| Official Name: | Ayer Rajah |
| Settlement Type: | Neighbourhood of George Town |
| Pushpin Map: | Malaysia Penang George Town city centre |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Coordinates: | 5.4282°N 100.3032°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Malaysia |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | City |
| Subdivision Name2: | George Town |
| Leader Title1: | Local government |
| Leader Name1: | Penang Island City Council |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 10350 |
| Leader Title2: | Mayor of Penang Island |
| Leader Name2: | Rajendran P. Anthony |
| Leader Title3: | Pulau Tikus State Assemblyman |
| Leader Name3: | Joshua Woo Sze Zeng (DAP) |
| Leader Title4: | Bukit Bendera Member of Parliament |
| Leader Name4: | Syerleena Abdul Rashid (DAP) |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Utc Offset: | +8 |
| Timezone Dst: | Not observed |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within George Town in Penang |
Ayer Rajah is a residential neighbourhood within the downtown core of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. This leafy, affluent neighbourhood, situated adjacent to the Penang Botanic Gardens, mostly consists of landed properties such as bungalows and semi-detached houses, surrounded by tree-lined avenues.[1] [2]
Ayer Rajah was named after Ayer Rajah Bay, the northern bay of George Town which forms the city's northern shoreline and includes the present-day Gurney Drive.[3]
By 1796, 10 years after the establishment of George Town by Francis Light, more than 2000acres of the area had been cleared, forming the Ayer Rajah Estate. The agricultural plantation, founded by Light's Scottish partners, David Brown and James Scott, was owned by the Brown and Scott families.[4] [5] In particular, Scott Road, which runs through the neighbourhood, was named after James Scott.
Other prominent personalities who once resided within this neighbourhood include the first Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, and local DAP politician-cum-lawyer, Karpal Singh.[6]
The major thoroughfares within the neighbourhood include Ayer Rajah Road (now Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman) and Brown Road. Western Road (Jalan Utama) forms the southern end of the neighbourhood, which is also bounded by Burmah Road to the north.
Rapid Penang bus route 10 includes a handful of stops along Gottlieb Road.[7]
The neighbourhood is served by two primary schools, three high schools and two private colleges, as well as an international school.
Primary schools
High schools
International school
Private colleges
Aside from these institutions, the Adventist College of Nursing and Health Sciences, operated by the nearby Penang Adventist Hospital, is also situated at Burmah Road.
The Penang Adventist Hospital, a major private hospital, is located at Burmah Road. Founded in 1924, the 253-bed hospital offers specialist treatments for a variety of medical conditions and has emerged as one of the more well-known hospitals among medical tourists in Penang.[13] [14]
Ayer Rajah is also home to a number of consulates.
