Batu Lanchang

**Batu Lanchang** is a western suburb of George Town. This former agricultural area located between the neighbouring suburbs of Green Lane and Jelutong has been somewhat eclipsed by the more upscale developments around Green Lane.

One of the top Chinese schools on Penang Island, Heng Ee High School, is located within Batu Lanchang.

Batu Lanchang proper is centred around Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim, formerly known as Batu Lanchang Road. The Batu Lanchang market serves the mostly working-class neighbourhood.

## History

Batu Lanchang was once a coconut plantation covering a larger area between Air Itam and Jelutong. In the past, Green Lane served as the only road within the area.

The Batu Lanchang Hokkien Cemetery was established in the 19th. century. It is the oldest cemetery still in use on Penang Island and includes the grave of Koh Lay Huan, the first Chinese Kapitan (leader of the Chinese community) of Penang Island. Adjacent to the Hokkien cemetery is the Batu Lanchang Hindu cemetery.

In the 1950s, the urbanisation of the neighbouring suburb of Green Lane began transforming rural Batu Lanchang as well. Batu Lanchang Road, now renamed Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim, was lined with vegetable farms until as recently as the 1970s. Eventually, the expansion of the suburb of Green Lane would shrink Batu Lanchang proper into the area between Green Lane and Jelutong.

Within this mostly working-class suburb, more upmarket condominiums are also sprouting up.

## Food

Batu Lanchang Hawker Centre, within Batu Lanchang market, is a well-known hawker centre serving a wide variety of Penang food. Among the dishes available are *char kuey teow*, *kuey teow thng*, *pasembur*, *chee cheong fun*, *wan tan mee*, *Hokkien mee*, *or chien* and many more.

Other hawker centres, coffee shops and restaurants in Batu Lanchang are as follows.

* See Young Young Coffee Shop
* Cameron Highland Coffee Shop
* Lye Lye Food Centre
* Hans Food Centre
* Taman Free School Food Court
* Nation's Barbeque Restaurant
* Four Seasons Tea House

## Education

Heng Ee High School is one of the elite Chinese schools on Penang Island. It was established as a missionary school by Father Arthur A. Julien, a Belgian Catholic priest of the *Missions étrangères de Paris*. At the time, the school aimed to provide formal Chinese education for poor and over-aged Chinese students. It has been reputed to produce academically-excellent students and is now in the midst of opening a branch in Bayan Lepas at the southeastern part of Penang Island.

Georgetown High School, at Batu Lanchang Lane, is another high school located within the western edges of Batu Lanchang.

A number of technical and vocational institutes have also been established by the Malaysian federal government within Batu Lanchang, such as :

* Sekolah Menengah Teknik Batu Lanchang
* Sekolah Menengah Teknik Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra'
* Kolej Vokasional Batu Lanchang

## Getting to Batu Lanchang

As of 2016, Rapid Penang buses 11, 13, 206 and 302 serve the suburb of Batu Lanchang. If you are coming from George Town, only routes 11 and 206 are available.

**11 :** Weld Quay - KOMTAR - Perak Road - Jelutong Road - Gelugor roundabout - Jelutong Road - **Lebuhraya Batu Lanchang**

**13 :** Paya Terubong - Farlim - Lebuhraya Thean Teik - All Season's Place - **Batu Lanchang Lane** - Green Lane - **Lebuhraya Batu Lanchang** - **Batu Lanchang market** - **Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim** - Jelutong market - Tesco Gelugor

**206 :** Weld Quay - KOMTAR - Patani Road - Jalan Sungai Pinang - Jalan P.Ramlee - **Hamilton Road** - **Van Praagh Road** - Green Lane - Yap Chor Ee Road, Gelugor - Jalan Hilir Pemancar, Gelugor - Gelugor roundabout - Tesco Gelugor, e-Gate and Udini Square

**302 :** Batu Maung - Bayan Lepas - Jalan Mayang Pasir - Sunshine Bayan Baru - Bukit Jambul Complex - Gelugor - **Lebuhraya Batu Lanchang** - **Batu Lanchang market** - **Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim** - Jelutong Road - Jalan Sungai Pinang - Patani Road - Dato' Keramat Road - KOMTAR - Weld Quay

## Political Representation

### Penang State Government

N.31 Batu Lanchang State Assemblyman : Law Heng Kiang (Democratic Action Party)

### Malaysian Federal Parliament

P.050 Jelutong Member of Parliament : Ooi Chuan Aun (Democratic Action Party)

## References

1. http://www.penang-traveltips.com/batu-lanchang.htm
2. http://www.penang-traveltips.com/batu-lanchang-hokkien-cemetery.htm
3. http://www.penang-traveltips.com/jalan-tan-sri-teh-ewe-lim.htm
4. http://www.penang-traveltips.com/heng-ee-high-school.htm