Seberang Perai

Seberang Perai (also known in English as Province Wellesley) is a narrow hinterland opposite Penang island on the Malay Peninsula, which together with the island forms the Malaysian state of Penang.

History

The province was originally named after Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, Governor of Madras and Governor-General of Bengal (1797-1805).

It was originally part of the state of Kedah. It was ceded to the British East India Company by the Sultan of Kedah in 1798, and has been part of the settlement and state of Penang ever since.

Geography

The chief town is Butterworth. Other towns in Seberang Perai include Bukit Mertajam, Seberang Jaya, Sungai Puyu, Prai, Nibong Tebal and Kepala Batas.

Seberang Perai is connected to Penang island by the Penang Bridge and by ferry services. There is a Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) train station and a container terminal at Butterworth.

Administration

The local authority in Seberang Perai is the "Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai" (MPSP) or Municipal Council of Province Wellesley, while the "Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang" (MPPP) or Municipal Council of Penang Island is the local authority for Penang island. Seberang Perai is also divided into three administrative districts—North Seberang Perai, Central Seberang Perai, and South Seberang Perai. Each district has its own District and Land Office which deals with land matters and other matters not dealt with the Municipal Council of Province Wellesley. The municipal council is one of the few local councils in Malaysia which governs more than one districts.

Transport

Two mega projects are the Butterworth Outer Ring Road(BORR) and the recently approved RM2.6bil Penang Second Bridge connecting Batu Maung on the island and Batu Kawan on the mainland. Scheduled for completion by 2011, the second link spanning 22.5km will help reduce the traffic volume at Penang Bridge by half. The new link will bring much relief to Penangites who have to bear with horrendous traffic jams on the existing bridge. The RM500mil BORR is another much awaited development as it provides an alternative road for motorists to get to their destinations in Prai and Butterworth faster. A majestic and vital feature of BORR is the Prai Bridge, connecting Old Prai Town to Bagan Dalam.

hopping

*AEON Seberang Prai City is located at Bandar Perda. It is the latest and Largest shopping Centre in Seberang Prai. It opened on 22 August 2008.

*Sunway Carnival Mall is located at Seberang Jaya. It is the first shopping mall in Malaysia to have an IT information provided. It also houses a cinema and retail shops.

*Megamal is located at Prai. One of the largest shopping arcade. It houses a hypermarket, cineplex, and many retail shops.

*Carrefour is the most popular hypermarket for the locals located in Seberang Jaya.

*Giant Hypermarket is a major supermarket and retailer chain in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. It is located in the roadside of the Butterworth Outering Bridge and inside Sunway Carnival Mall.

*Tesco Extra Seberang Perai (formally known as Makro), it is one of the hypermarkets in Seberang Perai which located in the area of the residence living quarter.

Economy

Seberang Prai has come a long way from a sleepy cowboy town to what it is today - a bustling and developing giant. Many major developments are now focused in Seberang Prai which has been touted as Penang's catalyst for growth in the 21st century.

Divided into three districts of northern, central and southern, Seberang Prai is strategically located near neighbouring industrial estates like the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, Bukit Minyak Industrial Zone and Kulim High Tech Park. It is without doubt that Seberang Prai will become an important industrial and commercial hub for it houses the country's largest industrial base.

The mainland is also where a string of mega commercial and residential projects have mushroomed over the years especially in the thriving business and commercial townships of Butterworth and Seberang Jaya. Penang has 1.4 million people and at least 54% live on the mainland. New townships like Batu Kawan are also taking shape. Plans are afoot to transform Batu Kawan into the third satellite town in Penang after Bayan Baru and Seberang Jaya. The first phase of eco-tourism projects in Batu Kawan, which involves the Batu Musang jetty has been completed. The second phase will see the construction of a seafood centre, gallery and chalets. Penang has everything to offer visitors as a leisure destination from heritage buildings and culture to good food and eco-tourism.

Naza Corp Sdn Bhd recently announced it had chosen Bertam to site its new RM1.2bil plant in which the manufacturing operations will create some 6,000 jobs. It was reported that over 10,000 landed residential properties will be developed in Bertam, the new growth centre in the northern region, until 2020 to cater to the needs of its rising population that is expected to hit 100,000 by then.

On the housing front, notable projects like Taman Tambun Indah, Juru Heights, Harbour Place and Bandar Perda have given new meaning to luxury living. Bandar Perda, the proposed RM3bil integrated regional centre for Penang is shaping up nicely to emerge as the "mini Putrajaya" of the northern region. An imposing address here is the RM83mil Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) headquarters.

Seberang Prai has also carved its niche as a shopping haven with shopping complex such as Megamall Pinang, Carrefour Seberang Jaya and Makro. The Giant chain of hypermarkets have an outlet in Taman Inderawasih, Prai and Sunway Carnival Mall in Bandar Sunway. Aeon Co (M) Bhd is also planning for a Jusco store (AEON Seberang Prai City) in Bandar Perda. The very successful Auto City in Juru has become the talk of the town with its impressive list of food and entertainment outlets including Subway, Swensens, Tao Asian Cuisine and the Manhattan Fish Market.

External links

* [http://www.mpsp.gov.my/ Official website of Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai in Malay]
* [http://www.mpsp.gov.my/english/index.asp Official website of Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai in English]