Penang

Template:Subdivisions of Malaysia

Penang (pronounced /pə'næŋ/; Malay: Pulau Pinang) is a state in Malaysia, located on the north-west coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. 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] Error: {{Lang}}: unrecognized language tag: zh-t (help) (Bīnláng Xù) 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), family Palmae. In Chinese, Penang is known as [檳城] Error: {{Lang}}: unrecognized language tag: zh-t (help) (pinyin: Bīnchéng / Bīngchéng; Hokkien: Peng Sheah). All three names can refer either to the island of Penang, the state of Penang or sometimes the state capital, George Town.

More specifically, George Town is known as Tanjung in Malay and [喬治市] Error: {{Lang}}: unrecognized language tag: zh-t (help) (Qiáozhì Shì) in Chinese. Penang Island is simply Pulau Pinang (/'pulaʊ 'pinaŋ/) in Malay and [檳榔嶼] Error: {{Lang}}: unrecognized language tag: zh-t (help) (Bīnláng Xù) in Chinese, and Penang state is Negeri Pulau Pinang in Malay and [檳州] Error: {{Lang}}: unrecognized language tag: zh-t (help) (Bīn Zhōu) in Chinese.

Geography

The state is geographically divided into two sections:

Penang Island: an island of 293 square kilometres located in the Straits of Malacca; and

Province Wellesley (also known as Seberang Perai in Malay): a narrow hinterland of 760 square kilometres on the peninsula across a narrow channel whose smallest width is 4 km (2.5 miles). It is bordered by Kedah in the north (demarcated by the Muda River) and east, and Perak in the south.

The body of water between Penang Island and Province Wellesley is the North Channel to the north of George Town and the South Channel to the south of George Town. Penang Island is irregularly shaped, with a granitic, hilly and mostly forested interior, the highest point being Western Hill (part of Penang Hill) at 830 metres above sea level. The coastal plains are narrow, the most extensive of which is in the northeast which forms a triangular promontory where George Town, the state capital, is situated. The topography of Province Wellesley is mostly flat. Butterworth, the main town in Province Wellesley, lies along the Perai River estuary and faces George Town at a distance of 3 km (2 miles) across the channel to the east.

Towns

Province Wellesley

Greater Metropolitan Area of Penang

The National Physical Plan of Malaysia envisages a Conurbation of George Town encompassing George Town and surrounding areas. The Conurbation of George Town, together with the Conurbation of Johor Bahru are designated as Regional Growth Conurbations while the Conurbation of Kuala Lumpur is the National Growth Conurbation.

The greater metropolitan area of Penang consists of highly urbanized Penang Island, Seberang Prai, Sungai Petani, Kulim and the surrounding areas. In terms of population, it is the second largest metropolitan area in Malaysia after the Conurbation of Kuala Lumpur (Klang Valley). According to National Census 2000, the population of this urban area in is about 1.6 million. As for the Conurbation of Kuala Lumpur, the population in 2000 is about 4.9 million while the population of Johor Bahru is 1.1 million. Currently, the population of this urban area is approximately 2 million.[1],

Under 9th Malaysia Plan, this urban area is referred to as the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER). The Northern Corridor Economic Region is one of the three development regions formed in Peninsular Malaysia, other development regions being the South Johor Economic Region (SJER) or Iskandar Development Region (IDR) and the East Coast Development Region. The Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) encompases Penang (Penang Island and Seberang Prai), Kedah (Alor Star, Sungai Petani and Kulim) and Northern Perak.

Outlying islets

There are a number of small islets off the coast of Penang, the biggest of which, Pulau Jerejak, is located in the narrow channel between Penang Island and the mainland. It was previously a leper and penal colony, but is now a tourist attraction. Other islands include:

Pulau Gedung
Pulau Kendi (Coral Island)

Pulau Rimau

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. ^{[citation needed]}

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

Temperature (day)	27°C-30°C
Temperature (night)	22°C-24°C
Ave annual rainfall	2670 mm
Relative humidity	70%-90%

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average min (°C)	23.2	23.5	23.7	24.1	24.2	23.8	23.4	23.4	23.2	23.3	23.3	23.4
Average max (°C)	31.6	32.2	32.2	31.9	31.6	31.4	31.0	30.9	30.4	30.4	30.4	30.7
Lowest recorded (°C)	19	19	19	20	19	20	22	21	20	20	18	20
Highest recorded (°C)	37	36	36	37	35	36	35	35	36	34	35	35
Average rainfall (millimeters)	69	72	146	221	203	178	192	242	356	383	232	114
Ave no of days with 1 mm	5	6	9	14	14	11	12	14	18	19	15	9

Source: National Environment Agency

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 forms a plurality. The ethnic composition in 2007 was:

Ethnic Chinese: 645,900 43.4%)
Malay: 601,200 (40.2%)^{[citation needed]}
Ethnic Indian: 158,000 (9.9%)
Others:
- Bumiputra - other than Malay: 5,600 (0.37%)
- Non-bumiputra: 91,200 (6.1%)

There were Jewish and Armenian communities in Penang before World War II, but these 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, many of which settle in Penang after their retirement as part of the Malaysia My Second Home programme.

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. During British rule, the Peranakan had a reputation of being loyal British subjects and many of them adopted British mannerisms. They prided themselves as being Anglophone and distinguished themselves from the newly-arrived Chinamen or sinkheh. The Peranakan, however, are almost extinct today due to their re-absorption into the mainstream Chinese community. However, their legacy lives on in their great cuisine, their intricate nyonya kebaya costume and exquisite handicrafts.

Language

The common languages of Penang, depending on social classes, social circles, and ethnic backgrounds are English, Penang Hokkien, Tamil 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 loanwords 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, and is also the language of instruction of Science and Mathematics in schools. English used in an official or formal context is predominantly British English with some American influences. Spoken English, as in the rest of Malaysia, is often in the form of Manglish (Malaysian colloquial English).

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

Religion

The official religion of Penang is Islam and the head of Islam is the Yang Dipertuan Agong, but other religions are freely practised. These are Buddhism, in the Theravada, Mahayana and increasingly also Vajrayana traditions, Taoism, Chinese folk religion, Hinduism, Catholicism, Protestantism (the largest denominations of which are the Methodists, Seventh-day Adventists, Anglican, Presbyterian and Baptists) and Sikhism- reflecting Penang's diverse ethnic and socio-cultural amalgamation.

There is also a small, but little-known, community of Jews in Penang, mainly along Jalan Zainal Abidin (formerly Jalan Yahudi or Jewish Street). ^{[citation needed]}

Characteristics of Penang

Being one of the earliest, most established urban centres in Malaysia, Penang has often prided herself on her progress while at the same time relishing her traditional and enduring values, way of life and mannerism. Old Penang evoked images of the slow-paced lifestyle of merchants and planters in the Far East, where European culture intermingled with Eastern customs and colonial buildings stood next to attap houses and rickshaw pullers and where electric trams met bullock carts. Chinese influence has always been more evident in urban areas due to their superior numbers while the Malays, until recent times, have largely resided in the rural areas.

21st century Penang remains a thriving commercial (and now industrial) centre with a relatively high standard of living. However, in terms of development it has been overtaken in recent years by the Klang Valley, which is the political and economic heart of modern Malaysia. While the slower rate of development in Penang has left much of its cultural and architectural heritage intact, what development there has been poorly managed due to underfunding in infrastructure by the federal government, corruption and the breakdown of participatory local government since the late 1960s. Nonetheless, Penangites maintain a strong civic identity rooted in Penang's former pre-eminence, reinforced by a strong local cultural and linguistic identity.

History

Penang, originally part of the Malay Sultanate of Kedah, was given 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, landed in Penang and renamed it Prince of Wales Island in honour of the heir to the British throne.

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 being added to Penang in 1800. An annual honorarium of 10,000 ringgits continues to this day be paid by the Malaysian Federal Government to the state of Kedah.

In 1826, Penang, along with Malacca and Singapore, became part of the Straits Settlements under the British administration in India, moving to direct British colonial rule in 1867. In 1946 it became part of the Malayan Union, before becoming in 1948 a state of the Federation of Malaya, which gained independence in 1957 and became Malaysia in 1963.

The island was a free port until 1969. Despite the loss of the island's free-port status, from the 1970s to the late 1990s the state built up one of the largest electronics manufacturing bases in Asia, in the Free Trade Zone around the airport in the south of the island.

Incorporated into	Date
Straits Settlements	1826
Crown Colony	1867
Japanese occupation	19 December 1945
Malayan Union	1 April 1946
Federation of Malaya	1 February 1948
Independence	31 August 1957
Malaysia	16 September 1963

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

Penang is one of only four states in Malaysia not to have a hereditary Malay Ruler or Sultan, being a former British settlement, the other three being Malacca, also a British settlement, whose sultanate was ended by the Portuguese conquest in 1511, and the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak.

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 Chief Minister of Penang is Mr. Lim Guan Eng from the Democratic Action Party after its coalition with PKR and PAS won most of the state seats in the state election on 8 March 2008. It is the only state chief-ministership in Malaysia which has been continuously held by an ethnic Chinese since independence, 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. Most of the government offices are housed in the 65-storey Tun Abdul Razak Complex (KOMTAR) in the heart of George Town.

There have been occasional calls by UMNO members of the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN), to rotate the position of Chief Minister between BN component parties, but this has consistently been rejected by the Barisan leadership. Such demand reached new heights in 2006 on allegations of the marginalisation of the Malay populace. Interestingly, one of the more vocal proponents is Khairy Jamaludin, the son-in-law of the current Malaysian Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. It is to be noted that during Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad's tenure of prime ministership, he refuted claims of marginalisation by alluding to the Malay-governed state of Kelantan. In fact, Malays in Penang are only second to their counterparts in the Klang Valley. They fare better than those from other states such as Kedah, Perlis and Terengganu.

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

File:Penang City Hall2.JPG

The City Hall housing the Municipal Council of Penang Island

There are two local authorities in Penang, the Municipal Council of Penang Island (Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang) [2] and the Municipal Council of Province Wellesley (Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai)[3]. 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)

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

Each district is headed by a district officer.

The following table shows the succession of the heads of governments of Penang from its founding years to the present day.

Head of Government	From	To
British colonial period
Superintendent	11 August 1786	1799
Lieutenant governor	1799	1805
Governor	1805	1826
Resident councillor	1849	1941
Japanese occupation (World War II)
Japanese governor	December 1941	1945
Postwar British rule
British military governor	1945	1946
Resident commissioner	1946	1947
After Independence
Yang Dipertua Negeri/Governor (ceremonial)	31 August 1957	Present
Chief minister	12 June 1959	Present

Legislature

The unicameral state legislature, whose members are called state assemblymen, convenes at the neoclassical state Legislative Assembly (Dewan Undangan Negeri) building at Light Street. It has 40 seats, 19 of which are held by the Democratic Action Party, 11 by Barisan Nasional, eight by Parti Keadilan Rakyat and one by PAS since the 2008 general elections. It was a sharp reversal from the 38 seats held by BN in the 2004 elections and only the second time since Independence that the state fell into non-BN control, the last being in 1969.

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

Today, the judicial power is almost completely vested in the federal court system. The Supreme Court Building in Light Street and Farquhar Street houses the Penang registry of the High Court in Malaya as well as the George Town Sessions Court and Magistrates courts. The Penang Prison is located at Gaol Road.

Economy

Industry

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, Altera, Motorola, Agilent, Hitachi, Osram, Plexus, 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. In recent years, however, the state is experiencing a gradual decline of foreign direct investments due to factors such as cheaper labour costs in China and India.

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 [4].

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 (then the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China) opened its doors in 1875. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, now known as HSBC, opened its first branch 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 (the Malaysian central bank) together with local banks such as Public Bank, Maybank, Ambank and CIMB Bank.

Food

A hawker stall selling *rojak*, a fruit dish in shrimp and chilli paste

Penang island is a paradise for food lovers who come from all over Malaysia and even Singapore to sample the island's unique cuisine, earning Penang the nickname of the food capital of Malaysia. Penang was recognised as having the Best Street Food in Asia by TIME magazine in 2004, citing that nowhere else can such 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. Local Chinese restaurants serve excellent fares too. American fast food outlets and coffee joints are readily found throughout the state. Japanese, Korean, Italian and Western food are also popular.

Shopping

File:DSCN0333.JPG

Queensbay Mall, Bayan Lepas

Penang also has modern shopping complexes located within the state. Among of them are:

Queensbay Mall, is Penang's largest, longest and most packed shopping centre. It spans 2.5 million sq. feet along the beach facing Penang Bridge and Pulau Jerejak. It houses Penang's first Jusco departmental store, an 8-screen cinema managed by Golden Screen Cinemas and other retail shops.
Gurney Plaza, Penang's first lifestyle-oriented shopping mall. Opened in 2001, it is located at [Gurney Drive]]. It houses retail shops and also the Northern Region's largest cinema, managed by Golden Screen Cinemas. The cinema consists of 12 theatres and a Malaysia's first 80-seater Premiere Class theatre.
Komtar, Penang's first shopping mall opened in 1989. It is still opened to the public.
Sunway Carnival Mall, it is located at Seberang Jaya. It is the first shopping mall in Malaysia to have an IT information provided. It also houses a cinema and retail shops.

Arts and Culture

Architecture

Tourism

Penang may be the most famous island in Malaysia. Priceless architecture centres mainly in George Town, the capital of The Pearl of the Orient. Its endless rows of 100 year-old shophouses and colonial villas give George Town its distinctive atmosphere. Penang was venue to several blockbuster movies, such as “Anna and the King” (the Jodie Foster version), and the French film “Indochine” (in which Catherine Deneuve starred). With a glimpse of George Town, one will understand how this unique capital seduced the many film directors as well as tourists.

The best way to capture Penang’s mixed heritage is to stroll around town. The aged buildings lend charm with their faded colours and crumbling walls. Old houses have columns or multi-coloured Peranakan tiles. There is a sense of being back in time surrounded by houses and shelters of worship. A peaceful atmosphere rests on the streets where Aceh Mosque resides, the oldest house of worship in the city. The smell of incense drifts in the air amidst gold settings of Burmese, Thai and Chinese temples. The magnificent Khoo Kongsi is a traditional form of Chinese art with its delicately carved wooden panels. Other long-time occupants include elderly Chinese shopkeepers who might seem to have lived here forever, colourful Indian food stalls and rickshaws with their drivers. The George Town of yesterday brings history up to the present.

Education

Infrastructure

Healthcare

Healthcare in Penang is provided by public as well as private hospitals. The healthcare system in Penang is widely perceived 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. Hospices are also increasingly becoming the choice for long-term and terminal care.

Public Hospitals

Penang Island

Penang General Hospital (main)
Balik Pulau Hospital

Province Wellesley

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

Private Hospitals

Penang Island

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

Province Wellesley

Bukit Mertajam Specialist Hospital
Bagan Specialist 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 quality treatment, and because the cost is less than in places like Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Penang is, therefore, actively promoting health tourism.

Transportation

Getting to Penang both from within and outside Malaysia is easy as Penang is well-connected by road, rail, sea and air.

Bridge, roads and highways

File:800px-Penang bridge.jpg

The 13.5 km long Penang Bridge

Penang Island is connected to the mainland by the 13.5-kilometre Penang Bridge (completed in 1985), one of the longest bridges in Asia. Due to heavy traffic, the bridge is currently being broadened into 3 lanes from the current two. On March 31 2006, the Malaysian government announced a second bridge project, tentatively named the Penang Second Bridge, to be built under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. Penang Bridge was built by Hyundai.

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 also cause some environmental damage. Another expressway, 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.

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 Railway, a funicular railway to the top of Penang Hill, was an engineering feat of sorts when it was completed in 1923, and is still in use today.

The Penang bus services today are generally unsystematic and do not have a reputation of reliability. ^{[citation needed]} 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. ^{[neutrality is disputed]} 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. On February 20, 2007, the government announced that Rapid KL will operate the public bus service in Penang under the new entity called Rapid Penang which is formed for this purpose. The services started on 31 July 2007 with 150 buses covering 38 routes on the island and mainland.

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. A new ruling implemented on August 1, 2006 makes it compulsory for taxis to use the meter system. Although taxi drivers have been repeatedly warned by the state government and the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB), the meter system is still not adhered to by taxi drivers in Penang. ^{[citation needed]}

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 and monorail Penang has 34.9 km of rail track within its border.^[1] 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 Langkawi is the daily night express running from Kuala Lumpur to Haadyai via Butterworth.

Penang has had a monorail under consideration since 1999. ^{[citation needed]}The Penang Monorail project was finally approved on March 31, 2006 under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. On August 2, 2006, the federal government has decided to build the monorail transit system in the city of George Town. This monorail line will connect Tanjung Tokong in the north with Bayan Lepas in the south, Air Itam in the west and Weld Quay in the east.

Airport AirAsia flies daily to Penang from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok with other services to Sarawak and Sabah. A subsidiary of MAS, Firefly, has established six routes within Malaysia and two to Thailand with Penang as its hub using Fokker 50 aircraft. Other airlines operating to Penang are Singapore Airlines, MAS, together with Indonesian airlines Lion Air and Mandala [from November 2007].

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

In 2006, the airport handled 3.1 million passengers, both domestic and international, and 22.22 million metric tonne of cargo in 2005 from within and outside the country[5]. The airport is the hub of Firefly, a low-cost carrier wholly owned by Malaysia Airlines.

Ferry and seaports

Cross-channel ferry services, provided by the Penang Ferry Service, connect George Town and Butterworth, and were the only link between the island and the mainland until the bridge was built in 1985. High-speed ferries to the resort island of Langkawi, Kedah in the north as well as to Medan are also available daily.

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 99.5% 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 [6]. 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. Broadband internet is also widely available.

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. ^{[citation needed]}

Sister Cities

Medan, Indonesia [7]

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

Penang is one of the hotbeds of social activism in the country. Anwar Fazal, who is one of the world's leading social advocate, together with several individuals founded the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) in 1969. The country's most vocal and active consumer protection group, 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. Anwar Fazal is also known as the "Father of the Malaysian NGO Movement" and "Ralph Nader of the East".

The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action WABA is an organization based in Penang whose objectives are to protect, promote and support breastfeeding globally. In particular, their objectives are to re-establish and maintain a global breastfeeding culture, to eliminate all obstacles to breastfeeding, to promote more regional and national level co-operation, and to advocate for breastfeeding in development, women, environment and human rights programmes.

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 encroachment 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.

Crime

Crime is on the rise in Penang, sparking concern among Penangites.^{[citation needed]} A case in point was the daring RM 50 million heist of computer parts at the Batu Maung Free Commercial Zone on 21 November 2006, the nation's biggest robbery to date [8]. The prevalence of petty crimes like snatch thefts is equally disconcerting.

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) in Relau has an indoor stadium and an aquatics 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 Bukit Mertajam Country Club, Penang Club, Chinese Recreation Club (CRC), Penang Sports Club, Penang Rifle Club, Penang Polo Club, Penang Swimming Club, Chinese Swimming Club, Penang Squash Centre and a World class marina, the Tanjung City Marina which can accommodate up to 140 yachts and boats of various sizes, along the historic Weld Quay, to attract seafarers from around the world.

The exciting sport of paintball had landed in Penang and there are many paintball fields which you can choose from. The state had witness a few paintball competitions within this year with more to come.

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

Penang's Firsts

Penang became the first British outpost in the then Malaya and South East Asia in 1786.
The country's 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.[9]
The Royal Malaysian Police was established when King George III awarded Penang a 'Charter of Justice’ in 1807 to form the police force and the Court of Justice.
Penang Free School founded by Rev. Sparke Hutchings in 1816, is the first and oldest English School in South East Asia.
St George's Anglican Church on Farquhar Street, established in 1816, is the oldest Anglican Church in South East Asia and the only building from Penang that was declared one of the 50 National Treasures by the Malaysian Government.
The Sekolah Kebangsaan Gelugor in Penang founded in 1826 is the first Malay school to be established in Malaysia. [10]
Convent Light Street or the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, a girls' school established by a French Sisters' Mission in 1852, is the oldest girls' school in South East Asia.
Chung Hwa Confucian School founded by Cheong Fatt Tze in 1904. It was one of the oldest formal Chinese Schools established in South-east Asia as a result of influence by the educational reforms in China in early 1900s, Mandarin is the school’s medium of instruction.
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.
The Penang Turf Club, established in 1864, is Malaysia's oldest horse racing and equestrian centre.
Standard Chartered Bank, the oldest bank in Malaysia, opened its doors in 1875.
In 1905 Penang completed its first hydroelectric scheme.
in 1906 Penang's first electric tramway made its appearance.
Malaysia's oldest Chinese newspaper still in circulation today, Kwong Wah Yit Poh or Kwong Wah Daily (光华日报) was founded on 20 December 1910 by Dr. Sun Yat-Sen in Penang.
The Penang Players Music and Drama Society, the oldest English amateur theatre group in Malaysia, was founded in the early 1950s by a group of expatriates residing in Penang.
On 1 January 1957, George Town became a city by a royal charter granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, becoming the first town in the Federation of Malaya to become a city.
Penang's water rates/tariffs are amongst the lowest in Malaysia (the other being Kelantan).
Covering 738 km², the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai) is the largest local authority in Malaysia.
The 2,562-hectare Penang National Park in Teluk Bahang gazetted in 2003 is the world’s smallest national park. [11]

Famous Penangites

Anwar Fazal, who Mother Earth News called in 1983 "probably the most influential figure in the worldwide consumer movement". [12]
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.
Charlie See, born in Penang in 1910, is the founder of Festival of Beauty Inc., which holds rights to 37 pageant titles worldwide. He was involved in photography works for Miss Universe pageants and became one of the most sought-after Hollywood photographers in the 1950s and 60s. [13]
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysia's fifth Prime Minister, is from Kepala Batas, Penang.
Jill Bennett, actress.
Eddy Choong, the four-time All England champion [14] and other badminton legends such as Johnny Heah, Ooi Teik Hock, Lim Say Hup, Teh Kew San, Tan Aik Huang and Tan Aik Mong.
Jimmy Choo, the famous shoe designer.
Nicol David, the current international women's squash champion.
P.Ramlee, Malaysia's legendary actor/singer/director.
Lee Chong Wei, currently ranked no.2 badminton player in the world. (Oct 4 2007)
Lillian Too, feng shui consultant and best-selling author of feng shui books.
Li Yi (李逸), Chinese singer of the 1970s whose promising singing career was cut short by a fatal road mishap in 1980.
Popular Malaysian band Alleycats formed in the 1960s comprising Loganathan Arumugam (vocals), David Arumugam (vocals), Tan Chin Hock (drums), Shunmugam Arumugam (lead guitar), Chester Anthony Passerella (saxophone), Khoo Fook Sin and Greenville (keyboards) and Frank Ong (bass).
Tan Sri Dato' Loh Boon Siew, a tycoon famous for his Boon Siew Honda.
Dr.Wu Lien Teh (1879 - 1960), world-renowned Plague Fighter and pioneer in the modernization of China's public health system.
John H. Whyte, the political scientist, was born in Penang
[Yong Mun Sen，（杨曼生）(1896-1962)]-(original name Yong Yen Leng) Kuching borned Penang pioneer artist, Father of Malaysian Painting.

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.

References in popular culture

Penang was the shooting location for a number of movies, most notably:

Indochine (France - 1992) featuring Catherine Deneuve and Vincent Perez.
Beyond Rangoon (USA/UK - 1995).
Paradise Road (USA/Australia - 1997) starring Glenn Close and Frances McDormand.
Anna and the King (USA - 1999) featuring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat.
The Touch (Hong Kong, 2002) featuring Michelle Yeoh.
Lust, Caution (Taiwan, 2007) directed by Ang Lee.
Sun Yat-sen biography film Road to Dawn (China, 2007) featuring Winston Chao and Angelica Lee

Penang was featured in or alluded to in novels such as:

The Penang Pirate by John Conroy Hutcheson.
The Man Who Could Work Miracles by H. G. Wells [15].
The Phantom Ship by Frederick Marryat [16].
The Crab That Played with the Sea by Rudyard Kipling [17].
Threshold of Hell by Albert J. Rupp, a crew member of the USS Grenadier SS210 submarine who were captured by Japanese in April 1941 along with 75 others, recounted in the book the dark days when he was interned at Convent Light Street in Penang.

State song

The lyrics of the state anthem are as follows:

Selamat Tuhan kurniakan
Selamat Pulau Pinang
Negeriku yang mulia
Kutaat dan setia
Aman dan bahagia
Majulah jayalah
Negeriku yang ku cinta
Bersatu dan bersama
Untuk negeri kita

In English:

May God grant safety
Safety to Penang
My noble state
I am loyal and faithful
Peaceful and happy
Be progressive, be successful
My state which I love
United and together
For our state

Trivia

Penang was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek. It was ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000.
Penang ranked as the 10th most liveable city in Asia in 2007, according to an international survey involving 255 cities in Asia by Employment Conditions Abroad Limited (ECA International). Back in 2002, it was placed 12th. A city is judged based on its weather, air quality, infrastructure, health services, housing, security and politics.
Many early settlers succumbed to malaria, earning Penang the unenviable epithet of "the White Man's Grave".
Penang is the name of a popular themed restaurant/bar located on Second avenue and 83rd Street in Manhattan.

References

The Penang Tourism Action Council. The "Light" Years and Beyond. Retrieved Jul. 26, 2005.

Joshua Eliot & Jane Bickersteth: Malaysia Handbook, 4th edition, Footprint Handbooks Ltd, 2002

Khoo Salma Nasution: More Than Merchants: A History of the German-speaking Community in Penang, 1800s-1940s, Areca Books, 2006

External links

5°24′N 100°14′E / 5.400°N 100.233°E / 5.400; 100.233

^ http://www.penang.gov.my/index.php?ch=10&pg=58&ac=200

[1] ttp://www.penang.gov.my/index.php?ch=10&pg=58&ac=200

[1]

v t e States and federal territories of Malaysia
States	Johor Kedah Kelantan Malacca Negeri Sembilan Pahang Penang Perak Perlis Sabah Sarawak Selangor Terengganu
Federal Territories	Kuala Lumpur Labuan Putrajaya
Former states	Singapore