Penang Island, the only island-state in Malaysia, is known as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’ to many, and attracts to its shores a multitude of visitors every year. It is not hard to imagine why, as Penang possesses many charms. In the first of this two-part series, writer William Chai details his experiences visiting George Town, a city with a history of development that spans over 500 years of trading with the West in the Straits of Malacca.
A melting pot of Eastern cultures
George Town, which is the capital city of Penang, has so many tourist attractions that it is not possible for a tourist who just stays for a few days to cover all of them in a single visit. That was what I found out on my recent trip to this city.
In the history books, George Town was established as an entrepot by Francis Light of the East India Company (British) in 1786. It was the first British settlement in Southeast Asia. It became a British colony in 1867 and was occupied by the Japanese during World War II. The British recaptured it before the war ended.
In 1948, Penang became a part of the Federation of Malaya, which attained independence in 1957 and then became Malaysia in 1963.
The diverse ethnicities of early settlers in George Town, including the British, Chinese, Indians, Malays and other minority groups with their respective cultures and religions, influenced the architecture of buildings, be they government buildings, places of worship, shophouses, or residential houses (especially the mansions of the wealthy businessmen), and formed the rich historical heritage of the city.
Many of these pre-WWII and 19th century churches, temples, mosques, and colonial buildings are kept intact, restored, and preserved by the authorities, which has enabled the city to gain recognition as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008.
Other attractions of the city include its cultural heritage and natural beauty, as well as a wide range of local cuisine that gives George Town a reputation as Malaysia’s gastronomic capital.
Tourism in Penang, which attracts local tourists from other parts of Malaysia as well as foreign tourists, plays a major role in the economy of the state.
Walking around the streets in the old town area, I was fascinated by the old shophouses with their architecture and traditional Chinese designs, as if I was travelling back in time to the 19th century.
The window with wooden louvers, wooden door panels, and some with traditional motifs on the façades of the concrete shophouses. Despite the fact that some of them appear worn, they are still in their original condition.
At several places, I encountered some of the wall murals of the Street Art series painted by an artist from Lithuania, Ernest Zacharevic, who was commissioned by the authorities of George Town to create six murals in 2012. The murals turned out to be a hit among tourists and gained fame not only for the artist but also helped to popularise George Town as an international tourist destination. Later, local artists in the city created more of these mural paintings.
A group of artists also decorated the walls at various parts of the city with 52 panels of steel-rod caricatures, which retold the history of the streets and stories of the communities in a local voice.
Visitors could go around the city looking for these murals to take photos with the murals or caricatures, much like a treasure hunt.
The Clan Jetties
I visited one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites known as the Chew Jetty, which consisted of houses built on stilts along the coast, interconnected with wooden walkways, forming a unique floating village above the sea.
The century-old jetty is located off the Pengkalan Weld Road in George Town and dates back to 1888.
According to a villager, there are some 75 units of houses on the Chew Jetty. All of the families are of the surname Chew. It is the largest of the six clan jetties that remain. The passageways at Chew Jetty are divided into two parts of length 182m and 122 m, respectively, with houses built on both sides.
Others are jetties belonging to the clans of Lim, Tan, Lee, Yeoh, and Koay.
According to records, immigrants from the Fujian Province in south-eastern China came to Penang in the mid-19th century. They grouped together according to their surnames and built the houses along the coast. As the area was close to the harbour or wharfs, it was convenient for them to engage in jobs for their livelihood at the port nearby.
Nowadays, the jetties and nearby wharves are no longer being used for loading and unloading cargo as the task is being taken over by the large commercial seaport nearby. However, the villagers are still living in the same wooden houses as before and practising the traditional religious rituals in the few Taoist temples around the village.
The Chew Clan Jetty is now a popular tourist destination. Some of the villages are taking advantage of the opportunity to operate businesses at the front portion of their houses, selling souvenirs, t-shirts, hats, drinks, food, desserts, ice cream, and other items that are saleable to the incoming tourists.
There are also several food stalls and eateries operating around the village.
Other historical heritage sites that are worth visiting if you have the time include Khoo Kongsi, Cheah Kongsi, Pinang Peranakan (Baba-Nyonya) Mansion, Kek Lok Si Temple, Cheong Fatt Tze (the Blue Mansion), Armenian Street, Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple, Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram Temple, and more.
