Jump to content

Balik Pulau

Coordinates: 5°21′N 100°14′E / 5.350°N 100.233°E / 5.350; 100.233
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the federal constituency represented in the Malaysian Parliament, see Balik Pulau (federal constituency).
Balik Pulau
Suburb of George Town and district capital
Other transcription(s)
 • Mandarin浮罗山背 (Simplified)
浮羅山背 (Traditional)
Fú luó shān bèi (Pinyin)
 • Hokkien浮羅
Phû-lô (Tâi-lô)
 • Tamilபாலிக் புலாவ்
Pālik pulāv (Transliteration)
Map
Balik Pulau is located in Central George Town, Penang
Balik Pulau
Balik Pulau
Location within    George Town in    Penang
Coordinates: 5°21′N 100°14′E / 5.350°N 100.233°E / 5.350; 100.233
Country Malaysia
State Penang
City George Town
Founded1794
Government
 • Local governmentPenang Island City Council
 • Mayor of Penang IslandRajendran P. Anthony
 • Pulau Betong State AssemblymanMohamad Shukor Zakariah (PAS)
 • Balik Pulau Member of ParliamentMuhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PKR)
Area
 • Total
0.1 km2 (0.04 sq mi)
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total
109
 • Density1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
Demographics
[1]
 • Ethnic groups
Time zoneUTC+8 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)Not observed
Postal code
11000
Area code(s)+6048
Websitewww.mbpp.gov.my

Balik Pulau is a suburb of George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang. Located 12.7 km (7.9 mi) southwest of the city centre, it lies near the southwestern corner of Penang Island and is also the administrative seat of the island's Southwest district.

Balik Pulau was established in 1794 as an agricultural village by the British East India Company. To this day, the economy of Balik Pulau still relies heavily on agriculture; Penang's most famous produce, including nutmegs, cloves and durians, are grown and harvested around the suburb.[2][3] While Balik Pulau is generally seen as quieter in comparison to the bustling city centre on the other side of the island, urbanisation has also reached the suburb in recent years, with more residential developments being planned within the area.[4]

Etymology

[edit]

Balik Pulau means 'the back of the island' in Malay.[2] It refers to the suburb's location at the western side of Penang Island, geographically separated from the city centre by the island's central hills.

History

[edit]
A gallery of images depicting the various cultural processions in Balik Pulau in 1937, to celebrate the coronation of George VI.
The Balik Pulau Chinese School procession in 1937.

The first clove and nutmeg plantations in Balik Pulau were set up by the British East India Company in 1794. During the early years of Company rule on Penang Island (then the Prince of Wales Island), spice cultivation was encouraged as a means to cover the administrative costs of the island.[5][6] The British also intended to turn the Prince of Wales Island into a centre for spice production in Southeast Asia in order to break the Dutch monopoly of the spice trade at the time.

During the first half of the 19th century, the clove and nutmeg farms of Balik Pulau attracted Malay refugees fleeing the Siamese invasion of Kedah, as well as Chinese immigrants who were then employed at the farms.[7]

The centre of Balik Pulau, also known colloquially as 'Kongsi' (meaning 'to share' in Malay), was apparently named after the communal wooden longhouses that once existed within the area.[8] Residents of various ethnicities, who worked at the plantations surrounding Balik Pulau, resided in these longhouses, hence the name. Balik Pulau developed towards the late 19th century with the addition of banks, schools, shops and a colonial fountain, which was erected in the late 19th century by a local Chinese businessman, Koh Seang Tat.[9]

For much of its history, Balik Pulau has been a quiet agricultural town, in stark contrast to the bustling city centre at the eastern side of Penang Island. As agriculture does not feature prominently in Penang's economy, Balik Pulau is said to have the last remaining paddy fields in all of George Town.[8] On the other hand, the spillover of urbanisation from the eastern seaboard of the city is also gathering pace in Balik Pulau, with residential properties are being planned for the suburb in recent years.[4]

Geography

[edit]
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
100m
110yds
Hospital
3
District Land
Office
2
Roundabout
1
Map of Balik Pulau.
Click link at the top right corner to zoom in.
1
Balik Pulau roundabout
2
District Land Office
3
Balik Pulau Hospital

Demographics

[edit]
Ethnicities within Balik Pulau in 2020[1]
Ethnicities / Nationality Percentage
Chinese
 
 76.1%
Indians
 
 11.9%
Malays
 
 11.0%
Non-Malaysians
 
 0.9%

As of 2020, Balik Pulau was home to a population of 109.[1] Ethnic Chinese comprised more than three-quarters of the population, followed by Indians at almost 12% and Malays at 11%.

Transportation

[edit]
Balik Pulau Bus Terminal

Balik Pulau is served by three major roads which intersect within the centre of the suburb. Jalan Balik Pulau connects the suburb with the fishing village of Gertak Sanggul near the southwestern tip of Penang Island. As the road is also part of the pan-island Federal Route 6 which loops around Penang Island, it also links Balik Pulau with the other major urban centres on the island.

The eastbound Jalan Tun Sardon stretches through the island's central hills, providing a more direct link towards Paya Terubong and Bukit Jambul, while the north-bound Jalan Sungai Pinang leads towards Teluk Bahang near the northwestern tip of Penang Island.

In addition, six Rapid Penang bus routes include stops within Balik Pulau - 401, 401E, 403, 404, 501 and 502.[10][11][12][13][14][15] These bus routes link Balik Pulau with the city centre, the Penang International Airport, Queensbay Mall, Bayan Baru and Teluk Bahang. Aside from these routes, in 2018, Rapid Penang launched a free-of-charge transit service within Balik Pulau, known as the Congestion Alleviation Transport (CAT).[16]

Health care

[edit]

The basic health care needs of Balik Pulau's residents are served by the Balik Pulau Hospital, a public hospital located within the suburb. Run by Malaysia's Ministry of Health, it is one of the six public hospitals within Penang.[17] The hospital is equipped with 71 beds and provides, among others, haemodialysis, emergency and infectious disease control services.

Tourist attractions

[edit]
Balik Pulau market

Balik Pulau's attractions are more agricultural, alluding to the huge role agriculture has played in the suburb's economy and its laid-back pace of life. The suburb is famous for some of Penang's most well-known products - nutmegs, durians and cloves. In recent years, agricultural tourism is booming in Balik Pulau, as tourists from other states and abroad flock to the suburb to sample fresh durians and nutmegs.[2][3][18][19][20] For instance, Balik Pulau's durian orchards, which produce a wide variety of durian cultivars, are best visited during the durian harvesting season between May and August each year. Balik Pulau's nutmeg farms and shops also offer samples of nutmeg fruits and products, including nutmeg juice.[19][21]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "MyCensus 2020: Mukim/Town/Pekan". Department of Statistics Malaysia. Putrajaya: 174–175. February 2024. ISBN 9789672537069.
  2. ^ a b c II, Administrator. "The Back of the Island - Balik Pulau". www.visitpenang.gov.my. Archived from the original on 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  3. ^ a b "myPenang - A Day in Balik Pulau". mypenang.gov.my. Archived from the original on 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  4. ^ a b "RM20bil projects in Penang S-W district - Business News | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  5. ^ "When Penang became a Spice Island". Penang Monthly. 21 January 2016. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  6. ^ Khoo, Su Nin (2007). Streets of George Town, Penang. Penang: Areca Books. ISBN 9789839886009.
  7. ^ Administrator. "History Of Balik Pulau". www.istaybalikpulau.com. Archived from the original on 2016-10-20. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
  8. ^ a b II, Administrator. "The Back of the Island - Balik Pulau". www.visitpenang.gov.my. Archived from the original on 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
  9. ^ Administrator. "History Of Balik Pulau". www.istaybalikpulau.com. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
  10. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-07-02. Retrieved 2018-02-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-07-02. Retrieved 2018-02-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-07-02. Retrieved 2018-02-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-07-02. Retrieved 2018-02-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-07-02. Retrieved 2018-02-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-07-02. Retrieved 2018-02-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. ^ "Buletin Mutiara". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2018-04-01.
  17. ^ "Balik Pulau Hospital". Penang Trails. 2016-05-30. Archived from the original on 2018-06-22. Retrieved 2018-02-02.
  18. ^ jalmsab@st (2015-07-13). "Forget D24 and Maoshan, try kampong durians in Penang". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  19. ^ a b Marco Ferrarese. "9 reasons Penang will rock your socks off". CNN. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  20. ^ "From jungle durians to a tour, our pick of farms to visit in Balik Pulau". 2015-06-28. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  21. ^ "A chance to experience Penang through smells and tastes | Malaysia | Malay Mail Online". www.themalaymailonline.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-01. Retrieved 2018-03-01.
[edit]
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Balik Pulau.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Balik Pulau.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Balik_Pulau&oldid=1258703085"