Ayer Rajah, Penang

Ayer Rajah
Neighbourhood of George Town
Ayer Rajah Location within    George Town in    Penang
Coordinates: 5°25′41.4618″N100°18′11.4906″E / 5.428183833°N 100.303191833°E / 5.428183833; 100.303191833
Country	Malaysia
State	Penang
City	George Town
District	Northeast
Time zone	UTC+8 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	Not observed
Postal code	10350

Ayer Rajah is a residential neighbourhood within the downtown core of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. This leafy, affluent neighbourhood, situated adjacent to the Penang Botanic Gardens, mostly consists of landed properties such as bungalows and semi-detached houses, surrounded by tree-lined avenues. ^{[1] [2]}

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. ^{[2] [3]}

History

By 1796, 10 years after the establishment of George Town by Francis Light, more than 2,000 acres (8,100,000 m²) of the area had been cleared, forming the Ayer Rajah Estate. ^[2] The agricultural plantation, founded by Light's Scottish partners, David Brown and James Scott, was owned by the Brown and Scott families. ^{[4] [5]} In particular, Scott Road, which runs through the neighbourhood, was named after James Scott. ^[4]

Other prominent personalities who once resided within this neighbourhood include the first Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, and local DAP politician-cum-lawyer, Karpal Singh. ^{[3] [6]}

Transportation

The major thoroughfares within the neighbourhood include Ayer Rajah Road (now Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman) and Brown Road. ^{[3] [5]} Western Road (Jalan Utama) forms the southern end of the neighbourhood, which is also bounded by Burmah Road to the north. ^[1]

Rapid Penang bus route 10 includes a handful of stops along Gottlieb Road. ^{[1] [7]}

Education

The main campus of DISTED College at Macalister Road

The neighbourhood is served by two primary schools, three high schools and two private colleges, as well as an international school.

Primary schools

• St. Xavier's Primary Branch School ^[8]
• Penang Chinese Girls' Primary School ^[9]

High schools

• Convent Pulau Tikus ^[10]
• Penang Chinese Girls' High School
• Penang Chinese Girls' Private High School

International school

• St. Christopher's International Primary School ^[11]

Private colleges

• DISTED College
• PTPL College ^[12]

Aside from these institutions, the Adventist College of Nursing and Health Sciences, operated by the nearby Penang Adventist Hospital, is also situated at Burmah Road.

Health care

The Penang Adventist Hospital, 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. ^{[13] [14]}

Consulates

Ayer Rajah is also home to a number of consulates.

•   China: Ayer Rajah Road ^[15]
•   Indonesia: Burmah Road ^[16]
•   Thailand: Ayer Rajah Road ^[17]

See also

• Pulau Tikus
• Kampong Serani
• Kampung Siam

References

1. "Property Review for Taman Ayer Rajah | Propwall Malaysia". www.propwall.my. Archived from the original on 2018-06-23. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
2. Khoo, Salma Nasution (2007). Streets of George Town, Penang . Penang: Areca Books. ISBN   9789839886009.
3. "Remembering Tunku - Community | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Archived from the original on 2018-11-30. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
4. "George Town's first mayor a fiery man - Community | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
5. "A Penang Scotsman's legacy". NST Online. 2017-07-16. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
6. "In hour of grief, helping hands keep Karpal's flame burning". 2014-04-20. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-07-02. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
8. "SK ST XAVIER CAWANGAN - PULAU PINANG - Carian Sekolah Malaysia". www.sekolahmy.com (in Malay). Retrieved 2017-05-20.
9. "SJK(C) PEREMPUAN CHINA - PULAU PINANG - Carian Sekolah Malaysia". www.sekolahmy.com (in Malay). Retrieved 2017-05-20.
10. "Convent schools will not be closed: Landowner". www.thesundaily.my. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
11. "St. Christopher's International Primary School | Contact". www.scips.org.my. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
12. "Pusat Teknologi dan Pengurusan Lanjutan". www.ptpl.edu.my. Archived from the original on 2019-08-07. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
13. "Penang Adventist Hospital". www.pah.com.my. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
14. "Medical tourism: A billion-ringgit industry for Penang". Medical tourism: A billion-ringgit industry for Penang. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
15. "22 Dec:- Official opening of China Consulate in Penang". Penang + | 檳城多一些. 2015-12-30. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
16. "KJRI Penang - Home". www.kemlu.go.id. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
17. "สถานกงสุลใหญ่ ณ เมืองปีนัง". www.thaiembassy.org (in Thai). Retrieved 2018-01-30.