Ayer Itam

Ayer Itam is a suburb within the city of George Town. It is situated approximately 6km southwest of the city centre, encompassing the central valleys of Penang Island south of Penang Hill. The 'old town' of Ayer Itam is located at the bottom of Crane Hill, where the famous Kek Lok Si Buddhist Temple sits. The vast suburb of Ayer Itam also consists of neighbourhoods, namely Farlim at the foothills to the southeast and Paya Terubong at the southern end of the suburb.

Soon after the founding of George Town in 1786, the British East India Company began clearing the hill slopes of Ayer Itam, establishing pepper, nutmeg and strawberry plantations. The 'old town' of Ayer Itam grew throughout the 19th century, populated by farmers who owned the fruit and vegetable farms at the surrounding hills.

In 1935, a major fire destroyed several wooden houses within Ayer Itam, leading to the replacement of the wooden homes with brick structures. Ayer Itam also witnessed an influx of Chinese refugees fleeing the Japanese bombing of George Town in December 1941. During the Japanese Occupation, Sook Ching massacres, carried out by the Japanese against the ethnic Chinese, were carried out within the area as well.

Rapid development of Ayer Itam began in the 1950s, leading to an influx of population that necessitated the construction of Penang's first low-cost flats within this suburb. In the 1980s, the neighbourhood of Farlim, also known as the 'new town' of Ayer Itam, was constructed. Today, Ayer Itam is one of the most densely populated suburbs of George Town. About 35% of George Town's population resided within Ayer Itam as of 2010.