis ...
, which also included Kedah's assurance to Penang of the latter's riparian rights to retrieve water from the river. Since then, Seberang Perai has been heavily dependent on the river as its main source of water. Raw water is channeled from the river to a water treatment facility at Sungai Dua before being distributed to the rest of the city. The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) is also responsible for overseeing the six reservoirs in the city, including the Mengkuang Dam, the largest dam in the state with a capacity of 86.4 billion litres. Electricity in Seberang Perai is supplied by
Tenaga Nasional Tenaga Nasional Berhad (, abbreviated as TNB; TENA, ), also known as Tenaga Nasional or simply Tenaga, is the Malaysian multinational corporation, multinational electricity company and is the only electric utility company in Peninsular Malaysi ...
(TNB), the national power company. The city's electrical infrastructure is powered by two combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plants at
Perai Perai is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Butterworth to the north. The area now know ...
. As part of ongoing efforts to minimise energy consumption, TNB and the Seberang Perai City Council planned to replace 77,359 street lights in the city with LED street lighting by 2023. In 2020, Penang became the first Malaysian state to require the installation of fibre-optic communication infrastructure for all development projects. 2023 marked the implementation of 5G technology in Seberang Perai, with the installation of the supporting spectrum infrastructure at 235 sites across the city.


International relations

, four countries have appointed honorary consuls within the city.


Sister and friendship cities

Seberang Perai is also twinned with the following sister and friendship cities. Sister cities Friendship cities


Notable people

Seberang Perai was the birthplace of prominent Malaysian public officials and personalities, including: * Wong Pow Nee (1911 2002), first
Chief Minister of Penang The chief minister of Penang is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Penang. According to convention, the chief minister is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Penang State Legislative Assembly. The ch ...
* Mohamed Salleh Ismael (1917 1973), first ethnic Malay
Inspector-General of Police An inspector-general of police is a senior police officer in the police force or police service of several nations. The rank usually refers to the head of a large regional command within a police service, and in many countries refers to the most ...
* Abdul Hamid Mohamad (born 1942), former Chief Justice of Malaysia *
Anwar Ibrahim Anwar bin Ibrahim (; born 10 August 1947), also known by his abbreviation as DSAI and PMX, is a Malaysian politician who is the 10th prime minister of Malaysia since 2022. A member of the People's Justice Party (Malaysia), People's Justice P ...
(born 1947), tenth (and incumbent)
Prime Minister of Malaysia The prime minister of Malaysia (; ) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the Government of Malaysia, federal government. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints the prime minister who is a membe ...
* Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak (born 1949), incumbent Governor of Penang *
Mohamad Sabu Mohamad bin Sabu ( Jawi: محمد بن سابو; born 14 October 1954), commonly known as Mat Sabu, is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security in the Unity Government administration under Prime ...
(born 1954), incumbent president of Amanah and Member of Parliament for Kota Raja * Steven Sim Chee Keong (born 1982), incumbent Minister of Human Resources and Member of Parliament for Bukit Mertajam * Cheam June Wei (born 1997), Malaysian badminton player * Goh Jin Wei (born 2000), Malaysian badminton player


Notes

: Singapore's land mass is approximately . : , 1
Malaysian ringgit The Malaysian ringgit (; plural: ringgit; symbol: RM; currency code: MYR; Malay name: ''Ringgit Malaysia''; formerly the Malaysian dollar) is the currency of Malaysia. Issued by the Central Bank of Malaysia, it is divided into 100 cents ( M ...
was equivalent to
US dollar The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...
. : In 1991, Seberang Perai had a population of 545,688, larger than that of Penang Island which recorded a population of 518,478.


References


External links


Seberang Perai City Council
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