OBJECTIVES:  To assess the impact of an educational programme on community residents’ knowledge and perceptions of antibiotic resistance in Jelutong District, Penang, Malaysia. METHODS:  A single cohort pre/post-intervention study was conducted among the community residents from 30^th January to 30^th April 2016. Using convenience sampling, 70 residents (aged ≥18 years) were invited to participate in an educational programme on antibiotic resistance. The programme included a talk, video presentation and the distribution of a booklet regarding this issue. The participants were asked to complete a validated, pre-tested self-administered questionnaire before the programme, immediately after the programme, at 1 month and 3 months follow-up. The questionnaire consisted of six statements assessing their knowledge of antibiotic resistance and four statements to assess their perceptions of this issue. The primary outcome measures were an increase of their antibiotic resistance knowledge and perception scores after participating in the programme. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22.0 and was presented as mean ± standard deviation. RESULTS:  Sixty eight of the 70 residents participated in the study (response rate = 97.14%), but six of them (8.82%) dropped-out at 3 months follow-up. Their knowledge scores were 1.24±0.81, 5.41±0.50, 5.03±0.67 and 4.39±0.95 before the programme, immediately after the programme, at 1 month and 3 months follow-up, respectively (p<0.001). Their perception scores were 1.24±0.81, 3.82±0.38, 3.50±0.50 and 3.13±0.34 before the programme, immediately after the programme, at 1 month and 3 months follow-up, respectively (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS:  The educational programme significantly increased the knowledge and positively changed the perceptions of the community residents towards antibiotic resistance. Therefore, further initiatives should include the scaling up of the programme to combat antibiotic resistance at the community level in Malaysia.