SUNGAI BAKAP: A THRIVING AGRICULTURAL TOWN WITH ROBUST SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

By R. Ratcharathan

NIBONG TEBAL, June 30 (Bernama) -- Until recently, Sungai Bakap, a small town in southern Penang, was relatively unknown to many. However, that changed when news of a vacant state seat sparked intense interest in this area.

As one of the three state constituencies in the Nibong Tebal parliamentary constituency, Sungai Bakap is situated approximately 30 kilometres (km) from Butterworth and 35 km from George Town.

As the July 6 state by-election approaches, people are eager to see which coalition or party will emerge victorious in Sungai Bakap. Beyond political intrigue, there is a growing curiosity about the town's unique features, often overshadowed by more prominent destinations in Penang.

The by-election seems to have uncovered Sungai Bakap's 'hidden gem' status, situated as it is in the 'Northern Triangle' region, bordering Parit Buntar in Perak and Bandar Baharu in Kedah.

With its demographic makeup - 57.8 per cent Malays, followed by Chinese (27.1 per cent), Indians (14.9 per cent) and others (0.2 per cent) - Sungai Bakap fosters a diverse community engaged in various activities and shared cultural traits typical of border regions.

“With a population density of 676 people per square kilometre, Sungai Bakap is known for its rich agricultural resources including vegetable crops, fruits, and livestock. This potential development in agricultural production could significantly boost Penang's agricultural economy and contribute to Malaysia as a whole.

According to the Seberang Perai Selatan senior assistant district officer (Development Division) Muhaili Mat Saad, Sungai Bakap cultivates a variety of crops such as durian, cempedak, jackfruit, mangosteen and rambutan.

“Palm oil, rubber, papaya, amra, banana, coconut, as well as vegetables like okra, eggplant, chili, and maize also cultivated,” she told Bernama.

In addition to its lush greenery, Sungai Bakap boasts essential infrastructure facilities including Sungai Bakap Hospital, Sungai Bakap Health Clinic, community clinics, police and fire station, schools, mosques, temples, and the Seberang Perai prison.

The area is also home to several villages such as Kampung Jalan Stesen, Kampung Titi Hitam, Kampung Sungai Buaya, Kampung Lima Kongsi, and Kampung Valdor, along with three poultry farms housing over 10,000 birds.

Meanwhile, Sungai Bakap MADANI Community chairman Mohamad Aisamuddin Mohamad Kaman highlighted the presence of 18 village community management councils within the Sungai Bakap state constituency. These councils play a crucial role in planning and executing village programmes, fostering community involvement, and serving as intermediaries at the grassroots level to address and channel local issues to authorities.

“Most villagers here are employed in factories, and farms, or are self-employed, such as in poultry, fish, goat, and cattle farming. Additionally, many young people from Sungai Bakap commute to work on the island (Bayan Lepas, George Town).

Mohamad Aisamuddin also underscored the impact of development in nearby Bandar Cassia, Batu Kawan, on Sungai Bakap. He expressed confidence that ongoing developments in Batu Kawan, encompassing residential, commercial, mixed-use, industrial, recreational, and infrastructural projects, will further enhance Sungai Bakap's growth.

He further mentioned plans for a Meditech City, a medical city and mixed-use development hub in Bandar Cassia targeting the international health tourism sector. Such initiatives are expected to stimulate development in Sungai Bakap.

The upcoming Sungai Bakap state by-election on July 6 will witness a straight fight between Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Dr Joohari Ariffin, representing the Unity Government, and Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Abidin Ismail from PAS.

The Sungai Bakap state seat, comprising 39,279 voters (39,222 ordinary voters and 57 policemen), became vacant following the passing of the incumbent Nor Zamri Latiff on May 24 due to stomach inflammation.

Previously, Sungai Bakap witnessed a by-election on Nov 8, 1997, following the death of its incumbent Ooi Theng Bok in a road accident on Sept 23, 1997.

-- BERNAMA