Pengkalan Kota (state constituency)

Pengkalan Kota

Penang constituency
Pengkalan Kota (olive) on Penang
State constituency
Legislature	Penang State Legislative Assembly
MLA	Wong Yuee Harng PH
Constituency created	1974
First contested	1974
Last contested	2023
Demographics
Electors (2023)[1]	21,568
Area (km²)[2]	1

Pengkalan Kota is a state constituency in Penang, Malaysia, that has been represented in the Penang State Legislative Assembly since 1974. It covers the eastern quayside of George Town's city centre and its historic Seven Streets Precinct.^[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 2018^[update], the State Assemblyman for Pengkalan Kota has been Wong Yuee Harng from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which is part of the state's ruling coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Definition[edit]

Polling districts[edit]

According to the federal gazette issued on 30 March 2018, the Pengkalan Kota constituency is divided into 9 polling districts.^[4]

This state seat encompasses the eastern part of George Town's UNESCO World Heritage Site, specifically around much of Weld Quay.^[3] Historically, the eastern quayside of the city centre was the original location of the Port of Penang. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Port of Penang's trade boom led to a growth of harbour-related jobs around this particular locality, which also attracted increasing numbers of Chinese and Indian labourers to satiate the demand for manpower.

In addition, the Pengkalan Kota constituency covers the adjacent Chinese Clan Jetties, including the famous Chew Jetty, as well as the Seven Streets Precinct (between Komtar and the eastern shoreline of George Town), the latter of which is outside the UNESCO Site. Both of these residential areas came into being in the late 19th century and contain predominantly working-class Chinese electorates. The newer neighbourhood of Macallum Street Ghaut, which was reclaimed from the sea in the 1970s, also falls under this state seat.

The state constituency is bounded by the following roads: China Street Ghaut to the north, and Beach Street, Prangin Road, Carnavon Street, Magazine Road, Brick Kiln Road and Jalan C.Y. Choy to the west. The lower Pinang River also marks the southern limits of this constituency.

Demographics[edit]

History[edit]

Bridge Street, located within the Seven Streets Precinct, was renamed after Chooi Yew Choy, who became the State Assemblyman for Pengkalan Kota between 1974 and 1980.^[7] Choy had also served as the last Mayor of George Town between 1964 and 1966, prior to the dissolution of the George Town City Council.

After Choy's death in 1980, a by-election for the Pengkalan Kota constituency was held, in which Lim Kean Siew of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) defeated Lim Ewe Chin, an independent candidate.

Election results[edit]

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

Penang state election, 2023

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	PH	Wong Yuee Harng	14,921	94.60	5.70
	PN	Suthakaran Subramaniam	845	5.40	5.40
Total valid votes			15,776	100.00
Total rejected ballots			116
Unreturned ballots			10
Turnout			15,892	73.68	11.62
Registered electors			21,568
Majority			14,076	89.20	10.00
	PH hold		Swing

Penang state election, 2018

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Pakatan Harapan (2018)	Gooi Zi Sen	15,037	88.90	88.90
	BN	Lim Swee Bok	1,647	9.70	0.80
	Parti Rakyat Malaysia	Chew Seng Tung	68	0.40	0.40
	Malaysian United Party	Koay Teng Lye	82	0.50	0.50
	Independent	Ragindran Sivasamy	87	0.50	0.50
Total valid votes			16,921	100.00
Total rejected ballots			166
Unreturned ballots			25
Turnout			17,112	85.30	2.10
Registered electors			20,069
Majority			13,390	79.20	0.20
	Pakatan Harapan (2018) 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 29 August 2019. Retrieved 2018-08-01.

Penang state election, 2013

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	DAP	Lau Keng Ee	15,403	89.50	21.10
	BN	Loke Poh Chye	1,803	10.50	21.10
Total valid votes			17,206	100.00
Total rejected ballots			243
Unreturned ballots			13
Turnout			17,462	87.40	10.00
Registered electors			19,980
Majority			13,600	79.00	42.20
	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.

See also[edit]

• Constituencies of Penang

References[edit]

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