Seberang Jaya is a suburb of Seberang Perai in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located at the southern bank of the Perai River and east of Perai proper, the area was developed in the 1970s.
History
The township of Seberang Jaya was built in 1970 by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), in tandem with the establishment of the Perai Free Industrial Zone.
The construction of the new township was aimed at providing a housing area adjacent to the newly built industries in
Perai, and erasing social and economic inequalities between the urban and rural inhabitants.
Geography
Demographics
, Mukim 1, the subdivision that contains Seberang Jaya, was home to a population of 48,785.
Malaysian Malays formed over 45% of the population, followed by Chinese at 22% and Indians at 15%. The suburb also had a substantial non-citizen community that made up another 15% of the population.
Transportation
Two major highways cut through the heart of Seberang Jaya – the North–South Expressway and the Butterworth–Kulim Expressway. Both expressways intersect at the former's Interchange 163 within the centre of the township.
Rapid Penang's buses 703 and 709 connect the township with Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam.[ Route maprapidpg.com.my ][ Route maprapidpg.com.my ] These are complemented by Rapid Penang's Congestion Alleviation Transport (CAT), a free-of-charge transit service within Seberang Jaya.[ Route maprapidpg.com.my ]
Education
Seberang Jaya has two
, two
Secondary school and a private tertiary institution.
Primary schools
-
SRK Seberang Jaya
-
SRK Seberang Jaya 2
High schools
-
SMK Tun Hussein Onn
-
SMK Seberang Jaya
Private college
Seberang Jaya is also home to the Penang State Library (), the main public library of the Penang and the headquarters of the Penang Public Library Corporation (, abbreviated as PPLC or PPAPP).
Health care
The Seberang Jaya Hospital, administered by
Malaysia's Ministry of Health, is one of the six public hospitals scattered throughout the
Penang.
It also serves as the main hospital for the entire municipality of
Seberang Perai. The 393-bed hospital offers various specialist treatments and procedures, such as general surgery,
nephrology and
obstetrics.
An ongoing upgrade of the hospital, slated for completion by 2021, is expected to increase its capacity by 316 beds.
Retail
Sunway Carnival Mall, the sole shopping mall in Seberang Jaya, was opened in 2007 and is the flagship shopping centre of
Sunway Group within the
Penang. Its main anchor tenants include
Parkson and Golden Screen Cinemas. The Sam's Groceria closed down during MCO and being replaced by Noko variety store. The mall also contains the Sunway Carnival Convention Centre, a major venue for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).
An ongoing expansion of the mall is expected to increase its gross floor area to by 2022.
Tourist attractions
The Penang Bird Park, founded in 1988 (Opened on 26 November), was Malaysia's first aviary.
It contains more than 300 species of birds, including
,
and
.
Situated at Jalan Todak, the Arulmigu Karumariamman Temple has the largest gopuram, or main sculpture tower, in Malaysia, measuring tall.
See also
