Balik Pulau
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Balik Pulau is a town within the jurisdiction of
Penang Island City Council The City Council of Penang Island is the council that administers the city of Pulau Pinang, which includes the entirety of Penang Island, Malaysia. The city council, which has jurisdiction over an area of , falls under the purview of the Penang s ...
in the
Malaysian state The states and federal territories of Malaysia are the principal administrative divisions of Malaysia. Malaysia is a federation of 13 states (''Negeri'') and 3 federal territories (''Wilayah Persekutuan''). States and federal territories Ele ...
of
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
. Located at the southwest of
Penang Island Penang Island ( ms, Pulau Pinang; zh, 檳榔嶼; ta, பினாங்கு தீவு) is part of the state of Penang, on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British Ea ...
, it is also the administrative seat of the
Southwest Penang Island District The Southwest Penang Island District ( ms, Daerah Barat Daya Pulau Pinang) is a district within the Malaysian state of Penang. The district covers the southwestern half of Penang Island and borders the Northeast Penang Island District to the eas ...
. The agricultural town of Balik Pulau was established in 1794 by the
British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
. To this day, the economy of Balik Pulau still relies heavily on agriculture;
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
's most famous produce, including
nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...
s,
clove Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring or fragrance in consumer products, ...
s and
durian The durian (, ) is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus ''Durio''. There are 30 recognised ''Durio'' species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. ''Durio zibethinus'', native to Borneo and Sumatra, is the onl ...
s, are grown and harvested in the town. These have also contributed to the town's growing tourism sector; Balik Pulau's reputation for its wide variety of
durian The durian (, ) is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus ''Durio''. There are 30 recognised ''Durio'' species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. ''Durio zibethinus'', native to Borneo and Sumatra, is the onl ...
s, for instance, attracts hordes of tourists between May and August each year. While Balik Pulau, and by extension, the western part of Penang Island, is generally seen as quieter in comparison to the bustling city centre on the other side of the island, urbanisation has also reached the town in recent years, with more residential developments being planned for this part of Penang Island.


Etymology

Balik Pulau means the back of the island''' in
Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...
. It refers to the town's location at the western side of
Penang Island Penang Island ( ms, Pulau Pinang; zh, 檳榔嶼; ta, பினாங்கு தீவு) is part of the state of Penang, on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British Ea ...
, geographically separated from George Town to the northeast by the island's central hills.


History

The first
clove Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring or fragrance in consumer products, ...
and
nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...
plantations in Balik Pulau were set up by the
British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
in 1794. During the early years of
Company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
rule on
Penang Island Penang Island ( ms, Pulau Pinang; zh, 檳榔嶼; ta, பினாங்கு தீவு) is part of the state of Penang, on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British Ea ...
(then the ''Prince of Wales Island''), spice cultivation was encouraged as a means to cover the administrative costs of the island. The British also intended to turn the ''Prince of Wales Island'' into a centre for spice production in
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
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 Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area ...
, as well as Chinese immigrants who were then employed at the farms. The town centre, also known colloquially as Kongsi''' (meaning 'to share' in
Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...
), was apparently named after the communal wooden longhouses that once existed within the heart of Balik Pulau. Residents of various ethnicities, who worked at the plantations surrounding Balik Pulau, resided in these longhouses, hence the name. The town centre soon grew, 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. For much of its history, Balik Pulau has been a rather quiet agricultural town, in stark contrast to the busier eastern side of Penang Island where the capital city, George Town, is situated. As agriculture does not feature prominently in
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
's economy, Balik Pulau is said to have the last remaining
paddy field A paddy field is a flooded field (agriculture), field of arable land used for growing Aquatic plant, semiaquatic crops, most notably rice and taro. It originates from the Neolithic rice-farming cultures of the Yangtze River basin in sout ...
s in all of Penang Island. On the other hand, the spillover of urbanisation from the eastern seaboard of Penang Island is also gathering pace in Balik Pulau, with residential properties are being planned for the town in recent years.


Governance

Balik Pulau serves as the seat of the
Southwest Penang Island District The Southwest Penang Island District ( ms, Daerah Barat Daya Pulau Pinang) is a district within the Malaysian state of Penang. The district covers the southwestern half of Penang Island and borders the Northeast Penang Island District to the eas ...
, as the district's Land Office is situated within the town. Moreover, the town is also home to the district's Magistrates Court. However, as with the rest of
Penang Island Penang Island ( ms, Pulau Pinang; zh, 檳榔嶼; ta, பினாங்கு தீவு) is part of the state of Penang, on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British Ea ...
, Balik Pulau falls under the jurisdiction of the
Penang Island City Council The City Council of Penang Island is the council that administers the city of Pulau Pinang, which includes the entirety of Penang Island, Malaysia. The city council, which has jurisdiction over an area of , falls under the purview of the Penang s ...
, which is based in George Town.


Demographics

According to most definitions, the town of Balik Pulau encompasses several mukims, namely Bagan Ayer Itam, Titi Teras, Kongsi, Kampong Paya, Sungai Burong, Pulau Betong, Dataran Ginting, Batu Itam, Bukit Balik Pulau and Pondok Upeh. Based on the 2010 National Census conducted by
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
's Department of Statistics, these mukims cumulatively contained a population of 23,559.
Ethnic Malays Malays ( ms, Orang Melayu, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: أورڠ ملايو) are an Austronesian peoples, Austronesian ethnic group native to eastern Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and coastal Borneo, as well as the smaller islands that lie between the ...
formed almost of Balik Pulau's population. The
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
made up nearly of the population, followed by the Indians at over 3%.


Transportation

Balik Pulau is served by three major roads which intersect within the town centre. Jalan Balik Pulau connects the town with the fishing village of Gertak Sanggul near the southwestern tip of
Penang Island Penang Island ( ms, Pulau Pinang; zh, 檳榔嶼; ta, பினாங்கு தீவு) is part of the state of Penang, on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British Ea ...
. 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 Paya Terubong is a suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Located nearly southwest of the city centre, it is nestled within the central valleys of Penang Island and south of Air Itam. It is also one of the most densely populated areas on ...
and
Bukit Jambul Bukit Jambul is a residential neighbourhood within the Northeast Penang Island District, Penang, Malaysia. Located southwest of the centre of George Town, Penang, George Town, the capital city of Penang, Bukit Jambul is also adjacent to the indust ...
, while the north-bound Jalan Sungai Pinang leads towards
Teluk Bahang Teluk Bahang is a town within the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, near the northwestern tip of Penang Island. Established as a fishing village, Teluk Bahang has evol ...
near the northwestern tip of Penang Island. In addition, six
Rapid Penang Rapid Penang (styled as ''rapidPenang'') is a public bus brand in the State of Penang, Malaysia. Formed as a subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia in 2007, to date it is the main public transport operator within Penang; its bus network serves commut ...
bus routes include stops within Balik Pulau - 401, 401E, 403, 404, 501 and 502. These bus routes link Balik Pulau with George Town, the
Penang International Airport Penang International Airport is an airport in northern Malaysia. The airport is located near Bayan Lepas at the southeastern tip of Penang Island, south of the city centre.Queensbay Mall Queensbay Mall is the largest shopping mall in Penang, Malaysia. Located in Bayan Lepas, the building was completed in early July 2006 and was opened to the public in December 2006. The mall covers a gross built-up area of and contains over 400 ...
,
Bayan Baru Bayan Baru is a town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, adjacent to the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone. The township was created in the 1970s following the establishment of the zone. Si ...
and
Teluk Bahang Teluk Bahang is a town within the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, near the northwestern tip of Penang Island. Established as a fishing village, Teluk Bahang has evol ...
. 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).


Education

Balik Pulau contains 17
primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
s, five
high schools A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
, an Islamic religious school, a government-run
vocational college A university of applied sciences (UAS), nowadays much less commonly called a polytechnic university or vocational university, is an institution of higher education and sometimes research that provides vocational education and grants academic de ...
and an international school. Primary schools High schools Islamic school * SMA Maahad Al Mashoor Al Islami Vocational college * Kolej Vokasional Balik Pulau International school * Prince of Wales Island International School (POWIIS) Aside from these institutions, the Penang State Library also operates a branch within Balik Pulau.


Health care

The basic health care needs of Balik Pulau's residents are served by the Balik Pulau Hospital, a public hospital located within the town. Run by
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
's Ministry of Health, it is one of the six public hospitals within the State of Penang. The hospital is equipped with 71 beds and provides, among others, haemodialysis, emergency and infectious disease control services.


Tourist attractions

Balik Pulau's attractions are more agricultural, alluding to the huge role agriculture has played in the town's economy and its laid-back pace of life. The town is famous for some of Penang's most well-known products -
nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...
s,
durian The durian (, ) is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus ''Durio''. There are 30 recognised ''Durio'' species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. ''Durio zibethinus'', native to Borneo and Sumatra, is the onl ...
s and
clove Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring or fragrance in consumer products, ...
s. In recent years, agricultural tourism is booming in Balik Pulau, as tourists from other states and abroad flock to the town to sample fresh durians and nutmegs. 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.


See also

* Pantai Acheh


References


External links

{{Authority control Southwest Penang Island District Towns in Penang