Paya Terubong is a suburb of George Town in the

Malaysian state Malaysia is a federation of thirteen states and three federal territories, which form the primary administrative divisions of the country. Eleven states and two territories are part of Peninsular Malaysia, while two states and one territory ...

Penang Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Th ...

. Located nearly southwest of the

city centre A city centre, also known as an urban core, is the Commerce, commercial, Culture, cultural and often the historical, Politics, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely e ...

, it is nestled within the central valleys of

Penang Island Penang Island is the main constituent island of the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located off the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Malacca Strait, with the Penang Strait separating the island from Seberang Perai on the mainla ...

and south of

Air Itam Ayer Itam is a suburb of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Nested within the central valleys of Penang Island, it is located approximately southwest of the city centre. Etymology Ayer Itam got its name from the murky waters of th ...

. Originally an agricultural village, rapid development in the last decades of the 20th century has transformed the area into a residential suburb.

Etymology

Paya Terubong was named after a species of grass known in Malay as ''terubong''. Its scientific name is ''Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum''.

History

Similar to

Ayer Itam Ayer Itam is a suburb of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Nested within the central valleys of Penang Island, it is located approximately southwest of the city centre. Etymology Ayer Itam got its name from the murky waters of th ...

to the north, Paya Terubong was where agricultural farms were established, providing fresh produce to be traded in markets elsewhere in George Town. In the past, Paya Terubong Road was merely a hill path. The area was developed in the 1980s with the construction of residential high-rises to alleviate land scarcity in the city. New townships such as

Farlim Farlim, officially Bandar Baru Ayer Itam, is a residential neighbourhood within the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located southwest of the city centre, the township was created in the 1980s. Over the recent decades, Farl ...

were created, leading to an increase in population.

Geography

The

subdivision Subdivision may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Subdivision (metre), in music * ''Subdivision'' (film), 2009 * "Subdivision", an episode of ''Prison Break'' (season 2) * ''Subdivisions'' (EP), by Sinch, 2005 * "Subdivisions" (song), by Rush ...

of Paya Terubong covers an area of , forming a corridor that stretches from the central valleys of Penang Island to

Jerejak Island Jerejak Island is a islet off the eastern coast of Penang Island in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is also a short ferry ride from Bayan Lepas, a suburb of George Town. It was formerly the main leper asylum for the Straits Settlements (18 ...

off the eastern coast. It encompasses a varied topography and includes several neighbourhoods, namely

Bukit Jambul Bukit Jambul is a neighbourhood of George Town, Penang, George Town in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. Located south of the Central George Town, Penang, city centre, Bukit Jambul lies within the suburb of ...

Sungai Dua Sungai Dua is a residential neighbourhood within the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located south of the city centre, this neighbourhood borders Universiti Sains Malaysia to the north, Sungai Nibong to the east and Buki ...

Batu Uban Batu Uban is a residential neighbourhood within the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang, about south of the city centre. Founded by ethnic Minangkabaus in the early 18th century, Batu Uban is regarded as the oldest Malay settl ...

and parts of

Sungai Nibong Sungai Nibong is a residential neighbourhood within the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It lies near the eastern coast of Penang Island, about south of the city centre. Sungai Nibong is best known as the site of the annua ...

Demographics

, Paya Terubong was home to a population of 226,712, making it the most populated subdivision within the city of George Town. The suburb had a population density of . Ethnic Chinese constituted over 56% of Paya Terubong's population, while Malays formed another 23%. Non-citizens comprised almost 10% of the population, followed by

Indians Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

at over 9%.

Transportation

Paya Terubong Road remains the main thoroughfare within the suburb. The road connects with

Ayer Itam Road Ayer Itam Road is a major thoroughfare within the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is one of the main roads leading out of the city centre towards the suburb of Ayer Itam. History A road connecting downtown George Town ...

to the north and stretches towards the suburb of

Relau Relau is a suburb of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located southwest of the city centre, between Paya Terubong to the north, Bayan Lepas to the east and Balik Pulau to the west. Etymology Relau is believed to be named a ...

near the southern end of the central valleys. As Paya Terubong Road is the sole road which links the north and south of

through the central valleys, heavy traffic congestion occurs on a frequent basis. In 2022, part of the

Jalan Bukit Kukus Paired Road The Jalan Bukit Kukus Paired Road is a dual carriageway in the city of George Town, Penang, George Town within the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. The municipally-funded road stretches across the valleys at ...

was opened for use, intended to alleviate congestion between Paya Terubong and other suburbs to the south.

Rapid Penang Rapid Penang (stylised as ''rapidPenang'') is a public bus brand operating within the George Town Conurbation in Malaysia. Established in 2007 as a subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia, it serves as the main public transport system within the sta ...

buses 13, 201, 202, 306 and 502 serve the residents of the suburb, by connecting Paya Terubong with the

and various other destinations, such as

, the

Penang International Airport Penang International Airport (PIA) is an international airport in George Town, Penang, George Town, the capital city of the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. The airport is located at the southeastern tip of ...

Queensbay Mall Queensbay Mall is a shopping mall within George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located at the suburb of Bayan Lepas, the mall was opened to the public in 2006. It covers a gross built-up area of and contains over 400 shop lots spread o ...

and

Balik Pulau Balik Pulau is a suburb of George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang. Located 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. ...

Education

A total of 10

primary schools A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...

, five

high schools A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...

and an

international school International schools are private schools that promote education in an international environment or framework. Although there is no uniform definition or criteria, international schools are usually characterised by a multinational student body an ...

are located throughout Paya Terubong. Primary schools * SK Bukit Gambir * SJK (C) Chiao Nan * SK Gelugor * SJK (C) Keong Hoe * SJK (C) Kong Min II * SJK (C) Kwang Hwa * SJK (C) Min Sin * SK Seri Indah * SJK (C) Sin Kang * SK Sri Aman High schools * SMK Air Itam * SMK Bukit Gambir * SMK Bukit Jambul * Phor Tay High School * SMK Sungai Nibong International school *

Fairview International School Fairview International School is an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, headquartered in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur. It also has campuses in Subang Jaya, Ipoh, Penang Island, Johor Bahru and Scotland. Background Fairview International Sc ...

Retail

Paya Terubong is served by neighbourhood retail centres, such as Bukit Jambul Complex, All Seasons Place and

Sunshine Central Sunshine Central is a Mixed-use development, mixed-use complex within George Town, Penang, George Town in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Malaysian state of Penang. Situated at the suburb of Paya Terubong, the 39-storey complex ...

. The six-storey Bukit Jambul Complex at

was opened in 1997, while All Seasons Place at

was touted as the first

strip mall A strip mall, strip center, strip plaza or simply plaza is a type of shopping mall, shopping center common in North America and Australia where the stores are arranged in a row, with a footpath in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a ...

in Penang upon its launch in 2012. In 2024, Suiwah Corporation, a local retail firm, launched Sunshine Central, a mixed-use development that includes a nine-storey shopping mall.

References

{{Greater Penang Conurbation Populated places in Penang George Town, Penang