This suburb was named after the sixth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Yahya Petra of Kelantan (1975-1979).
The suburb was founded in the 1970s by Sarawak chief minister at that time named Abdul Rahman Ya'kub.
[3] Petra Jaya is under the administrative jurisdiction of Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU).
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.
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.