Kepala Batas (UK: /ˌkəpɑːlɑː bɑːtɑːs/, Malay: [kəpala batas]) is a suburb of Seberang Perai and the seat of the Northern Seberang Perai District in the Malaysian state of Penang.
Kepala Batas means "front end of the paddy field" in Malay; Kepala is the top or front end of something, and Batas is the earthern dykes bordering a paddy field.
[2][3][additional citation(s) needed]Kepala Batas is mostly a muddy region, where paddy cultivation became a major agricultural activity for its residents.
[4] The abundance of paddy fields in the area thus gave rise to the place's name.
[citation needed] As of 2020[update], Kepala Batas had a population of 361.