Komtar (state constituency)

Komtar

Penang constituency
Komtar (olive) on Penang
State constituency
Legislature	Penang State Legislative Assembly
MLA	Teh Lai Heng PH
Constituency created	2004
First contested	2004
Last contested	2023
Demographics
Electors (2023)[1]	15,532
Area (km²)[2]	2

Komtar is a state constituency in Penang, Malaysia, that has been represented in the Penang State Legislative Assembly since 2004. It covers George Town's city centre, including the eponymous Komtar, which houses Penang's administrative centre.

The state constituency was first contested in 2004 and is mandated to return a single Assemblyman to the Penang State Legislative Assembly under the first-past-the-post voting system. Since 2013^[update], the State Assemblyman for Komtar is Teh Lai Heng from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which is part of the state's ruling coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH).

According to the federal gazette issued on 18 July 2023, the Komtar constituency is divided into 14 polling districts.^[3]

This state seat encompasses the heart of George Town's city centre, including Komtar Tower, Penang's tallest skyscraper and the administrative centre for the entire State of Penang.^[4] The Office of the Chief Minister of Penang is housed within Komtar as well. In addition, the Komtar constituency covers a significant portion of George Town's UNESCO World Heritage Site, specifically the area between Transfer Road to the west and Beach Street to the east, and between Campbell Street to the north and Prangin Road to the south.

The major landmarks within the constituency include Chowrasta Market, Campbell Street Market and Acheen Street Mosque, all of which are within the city centre's UNESCO Site. The shopping district within the vicinity of Komtar, which includes 1st Avenue Mall, Prangin Mall and Penang Times Square, are also within the Komtar state seat.

The constituency is bounded to the north by Macalister Road, Jalan Zainal Abidin (formerly Yahudi Road), Burmah Road, Transfer Road, Campbell Street and a short section of Armenian Street, to the east by a section of Beach Street, Carnavon Street, Magazine Road and Brick Kiln Road, to the south by a short section of the Pinang River and Dato Keramat Road, and to the west by Jalan Perak.

The electoral results for the Komtar state constituency in 2008, 2013 and 2018 are as follows.

Penang state election, 2023

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	PH	Teh Lai Heng	9,279	86.61	2.01
	PN	Cheah Kim Huat	1,435	13.39	13.39
Total valid votes			10,714	100.00
Total rejected ballots			93
Unreturned ballots			17
Turnout			10,824	69.69	10.51
Registered electors			15,532
Majority			7,844	73.22	3.22
	PH hold		Swing

Penang state election, 2018

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	Pakatan Harapan (2018)	Teh Lai Heng	10,113	84.60	84.60
	BN	Tan Hing Teik	1,750	14.60	4.70
	Malaysian United Party	Ong Chun Jiet	85	0.80	0.80
Total valid votes			11,948	100.00
Total rejected ballots			98
Unreturned ballots			13
Turnout			12,059	80.20	2.60
Registered electors			15,041
Majority			8,363	70.00	8.80
	Pakatan Harapan (2018) hold		Swing
Source(s) "His Majesty's Government Gazette - Notice of Contested Election, State Legislative Assembly for the State of Penang [P.U. (B) 252/2018]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-01.[permanent dead link‍] "Federal Government Gazette - Results of Contested Election and Statements of the Poll after the Official Addition of Votes, State Constituencies for the State of Penang [P.U. (B) 326/2018]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 28 May 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-08-29. Retrieved 2018-08-01.

Penang state election, 2013

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	∆%
	DAP	Teh Lai Heng	10,669	80.50	16.50
	BN	Loh Chye Teik	2,555	19.30	16.70
	Love Malaysia Party	Liew Yeow Hooi	25	0.20	0.20
Total valid votes			13,249	100.00
Total rejected ballots			107
Unreturned ballots			8
Turnout			13,364	82.80	11.30
Registered electors			16,132
Majority			8,114	61.20	33.20
	DAP hold		Swing
Source(s) "Federal Government Gazette - Notice of Contested Election, State Legislative Assembly for the State of Penang [P.U. (B) 189/2013]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 2016-05-21.[permanent dead link‍] "Federal Government Gazette - Results of Contested Election and Statements of the Poll after the Official Addition of Votes, State Constituencies for the State of Penang [P.U. (B) 230/2013]" (PDF). Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia. 22 May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2016-05-21.

• Constituencies of Penang

"Keputusan Pilihan Raya Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya". Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 2016-04-24. Retrieved 2016-05-21.