Padang Kota is a state constituency in Penang, Malaysia, that has been represented in the Penang State Legislative Assembly since 1974. It covers George Town's historic city centre, including its old administrative core and the central business district (CBD) at Beach Street.

Padang Kota (N26)
Penang constituency
Padang Kota (olive) on Penang
State constituency
LegislaturePenang State Legislative Assembly
MLA
 
 
 
Chow Kon Yeow
PH
Constituency created1974
First contested1974
Last contested2023
Demographics
Electors (2023)[1]15,165
Area (km²)[2]3

The state constituency was first contested in 1974 and is mandated to return a single Assemblyman to the Penang State Legislative Assembly under the first-past-the-post voting system. Since 2008, the State Assemblyman for Padang Kota is Chow Kon Yeow from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which is part of the state's ruling coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH). Chow is also the current Chief Minister of Penang since 2018.

Definition

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Polling districts

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According to the federal gazette issued on 18 July 2023, the Padang Kota constituency is divided into 14 polling districts.[3]

State constituency Polling districts Code Location
Padang Kota (N26) Northam Road 049/26/01 SJK (C) Union
Pykett Avenue 049/26/02 SJK (C) Union
Rangoon Road 049/26/03 SMK (P) Methodist
Nagore Road 049/26/04 SK Sri Tanjung
Wellesley School 049/26/05 SK Wellesley
Farquhar Street 049/26/06 SK Perempuan Island
Lorong Argus 049/26/07 SMK St. Xavier
Muntri Street 049/26/08 SJK (C) Shih Chung Pusat
Kampong Malabar 049/26/09 SJK (C) Aik Hua
Lorong Serk Chuan 049/26/10 SK Hutchings
Lorong Pasar 049/26/11 SK Convent Lebuh Light
Esplanade 049/26/12 Kolej Tingkatan Enam Hutchings
Leboh Pasar 049/26/13 SK Convent Lebuh Light
Leboh Ah Quee 049/26/14 SK Hutchings

This state seat encompasses the historic epicentre of George Town, including much of the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site.[4] The colonial-era civic precinct, centred at Light Street, is home to a number of important landmarks, such as the Penang State Assembly Building (which houses the Penang State Legislative Assembly), the City Hall and the Esplanade (Malay: Padang Kota), from which the constituency got its name. Right next to this administrative heart of George Town is the city's CBD at Beach Street, where several international banks and financial services are based.

Other famous landmarks within this constituency include, but not limited to, Fort Cornwallis, Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, St. George's Church, Church of the Assumption, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Kong Hock Keong Temple, Sri Mahamariamman Temple and Eastern & Oriental Hotel. In addition, the city's vital transportation hubs at Weld Quay, such as Swettenham Pier, the ferry terminal and the adjacent Rapid Penang public bus terminal, are situated within this state seat.

As well as the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the state seat also covers more modern parts of the city centre, especially around the vicinity of Northam Road. Jalan Pangkor and Jalan Perak form the constituency's western limits, while to the south, the Padang Kota constituency is bounded by (from west to east) Macalister Road, Jalan Zainal Abidin (formerly Yahudi Road), Burmah Road, Transfer Road, Campbell Street, Armenian Street, a mid-section of Beach Street and China Street Ghaut.

Demographics

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Ethnic breakdown of Padang Kota's electorate as of 2023[5]

  Chinese (72.56%)
  Indian (18.52%)
  Malay (8.03%)
  Other ethnicities (0.90%)
Total electors by polling district in 2016
Polling district Electors
Esplanade 1,283
Farquhar Street 703
Kampong Malabar 912
Leboh Ah Quee 528
Leboh Pasar 1,013
Lorong Argus 563
Lorong Pasar 1,000
Lorong Seck Chuan 870
Muntri Street 713
Nagore Road 2,105
Northam Road 1,417
Pykett Avenue 1,246
Rangoon Road 1,335
Wellesley School 1,165
Total 14,853
Source: Malaysian Election Commission[6]

History

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Due to its importance as the heart of George Town, the Padang Kota state constituency has become a key battleground for many of the top political leaders throughout Penang's modern history. For instance, the Padang at Esplanade serves as the main venue in George Town where large-scale political rallies are held; political heavyweights, such as Lee Kuan Yew, Lim Chong Eu and Lim Kit Siang have made crowd-pulling speeches in the past at the former parade ground.[7][8][9] Notably, Lim Chong Eu, a founder of Gerakan, held this seat during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Penang between 1974 and 1990, only to lose the seat to Lim Kit Siang of the DAP in the 1990 State Election.

At the time of writing, the Padang Kota constituency has been held since 2008 by Chow Kon Yeow, who also holds the position of the DAP Penang State Chairman. In 2018, Chow became Penang's fifth Chief Minister, succeeding his party colleague, Lim Guan Eng.

Penang State Legislative Assemblyman for Padang Kota
Assembly Years Member Party
Constituency created from Tanjong Utara
4th 1974 – 1978 Lim Chong Eu BN (GERAKAN)
5th 1978 – 1982
6th 1982 – 1986
7th 1986 – 1990
8th 1990 – 1995 Lim Kit Siang DAP
9th 1995 – 1999 Teng Chang Yeow BN (GERAKAN)
10th 1999 – 2004
11th 2004 – 2008
12th 2008 – 2013 Chow Kon Yeow PR (DAP)
13th 2013 – 2018
14th 2018 – 2023 PH (DAP)
15th 2023 – present

Election results

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The electoral results for the Padang Kota state constituency are as follows.

Penang state election, 2023: Padang Kota
Party Candidate Votes % ∆%
PH Chow Kon Yeow 8,261 87.83   2.08
PN H'ng Khoon Leng 1,145 12.17   12.17
Total valid votes 9,406 100.00
Total rejected ballots 79
Unreturned ballots 16
Turnout 9,501 62.65   13.06
Registered electors 15,165
Majority 7,116 75.66   3.50
PH hold Swing


Penang state election, 2018: Padang Kota
Party Candidate Votes % ∆%
PH Chow Kon Yeow 9,278 85.75   85.75
BN H'ng Khoon Leng 1,470 13.59   6.25
Malaysian United Party Goh Saik Wei 71 0.66   0.66
Total valid votes 10,819 100.00
Total rejected ballots 130
Unreturned ballots 12
Turnout 10,961 75.71   2.84
Registered electors 14,476
Majority 7,808 72.16   11.84
PH hold Swing
Source(s)

"His Majesty's Government Gazette - Notice of Contested Election, State Legislative Assembly for the State of Penang [P.U. (B) 252/2018]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-01.[permanent dead link]

"Federal Government Gazette - Results of Contested Election and Statements of the Poll after the Official Addition of Votes, State Constituencies for the State of Penang [P.U. (B) 326/2018]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 28 May 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2019. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
Penang state election, 2013: Padang Kota
Party Candidate Votes % ∆%
DAP Chow Kon Yeow 9,563 80.16   22.77
BN Oh Tong Keong 2,367 19.84   22.77
Total valid votes 11,930 100.00
Total rejected ballots 128
Unreturned ballots 19
Turnout 12,077 78.55   9.65
Registered electors 15,375
Majority 7,196 60.32   45.54
PH hold Swing
Penang state election, 2008: Padang Kota
Party Candidate Votes % ∆%
DAP Chow Kon Yeow 6,449 57.39   17.26
BN Teng Chang Yeow 4,788 42.61   17.26
Total valid votes 11,237 100.00
Total rejected ballots 220
Unreturned ballots 50
Turnout 11,507 68.90   5.24
Registered electors 16,704
Majority 1,661 14.78   4.96
DAP gain from BN Swing .


Penang state election, 2004: Padang Kota
Party Candidate Votes %
BN Teng Chang Yeow 6,838 59.87
DAP Chow Kon Yeow 4,584 40.13
Total valid votes 11,422 100.00
Total rejected ballots 233
Unreturned ballots 0
Turnout 11,655 63.66
Registered electors 18,308
Majority 2,254 19.74
BN hold Swing


See also

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References

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"Keputusan Pilihan Raya Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya". Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 2016-04-24. Retrieved 2016-05-21.