History of Penang
About Penang - Facts on Penang
History of Pulau Pinang
To understand the diversity and mixed cultural heritage of the communities in Penang, it is necessary to peep into the history of the state.
The State of Pulau Pinang was once part of the state of Kedah, hence the early history of the state has to be read with Kedah's History .....
KEDAH SULTANATE
The island of Penang was once a pirate haven, belonging to the Kedah Sultanate. (Earlier history of Penang at History of Kedah). Between 1758 and 1777, fighting continuously erupted between Siam and Burma. The Kedah Sultanate appealed to the British for assistance. As inducements to a commitment, the Sultan of Kedah promised to lease Penang Island to the East India Company. Captain Francis Light was appointed to propose this to the British Governor General in Calcutta. Nevertheless, before an agreement was formed, Light landed on Penang Island (at the Esplanade), hoisted the Union Jack and took formal possession of the island.
BRITISH CONTROL
When the financial settlement also failed to materialize, the Sultan recruited the help of pirates to take back the island in 1791. Unfortunately, Kedah was defeated and the shore opposite Penang Island was also attacked by Light. The Sultan of Kedah, was forced to further ceded a strip of mainland (on the peninsular) to the British. This strip of land was named Province Wellesley after the Governor of India (today called Seberang Perai - map of Penang). Penang soon became a British colonial administrative centre.
Located at the northern end of the Straits of Malacca (Melaka), the settlement on the island of Penang grew into a port and trading post during the 18th century, attracting traders and settlers from far-flung corners of the world. With trade came immigrants - Chinese, Indians, Burmese, Europeans, Armenians, Bugis and Arabs, began settling in Penang.
During the 19th century, the East Indian Company opened Penang to settlers, attracting Asian immigrants such as Chinese and Indian from Kedah and other Malay States, Siamese, Bugis, Burmese, Sumatrans, Armenians and many others. Penang was declared a free port and developed rapidly, serving as a safe stopover for British ships plying the Straits on the China Trade route.
Under the British, Penang together with Malacca and Singapore formed a single administrative unit called the Straits Settlement, administered under the British Colonial Office in India. Penang flourished and was recognized as a major trading post for trade in spices, tea, china, and others. The island was also famed for its clove and nutmeg, and served as a port for the export of goods such as coconut, rubber and tin from the surrounding mainland. However Penang lost much of her external trade with the opening of Singapore in the later years.
In 1941, Penang and the rest of the Malay peninsular fell to the Japanese, with the Japanese occupation lasting three years until the British reoccupied Malaya in 1945. Penang stayed under British Colonial rule until 1957 when it became part of the Federation of Malaya.
PENANG TODAY
This ingestion and fusion of different races, beliefs and customs through the centuries have contributed to Penang's rich tradition and culture today. The administrative capital, George Town is today a UNESCO World heritage site, a cosmopolitan city with multicultural heritage.
Growth of Penang continued steadily into the 1960’s and 1970’s and the island as a free port was a shopping haven. Unfortunately, in 1970s, he state suffered a great loss when the Federal Government withdrew the free port status, the island struggled to find a new source of income – turning to manufacturing. The industrialization programme took off with the establishment of the country’s first Free Trade Zone at Bayan Lepas and the hub today is a ‘Silicon Valley’ of Malaysia