A cosmopolitan, multi-cultural population emerged, comprising Chinese , Malay , Indian , Peranakan , Eurasian , Thai and other ethnicities. However, the population growth also created social problems, such as inadequate sanitation and public health facilities, as well as rampant crime. Also in the same year, the Straits Settlements was made a British crown colony , to be governed directly by the Colonial Office in London. With improved access to education, a greater level of participation in municipal affairs by its Asian residents and substantial press freedom, George Town was perceived as being more intellectually receptive than Singapore.
World War II , on the other hand, brought unparalleled social and political upheaval to Penang. In early December , Japanese warplanes indiscriminately strafed and bombed George Town, and wiped out the defending Allied air squadrons. Not only did the British abandon the Batu Maung Fort south of the city, they also covertly evacuated Penang's European population, leaving the rest of the populace to their fates. George Town fell to the Imperial Japanese Army on 19 December , marking the start of a brutal period of Japanese occupation. George Town's harbour facilities were also put to use as a major U-boat base by Nazi Germany.
Between and , Allied bombers based in India repeatedly bombed George Town , seeking to destroy the naval facilities and administrative centres. Following the Japanese surrender on 15 August , the Penang Shimbun , a Japanese newspaper, published the proclamation of surrender issued by the Emperor of Japan. After a period of military administration , the British dissolved the Straits Settlements in and proceeded to merge the Crown Colony of Penang into the Malayan Union , which was then replaced with the Federation of Malaya in However, the absorption of the British colony of Penang into Malaya alarmed Penang's population over economic and ethnic concerns.
The British government responded to the concerns raised by the secessionists by guaranteeing George Town's free port status, as well as reintroducing municipal elections in George Town in In the following years, George Town retained its free port status, as guaranteed by the British colonial authorities before granting independence to Malaya.
This was not to last, however - in , the Malaysian federal government revoked George Town's free port status, sparking massive unemployment in the city. This also marked the start of George Town's decline, which lasted up to the early s. In a bid to revitalise George Town, the Komtar project was launched in Hundreds of shophouses, schools and temples, as well as whole streets, were demolished in order to make way for the construction of Penang's tallest skyscraper. The city's decline continued into the early s.
In , the Rent Control Act, which had protected the low-income residents and smaller businesses within the city centre from arbitrary rental hikes, was repealed. Meanwhile, an incoherent urban planning policy and poor traffic management led to worsening traffic congestion, while decades of brain drain also took its toll as the city lacked the expertise to regulate urban development. In response, George Town's non-governmental organisations and the national press galvanised public support and formed strategic partnerships for the conservation of the historic buildings, and to restore the city to its former glory.
The Indian Ocean tsunami which struck in hit the western and northern coasts of Penang Island , including George Town, claiming 52 lives out of 68 in Malaysia. Whilst George Town had been declared a city by Queen Elizabeth II in , the jurisdiction of the city was expanded by the Malaysian federal government to encompass the entirety of Penang Island in The jurisdiction of George Town covers an area of While the central hills have somewhat limited the westward urban sprawl, George Town's expansion is more evident southward along the eastern seaboard of Penang Island, creating the suburbs of Jelutong and Gelugor , the latter merging with the northward development of Bayan Lepas.
As with most island cities, land scarcity is a pressing issue in George Town. Land reclamation projects have been carried out to provide more low-lying land at high-demand areas, such as at Gurney Drive , Tanjung Tokong and Jelutong.
Unlike other cities in Malaysia, George Town still retains most of its English street names. Pitt Street vs Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling , Northam Road vs Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah , but also reflects a strong conservatism in the local population, who see Penang's colonial history as part of their local identity.
Since , multi-lingual road signs have been in use throughout Penang Island. Each of the new road signs shows the street's official Malay name and either the street's English, Chinese, Tamil or Arabic name. The expansion of George Town has created suburbs to its northwest, west and south. The northwestern suburbs are somewhat more affluent, given their seafront locations which attract tourists and expatriates.
Since the s, massive industrialisation around Bayan Lepas , which created the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone , led to the rapid urbanisation of the southeastern corner of Penang Island as well.
The most popular beaches of George Town are situated along the city's northwestern suburbs, specifically Batu Ferringhi , Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong. Several hotels and resorts have been established along these locations, including Hard Rock Hotel. In particular, Gurney Drive forms part of the city's second Central Business District , and is a shopping haven with two upmarket shopping malls - Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon. The central hills of Penang Island , situated to the west of George Town, serve as a gigantic green lung and water catchment area for the urbanised island.
Today, it serves as a major recreational area, receiving about 5, visitors every weekend. The city is also home to the world's smallest national park - the Penang National Park. George Town's proximity to the island of Sumatra makes it susceptible to dust particles carried by wind from the perennial but transient forest fires, creating a yearly phenomenon known as the Southeast Asian haze.
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Weather forecast in George Town is served by the Penang Meteorological Office in Bayan Lepas , which acts as the primary weather forecast facility for northern Peninsular Malaysia. Local administration of George Town and all of Penang Island is carried out by the Penang Island City Council , which comes under the purview of the Penang state government. With a history dating back to , it is Malaysia's oldest local government and the successor to the nation's first city council - the George Town City Council. Headquartered in the City Hall , the city council is responsible for urban planning, heritage preservation, public health, sanitation, waste management, traffic management, environmental protection, building control, social and economic development, and general maintenance of urban infrastructure.
The Mayor of Penang Island is appointed by the Penang state government every two years, while each of the 24 councillors is appointed for a one-year term. The city is also represented by six Members of Parliament in the Malaysian Parliament , who are elected via the Malaysian General Election. The Malaysian legal system had its roots in George Town.
By , Penang was accorded a Royal Charter which provided for the establishment of a Supreme Court and the appointment of the first Supreme Court judge, designated as the Recorder. Today, the Malaysian judiciary has become largely centralised. The courts in George Town consist of the Magistrates, Sessions and the High Court, the latter of which sits at the top of Penang's judicial system.
According to the Census conducted by the Malaysian federal government , George Town had a population of , In addition, Greater Penang , which also covers Seberang Perai , and parts of neighbouring Kedah and Perak , was home to 2,, residents as of [update]. These are in addition to small, but prominent, Eurasian and Siamese minorities.
The Peranakans, descendants of mixed Malay and Chinese ancestries, were once the political and business elites in George Town. They held the top positions in some of the city's most influential associations, such as the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Penang Straits Chinese British Association.
George Town currently has a sizeable expatriate population, especially from Singapore, Japan and various Asian countries as well as the United Kingdom, many of whom chose to retire in Penang as part of Malaysia My Second Home programme. As with other multi-ethnic cities in Malaysia, all four major languages are widely spoken in George Town - Malay , English , Chinese and Tamil. However, George Town, and by extension Penang, is best known for its distinct Hokkien dialect, known as Penang Hokkien. During the British colonial era, English was the official language.
This was helped by the mushrooming of missionary schools throughout George Town, all of which used English as their medium of instruction and were held in high esteem by the locals. As in the rest of Malaysia, Malay is currently the official language in George Town. The city's Malays also use a variant of the Kedah Malay dialect, with slight modifications made to the original dialect to suit the conditions of a cosmopolitan city.
George Town, Penang
Punjabi and Telugu are also spoken by smaller numbers of Indians. Mandarin , more widely used by youths, has been the medium of instruction in Chinese schools throughout Penang. However, Penang Hokkien serves as the lingua franca of George Town. Originally a variant of the Minnan dialect, over the centuries, Penang Hokkien has incorporated a large number of loanwords from Malay and English.
It is spoken by many Penangites regardless of race for communication purposes. Since the s, manufacturing formed the backbone of Penang 's economy, generating George Town was the centre of banking in Malaysia at a time when Kuala Lumpur was still a small outpost.
The oldest bank in Malaysia, Standard Chartered , opened its main branch in George Town in to cater to the financial requirements of early European traders. George Town has always been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Malaysia. In recent years, George Town has received numerous international accolades, further putting the city on the world stage. Unlike most other Malaysian cities, George Town does not rely only on air transportation for tourist arrivals.
City Hall, Penang
Aside from the Penang International Airport , Swettenham Pier , conveniently located within the city centre, also serves as one of the major tourist entry points into Penang. As of [update] , Penang attracted almost 8. In addition, a startup community has been growing in the city, which include the likes of Piktochart and DeliverEat. An integral part of Penang's services sector is medical tourism, which has made George Town the medical tourism hub of Malaysia.
The success of George Town's medical tourism industry is mainly due to the specialised medical treatments offered at more affordable costs by the city's numerous private hospitals, coupled with well-trained professionals and advanced equipment. Since , shopping complexes in George Town registered the biggest increases in Malaysia.
While shopping malls now dominate the retail scene in George Town, many centuries-old shophouses are still operating alongside the city's flea markets and wet markets, such as Chowrasta Market. Centuries of development have brought a mix of architectural styles to George Town, both historical and modern.
Aside from colonial European architecture, a huge assortment of Asian architectural styles also exist throughout the city. Buildings like the Kapitan Keling Mosque , Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and the Pinang Peranakan Mansion are notable for their architectural styles, which combine diverse cultural influences.
Peranakan townhouses, exemplified by the Sun Yat-sen Museum , dominate the cityscape as well. In the suburbs, the Siamese and Burmese communities have left their mark too; the Buddhist temples at Pulau Tikus include Wat Chaiyamangkalaram and the Dhammikarama Temple. Since the mid 20th century, modern urbanisation has transformed much of George Town.
With increasing urbanisation, high-rises are also springing up within the suburbs of George Town. George Town, long known as the food capital of Malaysia, is renowned for its good and varied street food, incorporating Malay , Chinese , Indian , Peranakan , Thai and European influences into its literal melting pot.
The city has been recognised as one of Asia's top street food cities by the CNN , as well the world's top culinary destination by the Lonely Planet in George Town is the birthplace of a unique form of Chingay procession, which began with its first parade in An annual Chingay parade is held in the city every December, though Chingay performances are also a common feature of Chinese festivities and major state celebrations in Penang. It went into decline in the latter decades of the 20th century and is now a dying art form. In , as part of the annual George Town Festival , Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic created a series of wall murals depicting local culture, inhabitants and lifestyles.
Since then, the street art scene has blossomed. Arts exhibitions are held at the city's numerous cultural centres, such as the Hin Bus Depot. The Penang State Museum and Art Gallery houses relics, photographs, maps, and other artifacts that document the history and culture of Penang. In recent years, private-run museums have sprung up all over the city, such as the Camera Museum and the Penang Toy Museum.
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George Town's cultural melting pot of various races and religions means that there are a great many celebrations and festivities in any given year. The city's expatriates have introduced a host of other celebrations as well. Bon Odori is celebrated yearly at the Esplanade by the Japanese, while St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest , traditionally celebrated by the Irish and the Germans respectively, have also been gaining popularity amongst the locals. In addition, the city hosts several major festivals in any given year.
The George Town Festival , first held in , has evolved into one of the top arts events in Southeast Asia, while the Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta attracts close to , visitors from all over the world. George Town has a relatively well-developed sporting infrastructure. The City Stadium is Penang Island 's main football stadium, with a capacity of about 25, The Penang Bridge International Marathon is a popular annual event.
The full marathon route starts from near Queensbay Mall , then on to the George Town is home to some of the oldest schools in Malaysia, making it a pioneer in the country's education system. Under British rule, missionary schools were set up across George Town.
They were followed by Chinese schools, some of which are also among the oldest in the nation, thus making George Town the nucleus of Chinese education in Southeast Asia. In addition, George Town contains a number of private tertiary educational institutions, as well as one of the premier Malaysian public universities - Universiti Sains Malaysia. There are a total of primary schools, 49 high schools, four Islamic religious schools, two vocational colleges and a technical school throughout George Town. Aside from government-run and private schools, the city has 11 international schools.
Universiti Sains Malaysia , situated at Gelugor , is one of the premier Malaysian public universities. Established in as Malaysia's second university, it was originally named Universiti Pulau Pinang University of Penang. George Town contains a total of 30 libraries. The numerous public and private hospitals in George Town has helped the city to emerge as the centre of medical tourism in Malaysia. The Penang General Hospital , administered and funded by the Ministry of Health , is the main public hospital in George Town and serves as the tertiary referral hospital within northern Malaysia.
There are also 54 government-run clinics throughout George Town, supported by 11 private hospitals and private clinics. George Town became the first Malaysian city to install public automated external defibrillators AEDs , with the launch of the first device in Komtar in George Town was once the centre of Malaysia's print media. The country's first newspaper — the Prince of Wales Island Gazette — was established in the city in The Penang state government also publishes its own multi-lingual newspaper, Buletin Mutiara , which is circulated for free every fortnight.
Due to its well-preserved heritage cityscape, George Town served as the filming location for a number of movies, such as Anna and the King , Lust, Caution and You Mean the World to Me , the latter of which is the first movie to be filmed entirely in Penang Hokkien. Development of George Town's streets and roads is an ongoing process that dates back to the early years of British rule. The city centre is also linked with the western parts of Penang Island, such as Balik Pulau , via the pan-island Federal Route 6. The former bridge was completed in , while the latter, opened in , is currently the longest bridge in Southeast Asia.
George Town was once a pioneer of public transportation in British Malaya. The city's first tram system, then powered by steam, commenced operations in the s. Today, buses form the backbone of public transportation within George Town. Rapid Penang , with over 30 routes on Penang Island , is the sole public bus service provider within George Town.
In addition, open-topped double deckers , known as Hop-On Hop-Off buses, have been introduced for tourists in the city. Efforts are also being undertaken to promote pedestrianisation and the use of bicycles as a greener transportation mode. It is also a hub for two Malaysian low-cost carriers - AirAsia and Firefly.
A number of cruise ships call Swettenham Pier as their homeport, bringing tourists into and out of George Town towards regional destinations like Phuket and Singapore.
Rapid Ferry is a cross-strait shuttle ferry service that connects George Town with the town of Butterworth on the Malay Peninsula. It is the oldest ferry service in Malaysia, dating back to when the first passenger ferry commenced operations. Several nations have either established their consulates or appointed honorary-consulates within George Town. George Town has eight sister cities. The State of Penang also has a sister area partnership with Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, which was ratified in In addition to the sister cities and areas, George Town has inked five other friendship city agreements.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This is the latest accepted revision , reviewed on 15 December This article is about the capital city of Penang. For the island, see Penang Island. For the state, see Penang. Capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang. City and State Capital.
George Town, Penang - Wikipedia
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From our own Correspondent. Penang, 12th August Colonial architecture of Malaysia. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Historical related buildings, memorials, monuments and sites in Malaysia. Retrieved from " https: Views Read Edit View history. In other projects Wikimedia Commons. This page was last edited on 5 December , at By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Edwardian Baroque and Palladian.