Padang Kota (N26)

Penang constituency
Padang Kota (olive) on Penang
State constituency
Legislature	Penang State Legislative Assembly
MLA	Chow Kon Yeow PH
Constituency created	1974
First contested	1974
Last contested	2023
Demographics
Electors (2023)[1]	15,165
Area (km²)[2]	3

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.

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^[update], 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

Polling districts

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

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

History

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.

Election results

The electoral results for the Padang Kota state constituency in 2008, 2013 and 2018 are as follows.

Penang state election, 2023

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

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

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
	DAP hold		Swing
Source(s) "Federal Government Gazette - Notice of Contested Election, State Legislative Assembly for the State of Penang [P.U. (B) 189/2013]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 2016-05-21.[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) 230/2013]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 22 May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 2016-05-21.