The British built what is now the Penang International Airport in 1935, but it was only in the 1970s when Bayan Lepas witnessed widescale transformation with the creation of the eponymous free industrial zone.

[5] The British also built a fortification at nearby Batu Maung to defend Penang Island and the RAF Butterworth Air Base on the mainland against amphibious invasion.

[10] Home to hundreds of multinational companies, the FIZ played an instrumental role in Penang's economic diversification, as well as Bayan Lepas's transformation into an industrial centre.

[11] An estimated RM295,173 million worth of exports also passed through the Penang International Airport throughout 2021, the largest among all entry and exit points in Malaysia.

Additionally, Sunshine Square, a department store of local retail chain Suiwah Corporation, serves the immediate neighbourhood of Bayan Baru.

The temple is also a focal point of the annual Chinese New Year celebrations, during which a flame-watching ceremony is held to predict the fortunes of the following 12 months.

[16][17] Bayan Lepas is connected to the city centre via the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway, and to Balik Pulau via Federal Route 6.

[18][19][20][21][22][23] These routes link Bayan Lepas to various destinations on Penang Island, including the city centre, Balik Pulau and Teluk Kumbar.