Riddled with legacy issues, can ex-top trade town Butterworth be revived?

BUTTERWORTH – It is one of the oldest townships in the peninsula, having been established almost the same time as a strategic port with the founding of Penang in 1786.

As the island blossomed into an import and export hub, it is only natural for the township of Butterworth to flourish in the same manner.

The town was an industrial and commercial centre during the formation of the Straits Settlements by British rulers, where tin-smelting plants and petroleum depots were built next to ferry and bus terminals to generate income for the colonial masters.

It then grew into a bustling location for trade, commerce and administration, but things began to unravel in the 1990s, when it was decided that Seberang Jaya would be developed instead of Butterworth.

The shift into Prai was mostly driven by the needs of the growing population of villagers, who had settled around Permatang Pauh, Bukit Mertajam and Nibong Tebal.

Consequently, the leftover electorate in Butterworth began to feel neglected and constituencies within the township shifted their support to opposition personalities, who highlighted their plight.

Today, personalities such as former finance minister Lim Guan Eng and veteran DAP exco Phee Boon Poh are elected representatives in Butterworth.

The emphasis on Seberang Jaya has caused certain landmarks and facades in Butterworth to show signs of neglect, which has worsened since the Transport Ministry halted the double-decker ferry service.

There are signs of a revival, but the redevelopment is mostly in certain enclaves and not at the old Butterworth town quarters where the country’s independence was declared in the landmark municipal field alongside the national proclamation of independence at Stadium Merdeka on August 31, 1957.

Having inherited legacy issues, Bagan Dalam assemblyman M. Satees is now actively looking to revive the old town quarters.

He said the decision to construct Butterworth Sentral as a transport connectivity hub for the northern region has brought positive vibes, but more needs to be done.

He added that the port town has been neglected for the last 30 years, as the state government, in its overall context of Penang’s development, has always viewed the area as a “stepchild”.

Attempt at revival

Think City, a specialist in urban regeneration, tried to restore a sense of splendour to Butterworth by introducing a heritage trail along the town, which boasts significant buildings such as the oldest banks and post offices in the country.

But the interest has tapered off in the past three years, made worse with the pandemic in play.

The recent good news is that the federal government has gazetted the North Butterworth Container Terminal as a free-trade zone. The town, however, has yet to glean overt benefits after the move to change the status of the port.

Historically, the first setback came when the Penang Bridge was built, taking away the attention from the ferries to the bridge that connected Gelugor on the island with Prai.

Then, the expressway cut through Seberang Jaya and subsequent township became the new administrative capital.

Major local and foreign banks that had their branches in Butterworth were moved to the new Seberang Jaya township, which was created in the mid-1980s.

Subsequently, many civil servants were transferred from Butterworth to Kepala Batas when parliamentarian Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became prime minister in 2003.

A 10-storey complex was built to place state and federal government offices in Kepala Batas, which is Abdullah’s hometown.

After the 2008 general election, Lim was elected Bagan MP and became state chief minister.

Since then, the pig farming enclave in Jalan Raja Uda has been transformed into a modern, bustling business centre.

Bagan Ajam, the mainland end to the proposed mega undersea tunnel project, also saw development following the opening of the Lotus’s hypermarket, but the new development has yet to spill over to the old section of the town.

Satees said more economic activities need to be activated by bringing back institutions of higher learning to inject life back into Butterworth and revive its population base.

“I had lined up nine agendas and programmes for Butterworth when I was elected assemblyman, such as the Butterworth Fringe Festival, an art and culture walk, and the Butterworth Art and Culture Zone.

“I have also asked the state to set up a skills training centre, like the Penang Skills Development Centre. A major institution is moving here soon, and Jalan Pantai, which has a beachfront, will be a bustling spot.”

However, with the pandemic, will these plans be realised, and will we see Butterworth be revived? Only time will tell. – The Vibes, June 21, 2021