Penang (Malay: Pulau Pinang; Chinese: 檳城) is the name of an island in the Straits of Malacca, and also of one of the states of Malaysia, located on the north-west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Penang is the second smallest state in Malaysia after Perlis, and the eighth most populous. A resident of Penang is colloquially known as a Penangite.

Name

The island was referred to as 檳榔嶼 (Bīnláng Xù - not the more modern Yǔ for 嶼) in the navigational drawings used by Admiral Zheng He of Ming-dynasty China in his expeditions to the South Seas in the 15th century. Early Malays called it Pulau Ka-Satu or "First Island".

The name "Penang" comes from the modern Malay name Pulau Pinang, which means island of the betel nut tree (Areca catechu). In Chinese, Penang is known as 檳城 (pinyin: Bīnchéng / Bīngchéng). All three names can refer either to the island of Penang, the state of Penang or the state capital, George Town.

More specifically, George Town is known as Tanjung in Malay and 喬治市 (Qiáozhì Shì) in Chinese. Penang Island is simply Pulau Pinang in Malay (antiquated spelling: Pulo Pinang) and 檳榔嶼 (Bīnláng Xù) in Chinese, and Penang state is Negeri Pulau Pinang in Malay and 檳州 (Bīn Zhōu) in Chinese.

Penang is popularly known as the "Pearl of the Orient", though other cities in East Asia also lay claim to this appellation.

Geography

The state is geographically and administratively divided into two sections:

• Penang Island: an island of 293 square kilometres located in the Straits of Malacca; and
• Seberang Perai (also known as Province Wellesley): a narrow hinterland of 760 square kilometres across a narrow channel on the Malay peninsula. It is bordered by Kedah in the north (demarcated by the Muda River), and Perak in the south.

The state capital, George Town, is located on the north-east corner of the island. Butterworth, the main town in Seberang Perai, faces it across the channel to the east. The highest point in Penang at 830 metres above sea level is Western Hill (part of Penang Hill), on Penang island.

Major towns

• Tanjung Tokong
• Tanjung Bungah
• Batu Ferringhi
• Teluk Bahang
• Balik Pulau
• Air Itam
• Sungai Pinang
• Gelugor
• Relau
• Jelutong

• Bayan Lepas
• Bayan Baru
• Pantai Aceh
• Batu Maung
• Teluk Kumbar
• Paya Terubong
• Bukit Jambul
• Batu Uban
• Sungai Ara

• Butterworth
• Seberang Jaya
• Kepala Batas
• Jawi
• Juru
• Nibong Tebal
• Bukit Tengah
• Bertam

• Bukit Mertajam
• Perai
• Sungai Bakap
• Permatang Pauh
• Sungai Dua
• Bukit Tambun
• Simpang Empat

Outlying islets

There are a number of small islets off the coast of Penang, the biggest of which, Pulau Jerejak, is located in the channel between Penang Island and the mainland. It was previously a leper and penal colony, but is now a tourist attraction featuring the Jerejak Resort and Spa. Pulau Jerejak Retrieved 10 June 2006.

• Pulau Jerejak (largest)
• Pulau Aman

• Pulau Kendi
• Pulau Rimau

• Pulau Gedung
• Pulau Betung

• Pulau Rimau
• Pulau Tikus

Climate

Penang enjoys a year-round equatorial climate which is warm and sunny, along with plentiful rainfall, especially during the southwest monsoon from April to September. The climate is very much dictated by the surrounding sea and the wind system. Penang's proximity with Sumatra, Indonesia makes it susceptible to dust particles carried by wind from perennial but transient forest fires, creating a phenomenon known as the haze.

The Bayan Lepas Regional Meteorological Office is the primary weather forecast facility for northern Peninsular Malaysia.

Demography

The state has the highest population density in Malaysia with 2,031.74 people per square kilometre on the island and 865.99 people per square kilometre on the mainland. Penang is the only state in Malaysia where ethnic Chinese are the largest ethnic group. The ethnic composition in 2006 was:

• Ethnic Chinese: 635,500 (42.5%)
• Malay: 612,300 (41.0%)
• Ethnic Indian: 148,000 (9.9%)
• Others:
  • Bumiputra: 5,600 (0.38%)
  • Non-bumiputra: 91,200 (6.1%)

There were Jewish and Armenian communities in Penang before World War II, but dissipated as a result of the Japanese occupation and the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. A small but commercially significant community of German merchants also existed in Penang. Today, Penang has a sizeable expatriate population especially from Japan and Britain.

The greater metropolitan area of Penang Island, Seberang Prai and neighbouring towns such as Sungai Petani and Kulim has of a population of over 2 million ^*, around the same as metropolitan Johor Bahru and second only to the Klang Valley.

Peranakan

The Peranakan, also known as the Straits Chinese or Baba-Nyonya, are the descendants of the early Chinese immigrants to Penang as well as to Malacca and Singapore. They have partially adopted Malay customs and speak a Chinese-Malay creole. The Peranakan community possesses a distinct identity in terms of food, costume, rites, crafts and culture. Most of the Peranakan Chinese are not Muslims but practise ancestor worship and Chinese religion. The Peranakan, however, is almost extinct today due to their re-absorption into the mainstream Chinese community. However, their legacy lives on in their great cuisine, their nyonya kebaya and exquisite handicrafts.

Language

The common languages of Penang, depending on social classes, social circles, and ethnic backgrounds are English, Penang Hokkien, and Malay. Mandarin, which is taught in Chinese-medium schools in the state, is also increasingly spoken.

Penang Hokkien is a variant of Minnan and is widely spoken by a substantial proportion of the Penang populace who are descendants of early Chinese settlers. It bears strong resemblance to the language spoken by Chinese living in the Indonesian city of Medan and is based on the Minnan dialect of Zhangzhou prefecture in Fujian province, China, but incorporates a large number of borrowed words from Malay and English. Many Penangites who are not ethnically Chinese are also able to speak in Hokkien. Most Penang Hokkien speakers are not literate in Hokkien but instead read and write in standard (Mandarin) Chinese, English and/or Malay.

Malay is spoken locally with north-western dialect features, such as hang for "you" and depa for "they/them".

English is a working language widely used in business and commerce, as well as being the language of instruction of Science and Mathematics in schools. Spoken English, as in the rest of Malaysia, is often in Manglish.

Other languages, Cantonese and Tamil, are also spoken in the state. Teochew is heard more in Province Wellesley than on Penang Island.

History

Early days

Originally part of the Malay sultanate of Kedah, Penang was ceded to the British East India Company in 1786 by the Sultan of Kedah, in exchange for military protection from Siamese and Burmese armies who were threatening Kedah. On 11 August 1786, Captain Francis Light, known as the founder of Penang, hoisted the Union Jack thereby taking formal possession of Penang and renamed it Prince of Wales Island in honour of the heir to the British throne.

The location of the island at the opening of the Straits of Malacca attracted the British East India Company to use the island as a natural harbour and anchorage for their trading ships, and as a naval base to counter growing French ambitions in the region. The settlement on the north-eastern tip of the island was named George Town after King George III of Great Britain.

Unbeknownst to the Sultan, Light had acted without the approval of the East India Company when he promised military protection. When the Company failed to aid Kedah when it was attacked by Siam, the Sultan tried to retake the island in 1790. The attempt was unsuccessful, and the Sultan was forced to cede the island to the Company for an honorarium of 6,000 Spanish dollars per annum. This was later increased to 10,000 dollars, with Province Wellesley (Seberang Prai) being added to Penang in 1800. An annual honorarium of 18,800 ringgit continues to be paid by the Penang State Government to the Sultan of Kedah ^*.

The settlement was first built around the harbour with Fort Cornwallis forming the island's defence. The original four streets of George Town were Beach Street, Light Street, Pitt Street (now Masjid Kapitan Keling Street) and Chulia Street, all of which still form the main thorougfares of the modern city.

Light declared Prince of Wales Island a free port to attract trade away from the Dutch who were then the colonial ruler of the Dutch East Indies. This strategy drew many immigrant traders to Penang. Settlers were allowed to claim whatever land they could clear. By 1789, Penang had 5,000 residents and this doubled by the end of the following decade. The first Chinese settlers in Penang came from an existing community in Kedah, with their leader, called a Kapitan Cina, being Koh Lay Huan, a Baba.^*

Light died of malaria on October 21, 1794 and was buried at the Protestant cemetery at the end of Northam Road (now Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah). His son, William Light went on to found the city of Adelaide in Australia. Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington) arrived in Penang to coordinate the island's defences. In 1800, Lieutenant-Governor Sir George Leith secured a strip of land across the channel from the island and named it Province Wellesley, after Richard Colley Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, Governor-General of India^*.

Early in the 19th century, Penang was used as a staging post for the opium trade between India and China. The East India Company auctioned off licences to gambling dens, brothels and opium traders (this alone accounted for approximately 60% of colonial Penang's revenue.)

In 1805, Penang's colonial status was elevated to that of a Residency. Stamford Raffles arrived in Penang to work for the Governor as an administrative secretary and subsequently founded Singapore in 1819.

Straits Settlements

See also List of Governors of the Straits Settlements

Penang was rocked by the Penang Riots of 1867 which were nine days of heavy street fighting and bloodshed among the secret societies of Penang which spiralled out of the British control, only to be put down with arrival of reinforcements from Singapore. The two principal Chinese secret societies - Cantonese-speaking Ghee Hin and Hakka-speaking Hai San - resented each other over commercial interests, especially in the lucrative tin-mining industry. Today's Cannon Street was so named because of the hole made on the ground from cannon balls fired into the area from Khoo Kongsi. Consequently, the British afforded greater involvement and restored peace and civility.

The opening of Suez Canal in 1869 greatly expanded British trade with the Far East. Colonial Penang prospered through tin and rubber which fed the relentless demands of the Industrial Revolution in Britain. Penang's prosperity attracted people from far and wide, making Penang truly a melting pot of diverse cultures. Apart from the Malays, Chinese and Indians, there were communities of Armenians, Jews, Siamese, Burmese, Germans, Swiss and Achehnese. Though many of them no longer impose a felt presence today, their memory lives on in place names like Burma Road, Rangoon Road, Siam Road, Armenian Street, Acheen Street, Gottlieb Road, Katz Street and the Jewish Cemetery, to name a few.

Cosmopolitan Penang was already a thriving colony of the British Empire in the first decades of the 20th century, counting among its eminent visitors Somerset Maugham, Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling, Noel Coward, Herman Hesse, Karl May, Count Friedrich M. von Hochberg and Hans Sturzenegger.

The Battle of Penang during World War I saw the surprise naval assault in which the German cruiser SMS Emden attacked and sank Allied warships off the harbour of Penang. Otherwise, Penang was relatively unaffected by the Great War.

Second World War

World War II, on the other hand, unleashed unparalleled social upheaval on Penang. With news of the imminent attack of the Japanese, the European population was evacuated beforehand, leaving the rest of Penang's population to suffer under a brutal Japanese occupation, causing much disillusionment and injury to the British prestige and image of invincibility. The British withdrawal left the defenceless island in the hands of a State Committee which had to subdue a three-day civil unrest. Penang was captured by Japanese forces invading from the north through Thailand on 19 December 1941, one of the key stages of the Battle of Malaya. Three and a half years of rule of terror ensued. Japanese forces in Penang finally surrendered to British forces on 6 September 1945. George Town's historic buildings remarkably survived virtually unscathed despite Allied bombings.

It is a little known fact that Penang served as a secret German U-boat base in the Far East. U-511, under the command of Kptlt. Fritz Schneewind, arrived in Penang, then under Japanese occupation in July 1943, followed by U-178 in August 1943This essentially started the U-boat campaign in the Indian Ocean and also provided the Germans with penetration into the Pacific for the first time, alongside their ally, Japan. KK Wilhelm Dommes became the first commander of the U-boat base in Asia. [http://www.uboataces.com/articles-fareast-boats2.shtml

Postwar

In 1946, the Straits Settlements were dissolved, with Sir Shenton Thomas being the last governor, and Penang became part of the Malayan Union, before becoming in 1948 a state of the Federation of Malaya, which gained independence in 1957. In 1963 it became one of the 13 states of Malaysia.

George Town was accorded city status by Queen Elizabeth II on January 1, 1957, thereby becoming the first town in the then Federation of Malaya after Singapore to become a city. The royal charter granting George Town its city status and the petition from the Penang residents to Queen Elizabeth II in this regard are still prominently displayed in the Penang State Museum. However, as a result of local government reorganisations in 1976, the City Council of George Town was merged with the neighbouring Penang Rural District Council to form the Municipal Council of Penang Island. ^* Although the city status was never officially revoked, the state and federal governments are of the view that it has ceased to exist.

Post-Independence

The island's free port status was revoked in 1969. Despite this, from the 1970s to the late 1990s the state built up one of the largest electronics manufacturing bases in Asia, in the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone (FIZ) around the airport in the south of the island.

In 2004, widespread dissatisfaction with the decline of Penang has led to a media campaign to return Penang to its former glory. ^*

Penang suffered some damage from the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, incurring most of the 68 lives lost in Malaysia, mostly picnickers and fishermen.

See also History of modern Penang.

Colonial Legacy

Owing to its long colonial history, many British colonial buildings can still be seen today. Such buildings include the City Hall, the Town Hall, the Eastern & Oriental Hotel (popularly known as the E. & O., est. 1884), The Mansion, the Old Court House, Suffolk House (the residence of Francis Light and subsequently of the Governors of the Straits Settlements), Uplands International School building, Standard Chartered Bank building and the HSBC Bank building. Local conservationists are lobbying the state government to restore many other historical buildings but sadly a number of them have dilapidated beyond repair.

Interestingly, Penang still retains many colonial street names. These include Beach Street, Union Street, Light Street, Downing Street, Anson Road, Macalister Road, Magazine Road, Love Lane, Rope Walk, Gurney Drive, Weld Quay and Western Avenue.

State government

The state has its own state legislature and executive, but these have very limited powers in comparison with those of the Malaysian federal authorities.

Executive

The head of the state executive is a Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia. The present Governor is Tun Dato' Seri Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abbas. In practice the Governor is a figurehead, and he acts upon the advice of the state Executive Council, which is appointed from the majority party in the Legislative Assembly.

The current Chief Minister of Penang, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon is from the Gerakan party whose representatives have held the chief-ministership since 1969. It is the only state chief-ministership in Malaysia which is held by an ethnic Chinese, reflecting the state's ethnic majority. The Chief Minister heads the State Executive Council, the highest administrative body in the state, which answers to the Legislative Assembly. The state Secretariat and other state or federal government departments assist the Executive Council in the state administration.

In May 2005, there were calls by UMNO members from the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN), to rotate the Chief Minister post between BN component parties but the Prime Minister rejected the idea. Analysts have pointed out that if Penang does have a Malay chief minister, by logic the other 11 Malay majority states would also have to have a Chinese or Indian as Chief Minister. From a bigger perspective, this idea would not be feasible to the UMNO-ruled states.

The current Malaysian Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, hails from the mainland town of Kepala Batas, whereas the former Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim is from the town of Bukit Mertajam, also in Province Wellesley.

Local Authorities

There are two local authorities in Penang, the Penang Municipal Council (Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang) and the Municipal Council of Province Wellesley (Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai)[http://www.mpsp.gov.my. Local councillors have been appointed by the state government since local elections were abolished in Malaysia in the 1960s. Both municipal councils are made up of a president, a municipal secretary and 24 councillors. The president is appointed by the State Government for two-year terms of office while the councillors are appointed for one-year terms of office. The state is divided into 5 administrative divisions:

• Penang Island:
  • North-East District (Daerah Timur Laut)
  • South-West District (Daerah Barat Daya)

• Seberang Perai (Province Wellesley):
  • Central Seberang Perai (Seberang Perai Tengah)
  • Northern Seberang Perai (Seberang Perai Utara)
  • Southern Seberang Perai (Seberang Perai Selatan)

Legislative

The unicameral state legislature, whose members are called state assemblymen, convenes at the neoclassical Penang State Assembly (Dewan Undangan Negeri) building at Light Street. It has 40 seats, 38 of which is held by the ruling Barisan Nasional party while the remaining two are held by the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and PAS.

In the Malaysian Parliament, Penang is represented by 13 elected Members of Parliament in the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat), serving a five-year term, and has two senators in the Senate (Dewan Negara), both appointed by the State Assembly to serve a three-year term.

Judiciary

The court system in the Federation had its origin in the 1807 charter known as the First Charter of Justice whereby the British East India Company obtained from the British Crown the right to establish a permanent Court of Judicature in the settlement of Penang, and to appoint the first magistrate and judge who was, incidentally, an uncle of the novelist Charles Dickens. Today, the judicial power is almost completely vested in the Federal court system. The right to a jury trial was available in all cases upon indictment until restricted for all capital cases only in 1978 before being abolished altogether in 1995.

The Penang Prison is located at Jalan Penjara (formerly Gaol Road).

Sister Cities

George Town, the state capital, is a sister city of:

Adelaide, Australia (1973)

Medan, Indonesia (1984)

Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Food

Main article: Penang cuisine

Penang Island is a paradise for food lovers who come from all over Malaysia and Singapore to sample the island's unique cuisine. Penang has been recognised as having the Best Street Food in Asia by TIME magazine in 2004, citing that nowhere else can great tasting food be so cheap. Penang's cuisine reflects the Chinese, Nyonya, Malay and Indian ethnic mix of Malaysia, but is also strongly influenced by the cuisine of Thailand to the north. Its especially famous "hawker food" is sold and eaten by the street feature strongly in noodles and fresh seafood.

Great places to savour Penang's food are Gurney Drive, Pulau Tikus, New Lane, Swatow Lane, Penang Road and Chulia Street.

Arts and Culture

The Penang State Museum houses artefacts and cultural exhibits. The present building, which was formerly the Penang Free School, is actually half a building, the other half of the building having been destroyed by aerial bombing during World War II. A bronze cast of Captain Francis Light, used to stand outside the museum building. It has since returned to Fort Cornwallis where it was first unveiled by the colonial administration. A small museum, it has a fine collection of old photographs, maps and historical records charting the growth of Penang from the days of Francis Light.

The Penang State Art Gallery showcases the works of local artists. A newer gallery, the ABN Amro-USM Art Gallery, located at Beach Street, has recently been established to promote art awareness among Penang citizens.

The Universiti Sains Malaysia Museum and Gallery possesses a large ethnographic and performing arts section with a special exhibition on wayang kulit. The art gallery features works by Malaysian artists.

Penang has a relatively active arts scene. The Penang State Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (Pessoc) is a government-supported youth orchestra and choir. The Penang Symphony Orchestra is another amateur orchestra. Other groups include the Penang State Huayue Orchestra (a Chinese instrumental orchestra), ProArt Chinese Orchestra, the Fingerprints choir, and many other school-based musical groups.

The Actors’ Studio Greenhall performs stage plays from time to time.

Penang hosts the annual Penang-YTL Arts Festival in December, with theatrical performances, contemporary and traditional dances, art and photography exhibitions, as well as concerts of classical and modern music. The programmes are drawn up by the Penang Arts Council every year and are partly sponsored by the YTL Group of Companies, a corporate patron of the arts scene in Malaysia.

Penang is also home to the indigenous boria, a fading art form with singing and dancing once popular among the local Malay community.

Lion dance is an ancient art form brought from China by early Chinese immigrants, and over time has evolved into a distinctive Malaysian style. The earliest record of lion dancing in Malaysia was the official registration of a Penang lion dance troupe back in 1903 but it is indisputable that the Chinese community had been practising it long before then. The Chinese place special significance to this dazzling form of art, associating it good luck, power, strength, majesty and happiness ^*. Today lion dance remains actively performed especially during Chinese New Year and also during the opening of new businesses.

Festivals and Carnivals

Chingay is a Penang festival which is held every year as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations and also during the birthdays of Chinese deities. Its history stretched back to 1880. At the turn of the century, Penang became famous for its "Giant Flags Procession". Flag bearers carry and balance giant flag poles (some 10m high) on their shoulders, chins and foreheads then tossing them to the next bearers. Chingay later spread to other states and Singapore.

Penang hosts the annual Penang International Dragon Boat Festival. Established in 1979, this event attracts competitors from as far as the United States, Japan, South Africa and the Netherlands. Dragon boat races can trace their roots back to ancient China and have been going on in Penang waters since 1934 ^*. The current festival is held at the Teluk Bahang Dam.

Pesta Pulau Pinang is a lively and colourful carnival held every year in December. The festivity includes open air concerts, variety shows, food bazaars, fun fairs, exhibitions, pet shows, a beauty pageant and many more.

Thaipusam is an annual religious event celebrated by Hindus to commemorate the victory of Lord Murugan over the demons. It falls on a full moon day on the Tamil tenth month of Thai. Devotees and penitents can seen bearing kavadis, and piercing their bodies with hooks and spears without seeming to cause any pain or harm as an act of faith and atonement. The nucleus of the celebration takes place at the Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple at Waterfall Road where the chariot procession ends.

As in other places with a substantial population of Chinese people, Chinese New Year is a grand affair in Penang, celebrated with firecrackers, lion dance, sumptuous feasts and open houses. It is also an occasion for family reunions, visiting friends and relatives, and gift exchanges. Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a Muslim celebration which comes after one month of fasting during Ramadhan. It is a joyous celebration which brings families together and it is the time to seek forgiveness from one another. The Hindu festival Deepavali, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates the triumph of good over evil.

The Hungry Ghost Festival (Phor Tor) is celebrated on a grand scale by the Penang Chinese. The Chinese believe that on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, the gates of hell would open and that the dead souls would be free to roam amongst the living. The Chinese would placate the 'hungry ghosts' by burning incense, making food offerings and performing Chinese opera on makeshift stages. At the end of the month-long festival, a giant effigy of the King of Hell is burned. Throughout the month, it is ill-advised to travel, go out at night, swim or wed.

Nightlife

Penang comes alive at night, with many lively night spots such as pubs, bars, bistros, discos, cafes, and even roadside stalls. The most popular places to go to are Upper Penang Road with its many trendy pubs such as Soho Free House, Cocos and Slippery Senoritas; Chulia Street which is awash with many little bars popular with travellers; Pulau Tikus with its Belissa Row and the likes of Orange Bar and Segafredo; and Gurney Drive with its Gurney Walk and Gurney Place. The seaside resort of Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah also feature many hotel lounges such as Asmara Lounge, The Lounge and Sunset Lounge.

Low-brow eating places like the ubiquitous mamak stalls open till early in the morning, whose signature dishes are roti canai (Indian bread) and teh tarik (milk tea). Also, insatiable Penangites often eat till late at night in places like coffee shops.

Tourism

Places of Interest

Historic centre of George Town

The historic centre of George Town is largely made of nineteenth-century Straits Chinese shophouses, along with Indian and Malay quarters. Anglo-Indian colonial buildings are also to be found amongst elaborate Chinese and Indian temples and Indian-Muslim mosques. George Town has the largest aggregation of pre-war houses (around 12,000), bearing their trademark red terra cotta roofs, in the whole of Southeast Asia.

Chulia Street and Upper Penang Road are the focal points of budget travellers and backpackers due to the many budget hotels and guesthouses. These roads are vibrant and especially colourful at night due to the many nightspots and bars catering mostly to travellers.

Fort Cornwallis, (or in Malay "Kota Lama") originally built of wood, marks the place where Cpt. Francis Light landed on Penang. Adjacent to the fort is the seaside Esplanade and the newly restored (2005) City Hall (built in 1903) and Town Hall.

The house at 120 Armenian Street looks rather unassuming but was in reality a significant address. It was here that Sun Yat Sen plotted the 1911 Chinese Revolution to overthrow the Qing dynasty in China and also where he raised funds from the pro-republican Chinese immigrants in Penang. It was here too that Malaysia's oldest Chinese newspaper, Kwong Wah Yit Poh was born. The newspaper was the brainchild of Dr Sun who wanted it to disseminate the ideology of the Kuomintang.

The Khoo Kongsi, Cannon Square, is a large Chinese clanhouse with elaborate and highly ornamented architecture, a mark of the dominant presence of the Chinese in Penang. It is located in the heart of the oldest part of the city, in the midst of narrow, winding lanes and quaint-looking pre-War houses exuding a palpable old world charm.

The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion on Leith Street is a large indigo-blue mansion once owned by its namesake Chinese tycoon in the 19th century. The mansion has 38 rooms, 5 granite-paved courtyards, 7 staircases and 220 vernacular timber louvre windows. The mansion was saved from demolition by a coalition of local conservationists who purchased it in 1989 and painstakingly restored it to its former grandeur over the next 7 years. The restoration project was accorded the Malaysian National Architectural Award for Conservation in 1995 and it went on to win international accolades when it bagged the Most Excellent Project of UNESCO's Asia Pacific Heritage Awards in 2000. Today, guided historical tours are conducted daily and the mansion is also available for private functions and owner-hosted home-stays. ^*

Historic Places of Worship

Penang is an extremely tolerant society which accommodates many different beliefs. The historic religious enclave in Inner George Town lays testament to this. On the same short street of Masjid Kapitan Keling, one can find the Kapitan Keling Mosque, the Goddess of Mercy Temple and the St George's Church. Further away are the Maha Mariamman Temple at Queen Street and the Acheen Street Mosque.

The Kapitan Keling Mosque was built in 1800. The name Kapitan Keling denotes the leader of the South Indian Muslim community. The land on which the mosque stands was granted to the Indian Muslim community by then Lieutenant General of Penang, Sir George Leith.

The Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) Temple (popularly known as Kuan Yin Teng) is a Chinese temple built in 1801 by early Chinese settlers. It survived the Japanese bombings during World War II intact. The square in front of the temple is where Chinese operas are often performed during the goddess' feast day.

The St George's Church, built from convict labour, lies at the junction of Masjid Kapitan Keling Street and Farquhar Street. Built in 1816, it is the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia.

Parks and Gardens

Penang Botanical Gardens is a sprawling conservational cum recreational park. Located at the outskirts of George Town, it forms the green lung of the city. There are many hiking trails which take hikers through pristine forests. In the evening, one can see people practising tai chi, jogging, strolling, or simply soaking in the natural setting. The gardens are famous (maybe infamous) for their free-roaming macaques. The no-feeding directive is not always heeded by visitors.

Near the Penang Botanic Gardens is the Youth Park which is equipped with playing fields, an extreme sports court, a skating rink, jungle trekking trails, basketball courts, a shooting and archery range, playgrounds, an open air theatre and a cafeteria.

The Teluk Bahang Recreational Forest gives visitors a good introduction to the Malaysian rainforests. A forestry museum located within the vicinity provides details of the forest’s feature and history, while an arboretum presents the many varieties of local and exotic flora. The forest has many mini waterfalls.

The northwest tip of the Penang Island has been gazetted as the Penang National Park (formerly Pantai Acheh Forest Reserve), reputed to be the smallest national park in the world at 2,562 hectares. The predominantly dipterocarp forest is one of few remaining virgin forests on the island. The park is noted as a refuge for migratory birds and for its rich flora as well as for its meromictic lake (Malaysia's only). With 104 species of birds in addition to 140 species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians ^* within such a compact area, this park is a paradise for bird-watchers and nature lovers.

Bukit Panchor Recreational Forest, located 10 km from Nibong Tebal and 50 km from George Town, is a 8-hectare area within the Bukit Panchor Forest Reserve which is ideal for camping, picnicking and forest trekking.

Penang Butterfly Farm, located at Teluk Bahang, showcases hundreds of varieties of butterflies from around the world, purportedly to be one of the largest in the region.

The Tropical Spice Garden in Teluk Bahang, opened in 2003, is a refreshing garden showcasing over 500 species of local and foreign flora including various herbs and spices set amidst a lush nature conservation.

Penang Bird Park, situated in Bukit Mertajam on the mainland Seberang Perai, houses as many as 3,000 birds from 300 species, half of which native to Malaysia, including ostriches, hornbills, sunbirds and parrots.

Other parts of Penang

Gurney Drive is popular among locals and tourists for its hawker food. A huge variety of local cuisine can be found here where patrons eat in an open-air condition. The food prices are generally higher though due to its fame as a tourist hotspot.

Penang Hill (in Malay "Bukit Bendera") is accessible by the funicular train or otherwise by road or hiking, the most popular route being the one at the Penang Botanic Gardens. The hill is the highest elevation on the island, commanding breathtaking scenery of the entire city.

Kek Lok Si Temple at Air Itam is the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. Continuously expanded and renovated since its establishment in the late 19th century, it is a temple complex of noteworthy architecture and beauty. Perhaps the most famous feature in the temple complex is the 30.2 m colossal bronze statue of the Goddess of Mercy (Avalokitesvara or Guanyin), an important Buddhist bodhisattva, which stands on the hill slope behind the temple complex.

Batu Ferringhi is a stretch of beautiful beaches popular to tourists and locals as a place for picnics and water sports. It is dotted with a great many world-class hotels and service apartments. Once primarily a holiday resort, Batu Ferringhi is now a bustling and lively township, most visibly at night when traders set up stalls along the main street selling various items and curios. A good place for fine dining as well.

The Sleeping Buddha Temple (Wat Chayamangkalaram) located off Burma Road is a Siamese Buddhist temple housing a colossal Buddha in the reclining position. The architecture of the temple is noteworthy. Directly opposite this is the Dharmikara Burmese temple.

The Snake Temple in Bayan Lepas houses many harmless snakes slithering around inside the temple.

The more rural South West Penang Island district of Penang produces durians of high quality, priced for their exquisite taste and varieties. The famed Balik Pulau durians often fetch high prices and are exported to as far as Hong Kong. Nutmegs are another trademark produce of Penang.

Shopping

Penang is a popular place to shop in the northern peninsular region. Goods cheap and luxurious can be found in places ranging from narrow lanes to modern shopping malls. Numerous shopping complexes on the island offer a variety of goods both locally made and imported at competitive prices.

The main shopping complexes in Penang are Gurney Plaza on Gurney Drive, Prangin Mall on Prangin Road and the adjoining and older KOMTAR (Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak), Island Plaza on Tanjong Tokong Road, 1 Stop Midlands Park in Pulau Tikus, Bukit Jambul Complex at Bukit Jambul, and Megamall Pinang in Seberang Perai. Many hypermarkets have sprouted throughout Penang offering vast array of goods at relatively low prices. These are French chain store Carrefour, Macro, British chain store Tesco, Giant and Sunshine Farlim.

Traditional shopping places are conveniently concentrated in easily accessible Inner George Town. Shops selling things from textiles and electronic gadgets to Chinese medicine and local foodstuffs are to be found in Penang Road, Chowrasta Market, Campbell Steet, Kimberley Street, Little India, Chulia Street and Masjid Kapitan Keling Street. Another favourite place to shop for locals is the pasar malam or night market. These markets usually operate in the suburbs along roadsides, on vacant ground or field. The venue for operations change nightly or after a few nights, returning to the same place from time to time. Night markets are favourite places for families to "eat and stroll" while shopping for cheap clothes, household items, fruits and various knick-knacks.

Hotels

There are many fine hotels in Penang, from the five-star luxurious resort hotels to the many economical but reasonably comfortable budget hotels in Inner George Town. Among the preferred hotels in the city are Sunway Hotel, Traders Hotel, Sheraton Hotel, Cititel, City Bayview Hotel, and the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, a famous historic hotel.

In the coastal resort township of Batu Ferringhi are situated many luxurious hotels such as Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang and Golden Sands Hotels, the Penang Mutiara Hotel, Casuarina Beach Hotel, Grand Plaza Parkroyal, the Lone Pine Hotel, Holiday Inn as well as service apartments like Merit Sri Sayang.

Economy

Penang state is today the third-largest economy amongst the states of Malaysia, after Selangor and Johor. Manufacturing is the most important component of the Penang economy, contributing 45.9% of the State's GDP (2000). The southern part of the island is highly industrialised with high-tech electronics plants (such as Dell, Intel, AMD, Motorola, Agilent, Hitachi, Osram, Bosch and Seagate) located within the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone. In January 2005, Penang was formally accorded the Multimedia Super Corridor Cyber City status, the first outside of Cyberjaya, with the aim of becoming a high-technology industrial park that conducts cutting-edge research.

The entrepôt trade has greatly declined, due in part to the loss of Penang's free-port status, but also due to the active development of Port Klang near the federal capital Kuala Lumpur. However, there is a container terminal in Butterworth which continues to service the northern area.

Other important sectors of Penang's economy include tourism, finance, shipping and other services.

The Penang Development Corporation (PDC) is the state development agency to develop, plan, implement and promote development projects in the form of socio-economic interests on behalf of the State Government of Penang. It functions as the investment arm of the state government.

Agriculture

Penang agriculture is mainly made up of the major export crops of rubber and oil palm and some cocoa, the food commodities comprising paddy, fruits, coconut, vegetables, livestock which is dominated by poultry and swine, fisheries and aquaculture, and new emerging industries such as ornamental fishes and floriculture^*.

Owing to limited land size and the highly industrialised nature of Penang's economy, agriculture is given little emphasis. In fact, agriculture is the only sector to record negative growth in the state, contributing only 1.3% to the state GDP in 2000. The share of Penang's paddy area to the national paddy area accounts for only 4.9%

Banking

Penang was the centre of banking of Malaysia at a time when Kuala Lumpur was still a small outpost. The oldest bank in Malaysia, Standard Chartered Bank opened its doors in 1875. Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, now known as HSBC traced its history back to the opening of the first HSBC office in Penang in 1885. The Dutch-based ABN AMRO Bank opened its first office in Penang in 1888 to cater to the financial requirements of the early European traders. Most of the older banks still maintain their local headquarters on Beach Street, the old commercial centre of George Town.

Today, Penang remains a banking hub with branches of Citibank, United Overseas Bank, and Bank Negara Malaysia together with local banks like Public Bank, Maybank, Ambank and Bumiputra-Commerce Bank.

Education

Schools

Penang boasts of a good system of education stretching back to the early days of the British administration. Many of the public schools in Penang are among the oldest in the country and even in the region as a whole. Most notable of these are:

• Penang Free School, the oldest English school in the country as well as Southeast Asia, is the former school of Tunku Abdul Rahman, the nation’s founding Prime Minister, a Perlis Ruler, as well as numerous great personalities of the nation (founded in 1816 by Anglican missionaries);

• St Xavier's Institution (founded 1825);

• Methodist Boys’ School, Penang (founded 1891), the pre-University alma mater of Penang’s present Chief Minister as well as the Prime Minister;

• Convent Light Street, the first girls’ school in the region,

• St George’s Girls School

These pioneer schools formed the backbone of Malaysia’s early education system which has educated generations of rulers, prime ministers, chief ministers, lawmakers, politicians, professionals and people of social standing.

Penang has also long been the centre of a well-developed Chinese private schooling system. These schools were set up by local Chinese associations with donations from wealthy philanthropists, and have historically attracted students from Chinese communities in Thailand and Indonesia, where Chinese education was banned.

• Chung Hwa Confucian School (founded 1904) is one of the oldest formal Chinese Schools in Malaysia and is the first to use Mandarin as the medium of instruction instead of the Chinese dialects.

• Chung Ling High School, (founded 9 Feb 1917) the alma mater of Penang's present Chief Minister, Singapore's Minister of Health and one of the key education institutions that help built the nation and the region of South East Asia.

Other Chinese schools include Jit Sin High School and Penang Chinese Girls' High School.

Penang also has two international schools to meet the needs of the expatriate community. These are Dalat American School and the International School of Penang (Uplands).

Tertiary Education

Penang is also home to the Universiti Sains Malaysia (popular acronym USM), established in 1969, the second oldest university in Malaysia after the University of Malaya. Its main campus is situated in Gelugor while its engineering campus is located in Seri Ampangan in Province Wellesley. The university’s medical faculty is in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan on the east coast. With 35 000 students in 2005, USM is the biggest university in terms of enrolment in Malaysia. In March 2006 USM is also earmarked as one of four research-intensive universities in Malaysia. Within the expansive and undulating university grounds can be found lakes, hillocks, and swathes of trees, making it a very ‘green’ university.

Penang is also known as a regional education hub attracting students from foreign countries. The Penang Medical College is a private medical college in Penang. Other colleges include Disted College, INTI College, Equator Academy of Art, Olympia College, Institut Perkim-Goon (IPG) and Han Chiang College.

Although it has been an important centre of education, Penang is one of the states in Malaysia that suffers from brain drain. The Malaysian New Economic Plan has been criticised by many people to be one of the key contributors to this social effect. However, this is not the only factor. University graduates do not have much opportunity to experience cutting-edge technologies in many areas of industry, from hard sciences (e.g. nanotechnology, grid computing, algorithmic research etc.) to high finance (e.g. risk management etc.) to global corporate management.

Infrastructure

Healthcare

Healthcare in Penang is provided by public as well as private hospitals. The healthcare system in Penang is generally considered to be good, and the public healthcare system first established by the colonial authorities was supplemented by healthcare provided by local Chinese charities, and Christian missionaries such as Roman Catholic and Seventh-day Adventist missionary groups.

Penang Island

• Penang General Hospital (main)
• Balik Pulau Hospital

Province Wellesley

• Seberang Jaya Hospital (main)
• Bukit Mertajam Hospital
• Sungai Bakap Hospital
• Kepala Batas Hospital

• Island Hospital
• Gleneagles Medical Centre
• Pantai Mutiara Hospital
• Loh Guan Lye Specialist Centre
• Lam Wah Ee Hospital
• Penang Adventist Hospital
• Tanjung Medical Centre
• Mt Miriam Hospital
• Srigim Medical Centre

In addition to public hospitals are numerous smaller community clinics. Private hospitals supplement the system with better facilities and equipments. These hospitals cater not only to the local population but also to people from other states and health tourists from neighbouring countries. Patients from the Indonesian city of Medan across the Straits regularly visit these hospitals for for quality treatment, and because the cost is less than in places like Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Penang is, therefore, actively promoting health tourism.

Transportation

Bridge and Highways

Penang Island is connected to the mainland by the 13.5-kilometre Penang Bridge (completed in 1985), one of the longest bridges in Asia. On March 31 2006, the Malaysian Government announced a second bridge project, tentatively named the Penang Second Link, to be built under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Penang on the side of Province Wellesley is connected to the North-South Expressway (Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan), the 966-km long expressway which traverses the western part of Peninsular Malaysia linking major cities and towns. The expressway also incorporates the Penang Bridge.

The controversial Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR) is now under way. The idea of the project is to cut travelling time on the eastern part of the island. Concerned citizens voiced protests over the designated route which will cut across quiet residential areas and will cause some environmental damage. Already the Jelutong Expressway has reduced travelling time from the Penang Bridge to the city centre by half.

The Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) is a 14-km tolled expressway that serves primarily Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam to ameliorate the upsurge in vehicular traffic due to intense urban and industrial development.

Unfortunately, modern transportation has also brought the problem of traffic congestion to Penang's roads, as most of the roads in the city centre are narrow, due to lack of proper planning. As traffic congestions worsen by the year, the government desperately needs to come up with a comprehensive solution to the erratic public transportation problem.

Public Transport

Penang boasted an efficient public transport network right up to the 1970s. Electric trams, trolleybuses and double deckers used to ply the streets of Penang. The Penang Hill Funicular Railway was an engineering feat of sorts when it was completed in 1923.

The Penang bus services today are generally unsystematic and do not have a reputation of reliability. Therefore, the usage of public transportation is still low, exacerbating the traffic jams in the city during rush hours. The city council has, however, provided free shuttle bus services for short intra-city travel to lessen the congestion, with mixed success. In April 2006, the local authorities announced a revamp of the public bus service to bring about a more reliable and efficient network without any visible progress.

There are two main bus terminals for express buses which travel out of the state. One is located at the ferry terminal in Province Wellesley, and a newer one at Sungai Nibong on the island.

Taxis in Penang have not conformed to the meter system as exhorted by the federal authorities, citing unprofitability. But this might soon change.

Penang has had a monorail under consideration since 1999. The Penang Monorail project was finally approved on March 31 2006 under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

A quaint mode of transportation, the three-wheeled trishaw, still operates in certain parts of George Town. However, with the advent of modern transportation, the trishaw has increasingly become a mere tourist attraction.

Rail

Butterworth is serviced by the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) or Malayan Railway West Coast line which runs from Padang Besar on the Malaysia-Thailand Border in Perlis to Singapore. Senandung Malam is the daily night express running from Kuala Lumpur to Haadyai via Butterworth. Trains are not a popular mode of tranportation due to their low speed and also because of the availability of buses which are more convenient, as well as high ownership of cars.

Airport

Penang International Airport (PEN) is located in Bayan Lepas in the south of the island, and international flights are available to London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Medan, Taipei, Bangkok, Bangalore, Seoul, Riau, Xiamen and Guangzhou. The airport serves as the northern gateway to Malaysia.

Ferry and Seaports

Ferry services are available between George Town and Butterworth (where the nearest Malayan Railway station is located), to the resort island of Langkawi in the north as well as to Medan, Indonesia. Before the Penang Bridge was built in 1985, the ferry was the only link between the island and the mainland. Ferry services are provided by Penang Ferry Service.

The Port of Penang is operated by the Penang Port Commission. There are four terminals, one on Penang island (Swettenham Pier) and three on the mainland, namely North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT), Butterworth Deep Water Wharves (BDWW), and Prai Bulk Cargo Terminal (PBCT). Malaysia being the 13th largest exporting nation, the Port of Penang plays a leading role in the nation's shipping industry, linking Penang to more than 200 ports worldwide. Swettenham Pier also accommodates cruise ships.

Utilities

Water supply which comes under the state jurisdiction, is wholly managed by the state-owned but autonomous PBA Holdings Bhd whose sole subsidiary is the Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang Sdn Bhd (PBAPP). This public limited company provides reliable, round-the-clock drinking water to 100% of the urban areas and 99% of the rural areas throughout the state. Penang was cited by the World Development Movement as a case study in successful public water scheme. PBA's water rates are also one of the lowest in the world ^*. Penang's water supply is sourced from the Air Itam Dam, Mengkuang Dam, Teluk Bahang Dam, Bukit Panchor Dam, Berapit Dam, Cherok Tok Kun Dam, Waterfall Reservoir, Guillemard Reservoir, and also from neighbouring Kedah state.

Penang was among the first states in Malaya to be electrified in 1905 upon the completion of the first hydroelectric scheme. At present, electricity for industrial and domestic consumption is provided by the national electricity utility company, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB).

Telekom Malaysia Berhad is the landline telephone service provider as well as the main Internet service provider in the state. Penang also has excellent cell phone coverage.

Garbage collection and disposal is managed by the respective local authorities. The main landfill is the modern Pulau Burung landfill near Nibong Tebal.

Sewage treatment in Penang is managed by the national sewerage company, Indah Water Konsortium. Prior to systematic sewerage piping and treatment, waste water was haphazardly disposed, mostly in the sea, causing environmental pollution. It is not uncommon to see washing water from roadside pushcart stalls simply released into the open drainage system. Litter floating in drains and canals is not an uncommon sight.

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

Penang is one of the hotbeds of social activism in the country. The country's most vocal and active consumer protection group, Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) strives to protect the interests of consumers and is a vociferous critic of both the government and private enterprises. It publishes the Utusan Konsumer, Utusan Pengguna, Utusan Cina, Utusan Tamil, Majalah Pengguna Kanak-kanak.

The Penang Heritage Trust is an NGO whose objective is to promote the conservation of Penang's heritage, and to foster cultural education about the history and heritage of Penang. PHT works to enlist the historic enclave of George Town as a World Heritage Site. The organisation had played an important role in saving many heritage buildings in Penang from the pressure of development.

The Women's Centre for Change Penang (WCC) is a non-profit organisation which supports women and children in crisis. Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens Society is a voluntary organisation dedicated to supporting the botanic, horticultural, educational and recreational objectives of the Penang Botanic Gardens.

Sports

The state has good sporting facilities which provide good training grounds for aspiring sportsmen. The two major stadia are the City Stadium in George Town and the Batu Kawan Stadium in southern Province Wellesley. The Penang International Sports Arena (PISA) has an indoor stadium and an aquatic centre.

Penang has 4 golf courses, namely the 18-hole Bukit Jambul Country Club (on the island), the 36-hole Bukit Jawi Golf Resort, the 18-hole Penang Golf Resort and the 18-hole Kristal Golf Resort.

The Penang Turf Club, established in 1864, is Malaysia's oldest horse racing and equestrian centre. The turf club is to be relocated to a new site now under construction in Province Wellesley.

Eminent sports clubs in Penang include the Penang Club, Chinese Recreation Club (CRC), Penang Motor Sports Club, Penang Rifle Club, Penang Polo Club, Penang Swimming Club, Chinese Swimming Club, Penang Squash Centre and the prestigious Penang Yacht Club in Batu Ferringhi.

A marina, named Tanjung City Marina which can accommodate up to 140 yachts and boats of various sizes has been built in Weld Quay to attract seafarers from around the world.

Penang also hosts the annual Starwalk and the Penang Bridge Run and Marathon.

Consulates

Foreign representations in Penang:

Royal Thai Consulate-General

Consulate-General of Japan

Australian Consulate

Royal Danish Consulate

Royal Norwegian Consulate

Honorary Consulate of Sweden

German Consulate

Indonesian Consulate

Consulate-General of France

Honorary Consulate of Finland

Office of the Honorary British Consul

Famous Penangites

• Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysia's fifth Prime Minister, is from Kepala Batas, Penang.
• Anwar Ibrahim, the ex-deputy prime minister during Tun Dr Mahathir's administration, whose hometown is Cherok Tok Kun.
• Abdullah Ariff, the distinguished Malaysian artist.
• P.Ramlee, Malaysia's legendary actor/singer/director.
• James W (Jimmy) Boyle (1922-1971), legendary composer, arranger and musician.
• Musicians Larry Rodrigues, Rudy Baum, Joe Rozells, Collen Read.
• Jimmy Choo, the famous shoe designer.
• Badminton legends such as Johnny Heah, Ooi Teik Hock, Lim Say Hup, Teh Kew San, Tan Aik Huang, Tan Aik Mong and the four-time All England Open Badminton Championships champion ^*, Eddy Choong.
• Dr. Wu Lien Teh (1879 - 1960), world-renowned Plague Fighter and pioneer in the modernization of China's public health system
• Nicol David, the current international women's squash champion.
• Tan Sri Dato' Loh Boon Siew, a tycoon famous for his Boon Siew Honda.
• Zainal Akhiruddin, an international facilitator of Enlivening Self-Excellence and FranklinCovey curriculum.
• Anwar Fazal, who Mother Earth News called in 1983 "probably the most influential figure in the worldwide consumer movement"^*.
• Datuk Hj. Zainal Alam SM Zainul Abidin, the legendary broadcaster dubbed the "Malaysian Minister of Mirth and Entertainment".

Gallery

Quotes

"As one lands on Penang one is impressed even before reaching the shore by the blaze of colour in the costumes of the crowds which throng the jetty."
- Isabella Bird, 19th century English traveller and writer.

Trivia

• Penang was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek. It was ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000.
• The Municipal Council of Penang Island (Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang), is the successor of the Municipal Council of George Town, which was established in 1857 as Malaysia's first local authority.
• Covering 738 km², the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) is the largest local authority in Malaysia.
• Penang was the shooting location for a number of movies, most notably 20th Century Fox's Anna and the King, Indochine, and The Myth
• Many early settlers succumbed to malaria, earning Penang the unenviable epithet of "the White Man's Grave".
• Among many Penang's firsts, the country's very first newspaper made its appearance in Penang in 1805- the Prince of Wales Island Gazette. This was followed by the Penang Gazette, first published in 1837. ^*

Travel Information

For further details on hotels and other travel related information please visit http://www.impressions.com.my/penang.htm

References