When Sara Ayuni first dug her hands into the soil of a Nibong Tebal schoolyard, she wasn’t chasing big plans or government policies. She simply wanted to show the neighbourhood children that food could come from the ground right in front of them.

What began as a modest garden has grown into Kebun Didik Komuniti SPS, a place where women, housewives, and schoolchildren learn how to plant, harvest, and even earn a little extra from what they grow.

With the help of a microgrant from Think City’s Levelling Up Seberang Perai (LUSP) programme, Sara’s (above) idea of food security and education has blossomed into a shared space of learning and possibility.

Her garden, fondly known as Taman Sara, is more than rows of vegetables. It shows how small ideas, when nurtured, can spark wider change across a community.

A region ripe for renewal

For decades, Penang Island drew the spotlight, while Seberang Perai, larger in population but lower in visibility, was left in the shadows.

Despite being home to nearly a million people, many constituencies in Seberang Perai record household income lower than the state median, and small towns have struggled with population decline, inadequate infrastructure, and patchy services.

Yet Seberang Perai is rich with untapped potential. Its mangrove forests act as carbon sinks and ecotourism magnets. Rivers like Sungai Perai, though polluted, could be revitalised as blue-green corridors. Historic sites, from the 141-year-old Gothic Pagar Tras Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the globally significant Guar Kepah archaeological site, hold immense cultural and tourism value.

And its micro-entrepreneurs, farmers, and artisans have the skills and resilience to power a more circular economy. Taken together, these assets show that Seberang Perai is not lacking in resources - only in recognition and support.

With support from the Finance Ministry and under the broader Madani economic framework, LUSP sets out a clear mission: to make Seberang Perai a locality of inclusive growth, higher quality of life, and sustainable economic activity capable of attracting quality investment.

The Shorebirds Peninsular Malaysia Project team shows participants at a zoology camp how to erect a harp trap to guide bats into a collection bag without harming them.

Planting seeds of progress

Phase 1 of LUSP demonstrates what happens when communities are entrusted with resources and recognition. Having reached out to over 2,500 community touchpoints through surveys, town halls, and market-side conversations, these engagements resulted in more than 250 community proposals, with 60-plus grassroots projects now receiving funding through the Seberang Perai Small Towns Grants Programme.

The results are compelling:
· In Butterworth, placemaking grants have helped revive old squares into gathering places.
· To the South, storytelling workshops have taught residents how to capture their town’s history through photos and short books.
· Along the mangrove coast, locals have trained as birdwatching and river tour guides, and are turning conservation into livelihoods.
· A women’s capacity-building programme engaged over 500 participants, sparking confidence and the development of new skills.

Each initiative may look modest, but together they reveal a pattern: Seberang Perai’s communities are ready to co-author their own revival.

A free workshop by Think City to equip Seberang Perai entrepreneurs with the skills they need to grow their ventures.

The Think City approach

At the heart of LUSP’s progress is Think City’s 4D approach:
Diagnose - Understand local conditions through data and community conversations.
Design - Co-create solutions with people who know the place best.
Deliver - Work hand in hand with local partners to make ideas real.
Demonstrate - Share results so good practices can spread and grow.

Instead of the old top-down style of development, LUSP starts with listening. It builds on what communities are already doing, rather than replacing them.

The microgrants aren’t just about providing funding; they show people that their ideas matter. And when people feel that kind of backing, they find the confidence to do more.

Potential waiting to be activated

Seberang Perai has more to offer than its challenges suggest. Its strengths - natural, cultural and human - could be the foundation of a more resilient local economy.

Environmental resources: The mangrove forests and rivers here are more than just landscapes. They protect against floods, store carbon, and attract visitors. Community efforts such as mangrove replanting and river clean-ups are already showing what’s possible when nature is cared for.

Cultural legacies: From the 141-year-old Gothic church to Guar Kepah, the country’s only prehistoric shell midden site - an ancient mound of seashells mixed with bones and stone tools left by early coastal communities - and the Nordin Ahmad Interactive Gallery celebrating Penang’s golden age of cinema, the region is rich in heritage. By training locals as storytellers and guides, these treasures can be shared with visitors while creating new livelihoods.

Briefing by archaeologist Dr Suresh Narayanan on prehistoric burial traditions at a community archaeology training session.

Circular economy leadership: Seberang Perai is now scaling up its circular economy efforts, building on Malaysia’s highest recycling rate and community initiatives that turn waste into resources, such as composting food scraps. Potential areas to explore include biogas production, aquaponics systems, and zero-waste markets.

Community-led tourism: Residents are creating their own attractions, whether it’s through birdwatching tours, art workshops, or heritage bookmaking. These activities don’t just draw visitors, they also strengthen community pride.

Many of these ideas are already taking root, showing what’s possible with collective small steps. Together, these opportunities point to a bigger picture: growth that keeps value within the community while opening doors to quality investment.

Prof Dr Stephen Chia of Universiti Sains Malaysia enlightens locals about the history and heritage of the Pagar Tras locale in a series of workshops.

Momentum that attracts

Phase 1 has moved beyond pilots and into tangible change. What began as seed grants has grown into partnerships and projects that are giving small towns fresh energy, from new tourism offerings to restored gathering places.

The stories are reaching wider audiences. Exhibitions and social media campaigns have brought nearly a million views, shining a light on the people driving this transformation. For investors, it’s proof that there’s energy and buy-in at the grassroots. For policymakers, it shows that local ownership can turn national goals into everyday reality.

Momentum like this matters. It signals that Seberang Perai isn’t waiting for change. It’s already moving, and that early progress sets the stage for what comes next.

Towards 2030: A model for inclusive growth

Looking ahead, the vision for Seberang Perai is clear: by 2030, the region should stand as an example of how communities can grow stronger when given the right support and platforms.

LUSP’s roadmap is designed as a three-phase strategy stretching to 2030. The first phase (2024-2025) focused on diagnosing needs and testing solutions through grassroots projects. Phases 2 and 3, aligned with the 13th Malaysia Plan, will build on these foundations with an ambitious multi-million ringgit plan to both activate the Northern Coast and strengthen supporting networks of small towns, building a vibrant people-centric urban environment where communities can access opportunities and the benefits of coastal development.

By Phase 3, the aim is to embed these practices into long-term policy and planning, making the changes both systemic and sustainable.

Artist Ammi Leong visited 10 schools in Seberang Perai to run workshops on ‘The Beauty of Seberang Perai’s Stories,’ which led to SMK Convent Bukit Mertajam students creating these mini picture books.

To bring this vision to life, LUSP is anchored around a series of big shifts that connect Seberang Perai’s natural strengths, cultural heritage, and economic assets with the needs of its people. These include:

Unlocking natural and coastal assets like Teluk Air Tawar and Sungai Perai, turning them into drivers of sustainable industries and eco-tourism.
Transforming Butterworth’s waterfront, port, and transit hub under the Penang Bay Strategic Masterplan, thus creating new opportunities for trade, jobs, and income growth. This shift ensures that coastal development strengthens the mainland economy and benefits communities beyond George Town.

Bringing small towns back to life by restoring old centres as places of culture, business and gathering.
Making it easier to move around, with walkable neighbourhoods and better links to schools, markets and services.
Embedding the 20-minute city approach, so daily needs can be met close to home, no matter where you live.

If these ambitions are realised, Seberang Perai won’t just close the gap with Penang Island. It could become Malaysia’s model for grassroots-led, investment-ready development.

The Nibong Tebal Festival, which features a giant map of Nibong Tebal's history and places of interest, is part of the Think City Grants Programme gathering locals to share their stories and memories of the town.

Changes are afoot

In Nibong Tebal, Taman Sara continues to thrive. Children gather to plant spinach, women learn how to market their produce, and visitors leave with new ideas to take home.

“It’s important to teach children how to grow food,” Sara reflected. “They develop a love for what they cultivate, and that connection is invaluable. This project really matters.”

Her garden captures the bigger story unfolding in Seberang Perai: when people are trusted and supported, they can build something lasting together.

The seeds of renewal are already in the ground. What happens next depends on how much we choose to invest - not just in infrastructure, but in the people and places that are showing us the way forward.

Learn more about Levelling Up Seberang Perai and find out how you can be involved.