Butterworth, and the mainland in general, may be Penang's stepchild, but things have changed, and the jigsaw pieces are starting to fall into place, promising a very exciting not-too-distant future. We have quite a few people to thank for that.
It lies just 3km across the North Channel from George Town, but for most islandside Penangites, Butterworth is a world away.
Seemingly limp and lifeless, the mainland side of the state is hardly a draw for tourists and visitors; even most islanders are hard-pressed to remember the last time they set foot in the old town. It may therefore come as a surprise that a massive number of the state's citizens resides on the mainland – many, many more than those living on the island, with Butterworth having twice as many residents as George Town.
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