# Padang Kota

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, 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.
| State constituency | Polling districts | Code | Location |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Northam Road | 049/26/01 | SJK (C) Union |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Pykett Avenue | 049/26/02 | SJK (C) Union |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Rangoon Road | 049/26/03 | SMK (P) Methodist |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Nagore Road | 049/26/04 | SK Sri Tanjung |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Wellesley School | 049/26/05 | SK Wellesley |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Farquhar Street | 049/26/06 | SK Perempuan Island |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Lorong Argus | 049/26/07 | SMK St. Xavier |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Muntri Street | 049/26/08 | SJK (C) Shih Chung Pusat |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Kampong Malabar | 049/26/09 | SJK (C) Aik Hua |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Lorong Serk Chuan | 049/26/10 | SK Hutchings |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Lorong Pasar | 049/26/11 | SK Convent Lebuh Light |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Esplanade | 049/26/12 | Kolej Tingkatan Enam Hutchings |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Leboh Pasar | 049/26/13 | SK Convent Lebuh Light |
| Padang Kota (N26) | Leboh Ah Quee | 049/26/14 | SK Hutchings |
This state seat encompasses the historic epicentre of George Town, including much of the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site. 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

Ethnic breakdown of Padang Kota's electorate as of 2023
Total electors by polling district in 2016 :
| Polling district | Electors |
| Esplanade | 1,283 |
| Farquhar Street | 703 |
| Kampong Malabar | 912 |
| Leboh Ah Quee | 528 |
| Leboh Pasar | 1,013 |
| Lorong Argus | 563 |
| Lorong Pasar | 1,000 |
| Lorong Seck Chuan | 870 |
| Muntri Street | 713 |
| Nagore Road | 2,105 |
| Northam Road | 1,417 |
| Pykett Avenue | 1,246 |
| Rangoon Road | 1,335 |
| Wellesley School | 1,165 |
| Total | 14,853 |
| Source: Malaysian Election Commission ||

## 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. 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.
Penang State Legislative Assemblyman for Padang Kota :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| Constituency created from Tanjong Utara ||||
| 4th | 1974 – 1978 | Lim Chong Eu | BN (GERAKAN) |
| 5th | 1978 – 1982 | Lim Chong Eu | BN (GERAKAN) |
| 6th | 1982 – 1986 | Lim Chong Eu | BN (GERAKAN) |
| 7th | 1986 – 1990 | Lim Chong Eu | BN (GERAKAN) |
| 8th | 1990 – 1995 | Lim Kit Siang | DAP |
| 9th | 1995 – 1999 | Teng Chang Yeow | BN (GERAKAN) |
| 10th | 1999 – 2004 | Teng Chang Yeow | BN (GERAKAN) |
| 11th | 2004 – 2008 | Teng Chang Yeow | BN (GERAKAN) |
| 12th | 2008 – 2013 | Chow Kon Yeow | PR (DAP) |
| 13th | 2013 – 2018 | Chow Kon Yeow | PR (DAP) |
| 14th | 2018 – 2023 | Chow Kon Yeow | PH (DAP) |
| 15th | 2023 – present | Chow Kon Yeow | PH (DAP) |

## Election results

The electoral results for the Padang Kota state constituency are as follows.