Air Itam (Penang state constituency)

Air Itam
Penang constituency

Air Itam (white) on Penang Island
State constituency
Legislature Penang State Legislative Assembly
MLA
 
 		 

Wong Hon Wai
DAP

Constituency created 1959 (as Ayer Itam)
First contested 1959
Last contested 2013
Demographics
Electors (2016)[1] 18,899

Air Itam is a state constituency in Penang, Malaysia, that has been represented in the Penang State Legislative Assembly since 1959. It covers much of Air Itam, a western suburb of George Town.

The state constituency was first contested in 1959 and is mandated to return a single Assemblyman to the Penang State Legislative Assembly under the first-past-the-post voting system. Since 2013, the State Assemblyman for Air Itam is Wong Hon Wai from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which is part of the state's ruling coalition, Pakatan Harapan.

Definition

The Air Itam constituency contains the polling districts of Ayer Itam, Cheeseman Road, Happy Valley, Jalan Chor Sin Kheng, Jalan Kampong Pisang, Jalan Shaik Madar, Kampong Melayu, Thean Teik and Zoo Road.[2] This state seat comprises a large chunk of Air Itam, a suburb of George Town nestled in the central valleys of Penang Island.[3] The 'old town', which contains the Air Itam Market and the Kek Lok Si Temple, is also situated within this constituency.

Air Itam Road forms the northern limits of the Air Itam constituency, with the portion of Air Itam north of the road falling under either Air Putih or Kebun Bunga constituencies. To the south, the Air Itam seat is partly bounded along the Dondang River; the portion of Air Itam south of the river, including Farlim, falls under the neighbouring Paya Terubong constituency. The Air Itam constituency also stretches up to Green Lane and Scotland Road to the east.

History

The Air Itam state constituency was originally named Ayer Itam when it was formed prior to the 1959 State Elections. The seat was then given its present name in time for the 1995 State Elections.

Since its formation in 1959, the Air Itam seat has experienced one by-election. The 1965 Ayer Itam by-election marked the first time an opposition party captured the constituency, as Lim Kean Siew from the Labour Party became the State Assemblyman for Ayer Itam until the 1969 State Elections.

Penang State Legislative Assemblyman for Air Itam
Assembly Years Member Party
Constituency created
1st 1959 – 1964 Chor Sin Kheng Alliance (MCA)
2nd 1964 – 1965
1965 – 1969 Lim Kean Siew Socialist Front (Labour)
3rd 1969 – 1974 Tan Phock Kin Gerakan
4th 1974 – 1978 David Choong Ewe Leong BN (MCA)
5th 1978 – 1982 Peter Paul Dason DAP
6th 1982 – 1986 Lee Jong Ki BN (MCA)
7th 1986 – 1990 Gooi Hock Seng DAP
8th 1990 – 1995 Ong Hock Aun
9th 1995 – 1999 Lye Siew Weng BN (MCA)
10th 1999 – 2004
11th 2004 – 2008 Cheang Chee Gooi BN (Gerakan)
12th 2008 – 2013 Wong Hon Wai DAP
13th 2013 – 

 Election results

The electoral results for the Air Itam state constituency in 2008 and 2013 are as follows.

Penang state election, 2013
Party Candidate Votes%
DAPWong Hon Wai 11,308 73.9
BNLoo Jieh Sheng 3,992 26.1
Total valid votes 15,300 100.00
Total rejected ballots 193
Unreturned ballots 31
Turnout 15,52484.3
Registered electors 18,407
Majority 7,316
DAP hold Swing
Penang state election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes%
DAPWong Hon Wai 7,401 61.3
BNCheang Chee Gooi 4,674 38.7
Total valid votes 12,075 100.00
Total rejected ballots 182
Unreturned ballots 3
Turnout 12,26073.3
Registered electors 16,721
Majority 2,727
DAP gain from BN Swing ?

References 

"Keputusan Pilihan Raya Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya". Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 2016-05-21. 

  1. ↑ "Story Map Journal". Retrieved 2017-04-22.
  2. ↑ "Federal Government Gazette - Notice of Polling Districts and Polling Centres for the Federal Constituencies and State Constituencies of the States of Malaya [P.U. (B) 197/2016]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  3. ↑ "Story Map Journal". Retrieved 2017-04-22.
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