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86-456: Penang Road is a major thoroughfare in the city of George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang . It runs between Farquhar Street to the north and Komtar to the south. The road is a one-way road, with the traffic directed southwards towards Komtar. As a major artery within the city centre, Penang Road frequently experiences heavy traffic, as it is home to a number of attractions such as

172-606: A Royal Air Force airfield at Tengah Air Base . Winston Churchill touted it as the " Gibraltar of the East" and military discussions often referred to the base as simply " East of Suez " The base did not have a fleet. The British Home Fleet was stationed in Europe, and the British could not afford to build a second fleet to protect its interests in Asia. The so-called Singapore strategy called for

258-529: A Charter of Justice was granted which mandated the establishment of a "Court of Judicature" composed of the Governor, a recorder and three councillors. The high court was inaugurated at Fort Cornwallis in the following year, with Edmond Stanley as recorder. With the establishment of the court, George Town became the first settlement in British Malaya to possess a modern judicial system. In 1826, George Town

344-457: A brain drain which left it without the expertise to regulate urban development and arrest its decline. In response, George Town's civil societies banded together and galvanised public support for the conservation of historic buildings, and to restore the city to its former glory. Following subsequent heritage conservation efforts, a portion of the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Widespread resentment over

430-502: A city shall continue to be preserved and maintained and shall remain unimpaired by the merger hereby effected". George Town had benefitted from a real estate boom towards the end of the 20th century, but in 2001, the Rent Control Act was repealed, worsening the depopulation of the city's historical core and leaving colonial-era buildings in disrepair. The city also suffered from incoherent urban planning, poor traffic management and

516-828: A coaling station for the Royal Navy and merchant ships. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 dramatically reduced the travel time from Europe to East Asia, again providing a boost for trade. By 1880, over 1.5 million tons of goods were passing through Singapore each year, with around 80% of it transported by steamships and trading ships. The main commercial activity was entrepôt trade which flourished under no taxation and little restriction. Many merchant houses were set up in Singapore mainly by European trading firms, but also by Jewish, Chinese, Arab, Armenian, American and Indian merchants. There were also many Chinese middlemen who handled most of

602-729: A fortress before the outbreak of fighting, the British high command led by Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival decided to abandon the island and secretly evacuate George Town's European population, leaving the settlement's Asian residents undefended against the Japanese advance. According to historian Raymond Callahan, "the moral collapse of British rule in Southeast Asia came not at Singapore, but at Penang". The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) seized George Town on 19 December without encountering any resistance. During Japanese occupation , George Town

688-473: A growth in the private sector. George Town's jurisdiction was expanded by the Malaysian federal government to encompass the entirety of Penang Island and the surrounding islets in 2015. This expansion resulted in an enlargement of the city government's manpower and responsibilities, as well as enhancing the regulation of heritage conservation. The jurisdiction of George Town covers an area of approximately 306 km (118 sq mi), encompassing

774-565: A non-European gentry and middle class, which in turn fostered nascent intellectual activities and political movements. George Town, according to historian Mary Turnbull , emerged as "a Mecca for Asian intellectuals", who perceived it to be more intellectually receptive than Singapore. The settlement was a centre for reformist newspapers, and attracted political and intellectual figures such as Rudyard Kipling , W. Somerset Maugham and Sun Yat-sen . However, political turmoil in Qing China and

860-722: A period in the history of Singapore between 1826 and 1942, during which Singapore was part of the Straits Settlements together with Penang and Malacca . Singapore was the capital and the seat of government of the Straits Settlement after it was moved from George Town in 1832. From 1830 to 1867, the Straits Settlements was a residency, or subdivision, of the Presidency of Bengal , in British India . In 1867,

946-644: A population of 794,313 as of 2020 . Classified as a "Gamma −" city , the second highest in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur , George Town is the commercial centre for northern Malaysia and one of the few high-income economies of the cities outside the Klang Valley . According to Euromonitor International and the Economist Intelligence Unit , George Town has the highest potential for revenue growth among all Malaysian cities and contributed nearly 8 per cent of

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1032-490: A result of the administration's hands-off attitude and the predominantly male, transient, and uneducated nature of the population, the society of Singapore was rather lawless and chaotic. Prostitution , gambling, and drug abuse (particularly of opium) were widespread. Chinese criminal secret societies (analogous to modern-day triads ) were extremely powerful; some had tens of thousands of members, and turf wars between rival societies occasionally led to death tolls numbering in

1118-488: A system in 1792 whereby matters of justice were partially delegated to local leaders. This decision was ratified by Lieutenant-Governor George Leith in 1800. However, further legal disputes meant that under the directives of the Bengal Presidency , this system was replaced by a set of regulations in 1805, drafted by Leith and revised by John Dickens, the presidency's appointed judge and magistrate for Penang. In 1807,

1204-852: A tin mining boom in the Malay Peninsula , the Port of Penang became a leading exporter of tin. By the end of the 19th century, George Town emerged as the foremost financial centre of British Malaya, as mercantile firms and international banks were established. Throughout the century, George Town's population grew rapidly in tandem with economic prosperity. Between 1797 and 1830, an influx of immigrants from all over Asia quadrupled its population. A cosmopolitan population emerged, comprising Chinese , Malay , Indian , Peranakan , Siamese and migrants of mixed European-Asian lineage referred to as "Eurasians". The population growth also created social problems, such as inadequate health facilities and rampant crime, with

1290-490: Is how Lee Kuan Yew , its Prime Minister for 32 years, described Singapore: In these early decades, the island was riddled with opium houses and prostitution , and came to be widely monikered as "Sin-galore" After the First World War , the British government devoted significant resources to building a naval base in Singapore, as a deterrent to the increasingly ambitious Japanese Empire . Originally announced in 1923,

1376-464: Is shaped by centuries of intermingling between various cultures and religions. It has also gained a reputation as Malaysia's gastronomical capital for its distinct culinary scene . The preservation of these cultures contributed to the designation of the city centre of George Town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. George Town was named in honour of King George III , the ruler of Great Britain and Ireland between 1760 and 1820. Prior to

1462-457: Is situated. Over the centuries, the built-up area of George Town has expanded in three directions – along the island's northern coast, south down the eastern shoreline and towards Penang Hill to the west. The surrounding islets within George Town's jurisdiction are Jerejak , Andaman , Udini, Tikus , Lovers' , Betong , Betong Kecil, Kendi and Rimau islands. The riverine systems within

1548-611: Is the busiest cruise terminal in the country. Established as an entrepôt by Francis Light in 1786, George Town was the first British settlement in Southeast Asia , and its proximity to maritime routes along the Strait of Malacca attracted an influx of immigrants from various parts of Asia. It became the capital of the Straits Settlements in 1826, only to lose its administrative status to Singapore in 1832. Shortly before Malaya attained independence from Britain in 1957, George Town

1634-444: Is the densest in the country. Batu Lancang has the largest proportion of Chinese residents in any state constituency. Due to George Town's predominantly Chinese population and the longstanding political consciousness, the city has been regarded as a stronghold for the incumbent Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. As of 2023 , non-Malays formed the majority in 15 out of the 19 state constituencies in George Town, particularly around

1720-547: The Battle of Penang where the Imperial German Navy cruiser SMS Emden sank two Allied warships off the settlement. World War II , on the other hand, caused unprecedented social and political turmoil in George Town. In mid-December 1941, the settlement was subjected to severe Japanese aerial bombardment , forcing inhabitants to flee George Town and take refuge in the jungles. While Penang Island had been designated

1806-568: The British High Commissioner held the power to appoint six more. In 1956, George Town became Malaya's first fully-elected municipality and in the following year, it was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II . This made George Town the first city within the Malayan Federation, and by extension, Malaysia. During the early years of Malaya's independence, George Town retained its free port status, which had been guaranteed by

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1892-613: The Köppen climate classification ( Af ). Weather forecast in George Town is served by the Penang Meteorological Office at Bayan Lepas , which acts as the primary weather forecast facility for northwestern Peninsular Malaysia. The city experiences relatively consistent temperatures throughout the course of the year, with an average high of about 32 °C and an average low of 24°C. It sees on average about 2,477 millimetres (97.5 in) of precipitation annually. Its proximity to

1978-560: The Penang Botanic Gardens and the 2,562 ha (25.62 km ) Penang National Park , was inscribed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in recognition of the area's biodiversity. As land scarcity is a pressing issue in George Town, land reclamation has been extensively undertaken at high-demand areas, such as at Tanjong Tokong and Bayan Lepas . Between 1960 and 2015, George Town expanded by more than 9 km (3.5 sq mi) due to land reclamation that altered much of

2064-457: The Penang state government under an extendable one-year term. As of 2023 , one of the 24 councillor positions has been allocated to the city's non-governmental organisations (NGOs), while the remaining 23 are occupied by component parties of the ruling state government. The mayor since 2023 is Rajendran P. Anthony, the second mayor of Indian descent in the city's history after D. S. Ramanathan and

2150-559: The State Assembly Building in Light Street since 1959. George Town is represented by six Members of Parliament and 19 state constituencies . Prior to 2023, state elections had been conducted simultaneously with nationwide general elections every five years. Tanjong is the smallest parliamentary constituency in Malaysia by area. Padang Kota is the least populated state constituency by population, while Pengkalan Kota

2236-487: The Straits Settlements , under the administration of the East India Company . In 1830, the Straits Settlements became a residency, or subdivision, of the Presidency of Bengal , in British India . This status continued until 1867. During the subsequent decades, Singapore grew to become one of the most important ports in the world. Several events during this period contributed to its success. British intervention in

2322-550: The Straits Settlements . A Municipal Commission for George Town came into being the following year. In 1957, prior to Malaya's independence , Queen Elizabeth II granted George Town city status, making it the first city in the new nation. By then, George Town had also become the first municipality in Malaya to have a fully-elected local government. Following the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation , local government elections across

2408-835: The Xinhai Revolution and established the Republic of China . Overseas Chinese like the immigrant Chinese population in Singapore donated generously to groups like the Tongmenghui, which would eventually evolve into the Kuomintang . Today, this founding is commemorated in the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall - previously known as Sun Yat Sen Villa or Wang Qing Yuan (meaning "House of the Heavens above" in Chinese) - in Singapore where

2494-533: The city centre . In the 2023 state election , PH retained 17 of George Town's state constituencies, with the far-right Perikatan Nasional (PN) opposition bloc seizing two of the Malay-majority seats at the western edge of the city. Parliamentary constituencies State constituencies Singapore in the Straits Settlements Singapore in the Straits Settlements refers to

2580-478: The British official, Stamford Raffles , landed in Singapore to establish a trading port . The island's status as a British outpost was initially in doubt, as the Dutch government soon issued bitter protests to the British government, arguing that their sphere of influence had been violated. The British government and the East India Company were initially worried about the potential liability of this new outpost, but that

2666-423: The British to enlarge and reinforce Fort Cornwallis as the garrison for the settlement. Local governance committees were formed from 1796 to resolve specific matters of administration. However, there were no unified legal systems in place to maintain order in the settlement. Light, who believed that feudal laws instituted by the newly-immigrated settlers were incompatible with British law , initially implemented

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2752-457: The British. The George Town City Council enjoyed full financial autonomy and by 1965, it was the wealthiest local government in Malaysia, with an annual revenue almost double that of the Penang state government . This financial strength allowed the Labour -led city government to implement progressive policies, and to take control of George Town's infrastructure and public transportation. These included

2838-483: The Central Area Transit (CAT) bus service in collaboration with Rapid Penang . In 2025, MBPP projected its estimated revenue at RM433.3 million and an estimated expenditure of RM466.3 million, which included allocations for smart city projects, economic growth, cleanliness, sustainability and urban mobility. After Pakatan Rakyat (predecessor to the incumbent Pakatan Harapan ) was voted into power in 2008 ,

2924-502: The Chinese government imposed, up until the 1860s, on the migration of women. Malays in Singapore were the second largest ethnic group in Singapore until the 1860s. Although many of the Malays continued to live in kampungs , or the traditional Malay villages, most worked as wage earners and craftsmen. This was in contrast to most Malays in Malaya, who remained farmers. By 1860, Indians became

3010-505: The Chinese had become the largest ethnic group in Singapore. During the earliest years of the settlement, most of the Chinese in Singapore had been Peranakans, the descendants of Chinese who had settled in the archipelago centuries ago, who were usually well-to-do merchants. As the port developed, much larger numbers of Chinese coolies flocked to Singapore looking for work. These migrant workers were generally male, poor and uneducated, and had left China (mostly from southern China) to escape

3096-613: The East India Company's monopoly on the China trade, allowing other British companies to enter the market and leading to a surge in shipping traffic. The trade with China was opened with the signing of the Unequal Treaties , beginning in 1842. The advent of ocean-going steamships , which were faster and had a larger capacity than sailing ships , reduced transportation costs and led to a boom in trade. Singapore also benefited by acting as

3182-851: The George Town City Council and the Penang Island Rural District Council were merged to form the Penang Island Municipal Council. This led to a prolonged debate over George Town's city status, in spite of Clause 3 of the Local Government (Merger of the City Council of George Town and the Rural District Council of Penang Island) Order, 1974, which stated that "the status of the City of George Town as

3268-429: The George Town City Council in 1966. Local government elections nationwide were also suspended in the aftermath of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation , never to be reinstated. The period of relative prosperity vis-à-vis the rest of Malaysia came to an end in 1969, when the Malaysian federal government rescinded George Town's free port status. This sparked massive unemployment, brain drain and urban decay within

3354-475: The Malay peninsula from the 1820s onwards culminated, during the 1870s, in the formation of British Malaya . During this period, Malaya became an increasingly important producer of natural rubber and tin , much of which was shipped out through Singapore. Singapore also served as the administrative centre for Malaya until the 1880s, when the capital was shifted to Kuala Lumpur . In 1834, the British government ended

3440-459: The Straits Settlements a Crown colony on 1 April 1867, receiving orders directly from the Colonial Office rather than from India. As a Crown Colony, the Straits Settlements was ruled by a governor, based in Singapore, with the assistance of executive and legislative councils . Although the councils were not elected, more representatives for the local population were gradually included over

3526-427: The Straits Settlements administration became increasingly apparent. Apart from the indifference of British India's administrators to local conditions, there was immense bureaucracy and red tape which made it difficult to pass new laws. Singapore's merchant community began agitating against British Indian rule, in favour of establishing Singapore as a separate colony of Britain. The British government finally agreed to make

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3612-734: The Straits Settlements became a separate Crown colony , directly overseen by the Colonial Office in Whitehall in London. The period saw Singapore establish itself as an important trading port and developed into a major city with a rapid increase in population. The city remained as the capital and seat of government until British rule was suspended in February 1942 , when the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Singapore during World War II . In 1819,

3698-564: The administration was unconcerned with the welfare of the populace. While Singapore's population had quadrupled between 1830 and 1867, the size of the civil service in Singapore had remained unchanged. In 1850 there were only twelve police officers to keep order in a city of nearly 60,000. Most people had no access to public health services, and diseases such as cholera and smallpox caused severe health problems, especially in overcrowded working-class areas. Malnutrition and opium-smoking were major social woes during this period. As early as 1827,

3784-425: The arrival of the British, the geographical area had been known as Tanjung Penaga , due to the abundance of penaga laut trees ( Calophyllum inophyllum ) found at the cape ( tanjung ) of the city. The city is often mistakenly spelled as "Georgetown", which was never the city's official name. This misspelling may be due to confusion with other places worldwide that share the same name. In common parlance,

3870-532: The bars at Upper Penang Road and Chowrasta Market, one of the few wet markets still in operation within the UNESCO World Heritage Site. In particular, Chowrasta Market offers a variety of local produce and pastries unique to Penang, such as nutmegs and tau sar pneah biscuits. A number of hotels also line the Upper Penang Road stretch between Farquhar and Leith Streets. Penang Road was one of

3956-631: The branch operated from. According to George Yeo , the Foreign Minister of Singapore, in those days the Kuomintang party flag, which later became the flag of the Republic of China , was sewn in the Sun Yat Sen Villa by Teo Eng Hock and his wife. Singapore was not directly affected by the First World War (1914–18), as the conflict did not spread to Southeast Asia. The most significant event during

4042-465: The cape, it was densely covered in jungle. After the area was cleared, Light oversaw the construction of Fort Cornwallis , the first structure in the newly established settlement. The first roads of George Town – Light , Beach , Chulia and Pitt streets – were created in a grid-like configuration. This urban planning method facilitated the easy division, transaction and assessment of land, as well as efficient military deployment. The grid pattern

4128-503: The city include the Kluang, Dua, Glugor and Pinang rivers. The Pinang River, which is 3.5 km (2.2 mi) long, flows through the city centre. Penang Hill, with a height of 833 m (2,733 ft), is the highest point in Penang, serving as a water catchment area and a green lung for the city. In 2021, the 12,481 ha (124.81 km ) Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, which includes

4214-708: The city of George Town is also called " Penang ", which is the name of the larger state. In 1771, Francis Light , a former Royal Navy captain, was instructed by the British East India Company (EIC) to establish trade relations in the Malay Peninsula . He arrived in Kedah , a Siamese vassal state facing threats from the Bugis of Selangor . Kedah's ruler Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin II offered Light Penang Island in exchange for British military protection. Light noted

4300-470: The city's decline also resulted in the then opposition Pakatan Rakyat bloc (now Pakatan Harapan ) wresting power in Penang from the incumbent Barisan Nasional (BN) administration in the 2008 state election . The newly-elected state government took a more inclusive approach to heritage conservation and sustainable urban development, while concurrently pursuing economic diversification . The city has since witnessed an economic rejuvenation, boosted by

4386-403: The city's eastern shoreline. In 2023, a massive reclamation project commenced off Batu Maung to build the 920 ha (9.2 km ) Silicon Island, envisioned as a new hub for high-tech manufacturing and commerce. Reclamation projects to create Gurney Bay and the nearby mixed-use precinct of Andaman Island are also ongoing. George Town features a tropical rainforest climate , under

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4472-523: The city. The federal government also began channelling resources towards the development of Kuala Lumpur and Port Klang , leading to George Town's protracted decline. To revive Penang's fortunes, newly-elected Chief Minister Lim Chong Eu launched the Komtar project in 1974 and spearheaded the establishment of the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone (Bayan Lepas FIZ) which, at the time,

4558-508: The construction of the base proceeded slowly until the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. When completed in 1939, at the very large cost of $ 500 million, the base boasted what was then the largest dry dock in the world, the third-largest floating dock , and having enough fuel tanks to support the entire British navy for six months. It was defended by heavy 15-inch naval guns stationed at Fort Siloso , Fort Canning and Labrador, as well as

4644-455: The country have been suspended since 1965. The Penang Island City Council (MBPP), headquartered in the City Hall , carries out the official administrative and legislative duties of the city. One of the two city governments in Penang, MBPP is led by a mayor , assisted by a secretary and 24 councillors who perform oversight responsibilities over 19 departments. Each councillor is appointed by

4730-405: The country's personal disposable income in 2015, second only to Kuala Lumpur. Its technological sector, anchored by hundreds of multinational companies , has made George Town the top exporter in the country . The Penang International Airport links George Town to several regional cities, while a ferry service and two road bridges connect the city to the rest of Peninsular Malaysia. Swettenham Pier

4816-421: The entirety of Penang Island and nine surrounding islets. George Town is slightly more than two-fifths the size of Singapore . The 295 km (114 sq mi) Penang Island has an uneven terrain with a mountainous topography down the middle. The island's coastal plains are narrow, with the most extensive plain located at the northeastern cape, where the 25.5 km (9.8 sq mi) city centre

4902-524: The event of Penang's absorption into Malaya's customs union, the Penang Secessionist Committee was founded in 1948 and attempted to avert Penang's merger with Malaya. A petition at the time warned that the incorporation of Penang into Malaya would "reduce it to the churn of filth of a fishing village... trade assiduously built up during the last one and a half centuries will be turned to nothing, entailing untold monetary losses and hardship to

4988-458: The first political election ever held in the settlement. Although the committees were organised ad hoc and lacked regulatory power, these early measures marked the beginning of a systematic approach to municipal governance in Penang. In 1856, the India Board , an administrative body of British India , passed Act No. XXVII, which mandated the appointment of Municipal Commissioners and taxation of

5074-607: The first roads to be built outside the original town area planned by Francis Light . For centuries, Penang Road has served as a retail street, especially along the stretch running in front of Chowrasta Market. The market was built in the 1890s. The Penang Police Headquarters at Penang Road was the scene of a number of executions by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Japanese Occupation period in World War II . The upper-class hotels are located near Upper Penang Road, along

5160-738: The first settlement in British Malaya to be liberated from the Japanese. After a period of military administration , the British dissolved the Straits Settlements in 1946 and merged the Crown Colony of Penang into the Malayan Union , which was then replaced with the Federation of Malaya in 1948. At first, the impending annexation of the British colony of Penang into the vast Malay heartland proved unpopular among Penangites. Partly due to concerns that George Town's free port status would be at risk in

5246-538: The first since 2015. MBPP's current urban planning strategy is set out in the Penang Island Local Plan 2030 , first published in 2022. The city government is responsible for municipal services including waste management, public maintenance and community service. It is also involved in major infrastructural projects such as the Jalan Bukit Kukus Paired Road . Since 2009, it has operated

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5332-401: The hundreds. Attempts to suppress these secret societies had limited success, and they continued to be a problem well into the 20th century. The colonial division of the architecture of Singapore developed in this period, recognisable elements which remain today in the form of shophouses , such as those found in Little India or Chinatown. As Singapore continued to grow, the deficiencies in

5418-412: The influx of Chinese migrants posed security concerns among the British authorities. Sun chose George Town as the headquarters for revolutionary activities by the Tongmenghui in Southeast Asia that eventually launched the Wuchang Uprising , a precursor to the Xinhai Revolution that ushered in the beginning of Republican China . George Town emerged from World War I relatively unscathed, except for

5504-401: The island of Sumatra makes George Town susceptible to dust particles carried by wind from transient forest fires that cause the perennial Southeast Asian haze . In 1796, a committee was formed to record trade revenue, and another committee responsible for property valuation was established in 1800. The latter committee was assembled through an election of ratepaying representatives, making it

5590-407: The island on 17 July that year. They took formal possession of the island "in the name of King George III of England " on 11 August. Penang Island was renamed Prince of Wales Island after the heir to the British throne . George Town was the first British colonial possession in Southeast Asia and marked the beginning of the gradual British colonisation in Malaya . When Light first landed on

5676-417: The latter culminating in rioting in 1867 . George Town came under direct British rule when the Straits Settlements became a British crown colony in 1867. Law enforcement and immigration control were gradually strengthened to suppress organised crime . More investments were also made on the settlement's health care and public transportation. Advances in education and living standards gave rise to

5762-448: The local population also forced women into sexual slavery . Between 1944 and 1945, Allied bombers based in India targeted naval and administrative buildings in George Town , damaging and destroying several colonial buildings in the process. The Penang Strait was mined to constrict Japanese shipping. Following Japan's surrender , on 3 September 1945, British Royal Marines launched Operation Jurist to retake George Town, making it

5848-409: The maintenance of its own public bus service, as well as the construction of public housing schemes and the Ayer Itam Dam . However, longstanding political differences between the George Town City Council and the Alliance -controlled state government led to allegations of maladministration against the city government. In response, Chief Minister of Penang , Wong Pow Nee , took over the powers of

5934-506: The merchants in Penang". The secessionist movement was ultimately met with British disapproval. To assuage the concerns raised by the secessionists, the British government guaranteed George Town's free port status and promised greater decentralisation. Meanwhile, municipal elections, which had been abolished in 1913, were reintroduced in 1951 , further diminishing the secessionists' commitment to their cause. Nine councillors were to be elected from George Town's three electoral wards, while

6020-421: The move and the Federal Court later ruled that local government elections are not within the purview of state governments. George Town is the administrative capital of Penang. The offices of the Chief Minister of Penang and the Penang state government are located in Komtar , while the official residence of the Governor of Penang is located in Scotland Road. Penang's legislature has been convened in

6106-413: The newly-elected state government attempted to reinstate local government elections within Penang. Backed by strong support from George Town's NGOs, the Local Government Elections (Penang Island and Province Wellesley) Enactment was passed in 2012, which would have allowed city government elections for the first time since the 1960s. However, the Barisan Nasional -controlled federal government objected to

6192-419: The political and economic disasters in their country. They aspired to make their fortune in Southeast Asia and return home to China, but most were doomed to a life of low-paying unskilled labour. Until the 20th century, few Chinese ended up settling permanently, primarily because wives were in short supply. The sex ratio in Singapore's Chinese community was around hundred to one, mainly due to restrictions that

6278-533: The post-war era, including an acute housing shortage and generally poor health and living standards. In 1906, the Tongmenghui , a revolutionary Chinese organisation dedicated to the overthrow of the Qing dynasty led by Sun Yat-Sen , founded its Nanyang branch in Singapore, which was to serve as the organisation's headquarters in Southeast Asia. The Tongmenghui would eventually be part of several groups that took part in

6364-572: The second largest ethnic group. They consisted of unskilled labourers like the Chinese coolies, traders, soldiers garrisoned at Singapore by the government in Calcutta , as well as a number of Indian convicts who were sent to Singapore to carry out public works projects, such as clearing jungles and swampy marshes and laying out roads. They also helped construct many buildings, including St. Andrew's Cathedral , and many Hindu temples. After serving their sentences, many convicts chose to stay in Singapore. As

6450-530: The strategic potential of the island as a "convenient magazine for trade" that could enable the British to check Dutch and French territorial ambitions in Southeast Asia, and tried unsuccessfully to persuade his superiors to accept the Sultan's offer. Light was finally authorised to negotiate the British acquisition of Penang Island in 1786. After the cession was finalised with Muhammad Jiwa's successor Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah , Light and his entourage landed on

6536-595: The stretch between Farquhar and Leith Streets. George Town, Penang This is an accepted version of this page George Town is the capital of the Malaysian state of Penang . It is the core city of the George Town Conurbation , Malaysia's second largest metropolitan area with a population of 2.84 million and the second largest metropolitan economy in the country. The city proper spans an area of 306 km (118 sq mi) encompassing Penang Island and surrounding islets, and had

6622-458: The trade between the European and Asian merchants. Despite Singapore's growing importance, the administration set up to govern the island was generally understaffed, poorly funded, weak, and ineffectual. Administrators were usually posted from India with little or no knowledge of the region, and were unfamiliar with local languages and customs of the people. As long as British trade was not affected,

6708-581: The war was a mutiny in 1915 by sepoys of the 5th Light Infantry from British India who were garrisoned in Singapore. On the day before the regiment was due to depart for Hong Kong, and hearing rumours that they were to be sent to fight the Ottoman Empire , about half of the Indian soldiers mutinied. They killed several of their officers and some civilians before the mutiny was suppressed by British Empire and allied forces plus local troops from Johore . This

6794-538: The years. The colonial government embarked on several measures to address the serious social problems facing Singapore. For example, a Chinese Protectorate under Pickering was established in 1877 to address the needs of the Chinese community, including controlling the worst abuses of the coolie trade and protecting Chinese women from forced prostitution. In 1889 Governor Sir Cecil Clementi Smith banned secret societies in colonial Singapore , driving them underground. Nevertheless, many social problems persisted up through

6880-520: Was also replicated in Singapore following the acquisition of the island by Stamford Raffles in 1819. As Light intended, George Town grew rapidly as a free port and a conduit for spice trade , taking maritime commerce from Dutch posts in the region. The spice trade allowed the EIC to cover the administrative costs of Penang. The threat of French invasion in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars forced

6966-405: Was declared a city by Queen Elizabeth II , making it the first city in the country's history. In 1974, George Town was merged with the rest of the island, throwing its city status into doubt until 2015, when its jurisdiction was reinstated and expanded to cover the entire island and adjacent islets. The city is described by UNESCO as having a " unique architectural and cultural townscape" that

7052-508: Was designated as the British sphere of influence, while the area south of the Straits was assigned to the Dutch. This division had far-reaching consequences for the region: modern-day Malaysia and Singapore correspond to the British area established in the treaty, and modern-day Indonesia to the Dutch. In 1826, Singapore was grouped together with Penang and Malacca into a single administrative unit,

7138-400: Was made the capital of the Straits Settlements , which also comprised Singapore and Malacca . In 1832, the administrative centre was relocated to Singapore, as it surpassed George Town in commercial and strategic prominence. Despite its secondary importance to Singapore, George Town continued to play a crucial role as a British entrepôt. Following the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and

7224-638: Was only lightly garrisoned by the IJA, while the Imperial Japanese Navy converted Swettenham Pier into a major submarine base for the Axis powers . Japanese military police imposed order by massacring Chinese civilians under the Sook Ching policy; the victims were buried in mass graves all over the island, such as at Rifle Range , Bukit Dumbar and Batu Ferringhi . Poverty and wanton Japanese brutality towards

7310-480: Was outside the city. Although these were successful in transforming Penang into a tertiary-based economy , they also led to the decentralisation of the urban population as residents gravitated towards newer suburban townships closer to the Bayan Lepas FIZ. The destruction of hundreds of shophouses and whole streets for the construction of Komtar further exacerbated the hollowing out of George Town. In 1974,

7396-549: Was soon overshadowed by Singapore's rapid growth as an important trading post. By 1822, it was made clear to the Dutch that the British had no intention of giving up the island. The status of Singapore as a British possession was cemented by the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 , which carved up the Malay archipelago between the two colonial powers. The area north of the Straits of Malacca , including Penang , Malacca and Singapore,

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