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Free Malaysia Today
21-07-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Explore Seberang Perai as future of Penang, says heritage activist
Seberang Perai mayor Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid signing a poster on Khoo Salma Nasution's new book, 'Exploring Seberang Perai'. SEBERANG PERAI : While most people are familiar with what Penang island is famous for, little is known about what the state's mainland, or Seberang Perai, has to offer. To overcome this, heritage activist Khoo Salma Nasution has compiled a guidebook that outlines the historical facts, cultural aspects, and places of interest on the 'other side' of Penang. 'Seberang Perai accounts for over 70% of Penang's land area and more than half of its population, yet is often overshadowed by Penang island,' Khoo said at the launch of her book, 'Exploring Seberang Perai', yesterday. She said the territory was originally part of Kedah. It came under British rule in 1800 and renamed Province Wellesley as part of the colony of Penang. Province Wellesley remains the mainland's gazetted English name in legal documents and government publications, while Seberang Perai is used in official Malay documents. Khoo said Seberang Perai is referred to by many names – Province Wellesley, Butterworth, or simply 'the mainland' by English-speaking residents, 'koe kang (crossing the port)' or 'pa hai (north sea)' by Hokkien-speaking residents, and simply 'Seberang' by Malay-speaking folk. 'However, Seberang Perai rolls off the tongue more easily, and the original British name transitioned naturally to what it is known as now. 'All these different names have led to a lot of confusion and a lack of what might be called 'destination branding',' she said. In 2016, Khoo researched and produced a bilingual book called 'Province Wellesley: A Pictorial History', deepening her understanding of Penang's 'other half'. While working on her new book, she discovered that many Penangites did not know much about Seberang Perai, and said it would serve to bridge that gap. 'What surprised me was that even Seberang Perai residents may not really know other parts of Seberang Perai that well,' she said. Many of its residents prefer to visit the island instead of exploring places nearer to them. She said Seberang Perai, being one of the biggest city councils in Malaysia, is now enjoying a fast pace of growth. 'We can say the future of Penang is going to be in Seberang Perai,' she said, noting the placement of most homegrown manufacturing plants in Seberang Perai, as well as the expansion of new housing and commercial development projects. Seberang Perai mayor Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid, who was present at the launch, said the book was a mini-encyclopedia suitable for everyone from schoolchildren to travellers. 'Exploring Seberang Perai' is published with support from Think City's Seberang Perai Small Towns Grants Programme. Get your copy from Areca Books or WhatsApp +6016-535 1731.
The Star
14-07-2025
- General
- The Star
Penang embraces pinang revival to reclaim heritage
Left: Sundarajoo (in white) and Baderul Amin (left) watering 'pinang' sapling at the event, with MBSP councillors. Photos: — LIM BENG TATT/The Star THE pinang tree – once so common it gave Penang its name – is getting a big push for a comeback. Locals are welcoming a state plan to plant 100,000 pinang trees across the mainland and island, calling it a meaningful way to restore Penang's natural identity. Technician Mohd Azri Adzemi, 38, said it was a timely move. 'Penangites should be proud of this initiative because we will again have so many pinang trees all over the state to remind everyone of how our state got its name,' he said. Irsyam: The pinang tree is more than just a tree for Penang. Mohd Azri, who lives in Bertam, said the programme would also help beautify Penang and create a greener, more vibrant landscape. Irsyam Ibrahim, 43, said the pinang tree was more than just a tree for Penang. 'Planting many of them across Penang makes perfect sense,' he said. The two were among visitors at Vision Park in Bertam during the weekend, where the 'Pinang Tree Planting' programme was launched in conjunction with the state-level National Landscape Day 2025. About 100 Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) staff and their family members joined in, planting around 50 pinang trees at the park. State housing and environment committee chairman Datuk Seri Sundarajoo Somu said the goal this year was to plant at least 100,000 trees to revive the original identity of Penang. 'With help from both our local councils, we will plant pinang trees in every corner of the state,' he said. He noted the effort was not only about creating visual landmarks at key entry points. 'It's also about filling central medians and roadside verges with pinang trees wherever we can. 'Our hope is to go beyond the 100,000-tree target by the time we celebrate state-level National Landscape Day in October,' he added. Sundarajoo said the tree- planting campaign was meant to reconnect with Penang's roots, not just beautify public spaces. MBSP will meet two-thirds of the planting target, as more land is available on the mainland, while the rest will be handled by Penang Island City Council. Seberang Perai mayor Datuk Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid said the pinang tree was more than just a landscaping choice. 'It is a symbol of Penang's identity and heritage. 'Planting it is a way of honouring and reviving the origins of our state's name, Pulau Pinang,' he said. He noted the project supported Penang2030 vision to be a green, smart state that is family-focused and nationally inspiring, by balancing physical growth with environmental sustainability. The core aim, Baderul Amin said, was to raise awareness about conservation while greening areas increasingly affected by development. 'It highlights Penang's cultural roots. The pinang tree is an emblem of our state. 'This programme helps reduce our carbon footprint and promotes a shared responsibility to care for the environment,' he added. Penang's name comes from the areca nut palm (Areca catechu), a species that once grew abundantly across the island. Historical accounts say that when Captain Francis Light landed here in 1786, he found the island thick with pinang trees – a detail believed to have inspired the name. Although the British colonial government named it Prince of Wales Island, the local name Pulau Pinang became commonly used. Eventually, the English-speaking world adopted the simplified state name Penang, which refers to both the island and mainland Seberang Perai.
