Bayan Baru is a satellite township located within Bayan Lepas. It was established by the Penang Development Corporation in the mid-1970's on what was once paddy fields. In the earlier years of Bayan Baru's development, the township was prone to floods - there was a joke back then that purchasing a house in Bayan Baru also includes a sampan. Over the decades, improved drainage has reduced the possibility of major floods, though flash floods still occur during heavy downpours, usually the culprit being blocked drains.
Bayan Baru is one of the most rapidly developed townships in Penang. This is to a large part the direct result of its proximity to the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, which is a source of employment for a good many people in Penang. The shift in population south, out of George Town and towards Bayan Baru and its immediate neighborhoods, brought with it mixed blessings. The main road, now called Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, has been expanded a few times, and now includes the Bayan Lepas Elevated Highway. New shopping malls have also been built in Bayan Baru and its immediate neighborhood. On the other hand, the growth in population has also introduced traffic congestions and jams, something foreign to the area a decade or two ago. Being caught in traffic jam is now a twice daily occurence, at every rush hour.
Getting there
Several Rapid Penang buses pass through the Bayan Baru area including 302, 304, 305, 307, 308, 401 and 502.
Sights in and around Bayan Baru
Bayan Baru Market
Masjid Umar Ibn Al-Khattab
Nearby Shopping
Sunshine Square
Bukit Jambul Complex
Queensbay Mall
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