Batu Kawan town is an island on the Penang mainland, in as complicated as it sounds. The town is separated from the Penang mainland by Sungai Jawi and Sungai Tengah, and was chosen by the state government of Penang to be a major industrial area and the third satellite town in Penang. There are many big township developments being planned in Bukit Kawan, earning it the name “Damansara of Penang”.
Population
The total population of the entire Penang is estimated to be approximately 1,720,000 for the year 2016. The population on the Penang island accounted for 738,500 (42.9%) of the total population, and the mainland slightly more at 872,600 (57.1%).
Location
In terms of location, Batu Kawan is linked directly to the Penang Second Bridge. As of 2017, Batu Kawan is accessible via three major roads, with possibly a number of new proposed roads in the future; namely:
- Plaza Toll Bukit Tambun Sebelah Barat
- Plaza Toll Batu Kawan
- Jambatan Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah
- Future Bandar Cassia Interchange
Sports and Leisure
Stadium Batu Kawan was established in the town years ago, and the Penang Design Village was opened on the 23rd of November 2016. These two additions have made the quiet town more vibrant, and the upcoming highly anticipated IKANO Megamall that is to be opened in Batu Kawan is expected to bring the town to life. Given another few more years, Batu Kawan is expected to become a fully matured town.
Education
But for a town to be considered matured, education is an important aspect. Batu Kawan has the benefit of being the chosen grounds of Paramount Property, which has unveiled Utropolis Batu Kawan – Penang’s first university metropolis. The development will comprise of integrated residential, commercial, retail and hotel components, anchored by KDU Penang University College.
Furthermore, The Ship Campus (ALC Collage) will also be opening in Batu Kawan in the future. It will be one of PKTY’s “One Auto Hub” project on a 5-acre piece of land. It will include a lighthouse hotel and automotive logistic facilities as well. These two education hubs will definitely bring in more students, indirectly affecting the demand for surrounding properties.
Industrial (Job Opportunity)
Entertainment and education aside, now comes the part where people can get extra income via property buying. There are a huge number of light industrial areas nearby which are expected to be the catalyst for the developing township. The rationale is – when there are large number of work places, the workers will need a place close by to stay at in order to avoid traffic and commuting for between 1-2 hours to and fro work daily. Below are the list of industries nearby:
- Boon Siew Honda
- Flextronic
- Hewlett – Packard (HP) – 20.2 Hectares
- Venture Electronic Services
- PKT Logistic
- Seagate – 16.8 Hectares
- Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Hub JV by Temasek & PDC (Upcoming)
- VAT Manufacturing Malaysia & Aviatron
- SanDisk Storage – 30 Acres
- Haemonetics Malaysia
- Malaysian Automotive Lighting
- Boston Scientific
- Ibiden Electronic (Upcoming)
- Singapore Penang IT Park (Upcoming)
Medical
Catering to the locals’ medical needs as well is the esteemed Columbia Asia Hospital which will be opening in Batu Kawan. They have 11 facilities in Malaysia and 17 in overseas.
Other Land Development Types
There are other types of land in Batu Kawan, waiting to be developed into golf resorts, beach resorts, hotels, theme parks, international schools and so on. So, will Batu Kawan area be an area in Mainland Penang to upgrade or will it be an investment heaven for investors?
- Will Batu Kawan flourish?
- Based on the current situation:-
- The Batu Kawan population is expected to expand in near future
- Properties here are more affordable than on the Penang Island
- It is already easily accessible
- It will be close to education hubs and work areas
- Shopping malls are in the making
- It is the nearest town to the Penang Second Bridge from the mainland
- Batu Kawan is a well planned township by the government
“Do you think it is a good plan to have a property there or otherwise? I definitely would say the right timing will be the most important criteria for the situation.” Anders Ong
