The suburb was founded in the 1970s by Sarawak chief minister at that time named Abdul Rahman Ya'kub.[1] He saw a vision to develop the jungles and old rubber plantations here as the new satellite township next to Kuching.[1] He began the project by constructing a bridge between Petra Jaya and Kuching, known as Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman Bridge, across the Sarawak River in May 1975.[2] In 1976, Wisma Bapa Malaysia was built. He also started on low-cost housing project which is known as Kampung Malaysia Jaya (Malaysia Jaya village) today.[1]
The area where Petra Jaya was sited was formerly known as Matang. Most of the land in the area then was undeveloped. Kampungs or villages along and near the riverbanks of the Sarawak river were the only residential areas. The area was only accessible by the Satok suspension bridge, ferry or sampan. Since 1975, the completion of the Datuk Patinggi Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub bridge, known as the Satok Bridge, together with construction of new road networks has made the area more accessible to development. Development in the area was further accelerated when it was designated as the Administrative Centre for the Sarawak Government, whereby many government offices and bodies relocated their headquarters and offices to Petra Jaya.[3]
Administration
Petra Jaya is under the administrative jurisdiction of Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU). The Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) headquarters is located here. In addition to that, the Administrative Centre of the Sarawak Government is located here.
Geography and demographics
Right lower corner of the picture is the northern part of Petra Jaya. Further north are the Bandar Baru Samariang and Mount Santubong on the Santubong Peninsula. The Santubong River runs across these areas.
Petra Jaya spans a large part of Kuching City North, located across the Sarawak River to the north of Kuching City Centre. It stretches from the northern bank of the river, just beyond the Satok Bridge, up to the Santubong Bridge further north, which links Petra Jaya to the Santubong Peninsula. The terrain is generally flat, with some hilly areas near Semariang. Much of the land in this area is classified as Native Area Land, resulting in a significant Bumiputra population in Petra Jaya.[3]
Development
Petra Jaya is the most developed area in Kuching City North, excluding those parts of DBKU situated south of the Sarawak River. The southern section, closer to the river, is relatively densely developed, primarily featuring residential neighborhoods. Commercial areas are limited, with only a few clusters of shophouses scattered throughout. Notably, large-scale industries are almost entirely absent in Petra Jaya, except for a few small-scale, light industrial establishments.
Transportation
Petra Jaya is accessible from Kuching City South via Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman Bridge from Satok and the newly completed Tun Salahuddin Bridge from Pending. Alternative access is via the Bako Causeway or Jalan Matang-Batu Kawa. Petra Jaya typical low density characteristic of a suburb has caused residents to be heavily reliant on cars because public transportation is quite poor in this part of Kuching.
^ abcMokhtar, Suhaimi (1981). Putera Kenyalang: Satu Dekad Penuh Cabaran (Son of the land of the hornbills, a challenging decade). Selangor: Penerbitan Pena Sdn Bhd. pp. 47–48.
