Name change proposed only for lane, not main road, says exco man

Penang executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari allays concerns Jalan Pantai Bersih will be renamed Dragon Temple Lane.

The Thean Hock Keong Temple in Butterworth, Penang.

GEORGE TOWN:

 The state government has clarified that only a 280m lane that branches off the main road in front of the Thean Hock Keong Temple, and not Jalan Pantai Bersih, is being considered for a name change.

Public transport and digital infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari, who also chairs the road names committee, said this after public concerns that the main road would be renamed Dragon Temple Lane.

Zairil said the name change request for the lane was submitted more than a year ago by Sungai Puyu assemblyman Phee Syn Tze, in collaboration with the Thean Hock Kiong Association.

The proposal went through the usual vetting process, including review by the state geographic name technical committee and the road names committee. However, the decision was postponed.

“The confusion arose because two roads share the name Pantai Bersih – the main road, which stretches from the Butterworth Outer Ring Road to Jalan Gangsa, and the shorter 280m branch road,” he said.

He also clarified that the name Dragon Temple Lane has never been officially gazetted or used in government documents, and has only been used informally by the local community.

He suggested that a name such as Jalan Tokong Naga could be considered, as it reflects the area’s historical and local identity, in line with Malaysian geographic naming guidelines, which require the use of Malay.

“Renaming a road is a complex process,” Zairil said, adding that it requires the consent of local residents, consultations, and updates to official documents like individual identification cards and business addresses.

He also noted that the Thean Hock Keong Temple, which has been established since 1951, plays a key role in the naming process.

Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow also reassured the public that the name change only concerns the branch road near the temple, and urged the public not to be misled by inaccurate information.

Previously, the Penang PKR Youth Wing opposed a proposal by Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng to rename Jalan Pantai Bersih as Dragon Temple Lane.

Residents of Jalan Pantai Bersih also planned a peaceful protest against the proposed name change. - FMT