Coordinates	45°30′″N73°40′″N
name	Penang
settlement type	State
image shield	Coat_of_arms_of_penang.jpg
nickname	Pearl of The Orient
motto	'' ''United and LoyalLet Penang Lead (unofficial)
anthem	''Untuk Negeri Kita'' ("For Our State")
demonym	Penangite
coordinates type	region:MY_type:isle
coordinates display	title
coordinates footnotes
map caption	Penang in Malaysia
seat type	Capital
seat	George Town
parts type	Royal capital
parts style	para
demonym	Penangite
government footnotes
leader title	Yang di-Pertua Negeri
leader name	Abdul Rahman Abbas
leader title1	Chief Minister
leader name1	Lim Guan Eng (PR)
leader title2	Deputy Chief Minister I
leader name2	Mansor Othman
leader title3	Deputy Chief Minister II
leader name3	P.Ramasamy
leader title5	Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly
Leader name5	Haji Abdul Halim Hussain (PKR/PR)
area footnotes
area total km2	1048
population total	1520143
population as of	2010
population census year	2010
population census	1520143
population density km2	auto
demographics type1	Human Development Index
demographics1 footnotes
demographics1 title1	HDI (2010)
demographics1 info1	0.773 (high) (3rd)
borderingstates	Kedah, Perak
timezone	MST
utc offset	+8
timezone dst	Not observed
postal code type	Postal code
postal code	10000–19500
area code type	Calling code
area code	+604
registration plate	P
demonym	Penangite
blank name sec2	Ceded by Kedah to British
blank info sec2	11 August 1786
blank1 name sec2	Japanese occupation
blank1 info sec2	19 December 1942
blank2 name sec2	Accession into Federation of Malaya
blank2 info sec2	31 January 1948
blank3 name sec2	Independence from the United Kingdom (through the Federation of Malaya)
blank3 info sec2	31 August 1957
website	http://www.penang.gov.my
footnotes	2,491 people per km² on Penang Island and 1,049 people per km² in Seberang Perai }}

Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the eighth most populous. It is composed of two parts – Penang Island, where the seat of government is, and Seberang Perai (formerly, and occasionally Province Wellesley) on the Malay Peninsula. Highly urbanised and industrialised Penang is one of the most developed and economically important states in the country, as well as a thriving tourist destination. Its heterogeneous population is highly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language, and confessions. It is also widely recognised as the most socially progressive, being the home of both the Consumer's Association of Penang, and of the reform group Aliran. A resident of Penang is colloquially known as a Penangite.

Name

In the 15th century, the island of Penang was referred to as ''Bīnláng Yù'' () in the navigational drawings used by Admiral Zheng He of Ming-dynasty China in his expeditions to the South Seas. Fifteenth-century Portuguese sailors from Goa en route to the Spice Islands often made stopovers on the island which they called ''Pulo Pinaom''. Early Malays called it ''Pulau Ka-Satu'' or "First (or Single) Island" because it was the largest island encountered on the trading sea-route between Lingga and Kedah. The Siamese, then the overlord of the Kedah Sultanate, referred to the island as ''Koh Maak''.

The name "Penang" comes from the modern Malay name ''Pulau Pinang'', which means ''island of the areca nut palm'' (''Areca catechu'', family Palmae). The name Penang may refer either to the island of Penang (''Pulau Pinang'') or the state of Penang (''Negeri Pulau Pinang''). In Malay, Penang's capital George Town was called and labelled in old maps as ''Tanjung Penaga'' (Cape Penaigre), named after the many ballnut trees (also known as Alexandrian laurels, ''Calophyllum inophyllum'') on the coast, but now usually shortened as ''Tanjung'' (the Cape).

Penang is often known as "The Pearl of the Orient", "东方花园" and ''Pulau Pinang Pulau Mutiara'' (Penang, Island of Pearls). Penang is shortened as "PG" or "PP" in Malay.

History

Prehistory

Archaeological evidence shows that Penang (island and its mainland territory) was inhabited by the Semang-Pangan of the Juru and Yen lineage, both now considered extinct cultures. They were hunter-gatherers of the Negrito stock having short stature and dark complexion, and were dispersed by the Malays as far back as 900 years ago. The last recorded aboriginal settlement in Penang was in the 1920s in Kubang Semang. The first evidence of prehistoric human settlement in what is now Penang were found in Guar Kepah, a cave in Seberang Perai in 1860. Based on mounds of sea shells with human skeletons, stone implements, broken ceramics, and food leftovers inside, the settlement was estimated to be between 3000 to 4000 years old. Other stone tools found in various places on the island of Penang pointed to the existence of Neolithic settlements dating to 5000 years ago.

Early history and colonial period

''See also List of governors of Penang''

One of the very first Englishmen to reach Penang was the navigator and privateer Sir James Lancaster who on 10 April 1591, commanding the ''Edward Bonadventure'', set sail from Plymouth for the East Indies, reaching Penang in June 1592, remaining on the island until September of the same year and pillaging every vessel he encountered, only to return to England in May 1594.

The history of modern Penang, originally part of the Malay Sultanate of Kedah, began when the island was leased to Captain Francis Light, an English trader-adventurer working for the Madras-based firm, Jourdain Sullivan and de Souza and the East India Company, in exchange for military protection from Siamese and Burmese armies who were threatening Kedah. For Light, Penang was a ''convenient magazine for trade'' and an ideal location to curtail French expansion in Indochina and Dutch foothold in Sumatra. On 11 August 1786, Francis Light landed on Penang at what is later called Fort Cornwallis and took formal possession of the island ''in the name of His Britannic Majesty, King George III and the Honourable East India Company'', and renamed the island Prince of Wales Island in honour of the heir to the British throne but the name never caught on. In Malaysian history, the occasion marked the beginning of more than a century of British involvement in Malaya.

Unfortunately for the Sultan, the EAC's new governor-general Charles Cornwallis made it clear that he could not be party to the Sultan's disputes with the other Malay princes, or promise to protect him from the Siamese or Burmese. Unbeknownst to Sultan Abdullah, Light had decided to conceal the facts of the agreement from both parties. When Light reneged on his promise of protection, the Sultan tried unsuccessfully to recapture the island in 1790, and the Sultan was forced to cede the island to the company for an honorarium of 6,000 Spanish dollars per annum. Light established Penang as a free port to entice traders away from nearby Dutch trading posts. He also encouraged immigrants by promising them as much land as they could clear and by reportedly firing silver dollars from his ship's cannons deep into the jungle. Many early settlers, including Light himself, succumbed to malaria, earning early Penang the epithet "the white man's grave".

After Light's demise, Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Wellesley arrived in Penang to co-ordinate the defences of the island. In 1800, Lieutenant-Governor Sir George Leith secured a strip of land across the channel as a buffer against attacks and named it Province Wellesley (today Seberang Prai). The annual payment to Sultan of Kedah was increased to 10,000 Spanish dollars per annum after the acquisition. Today, the Penang state government still pays RM 18,800.00 to the Sultan of Kedah annually.

In 1796 Penang was made a penal settlement when 700 convicts were transferred thither from the Andaman Islands. In 1805 Penang was made a separate presidency (ranking with Bombay and Madras); and when in 1826 Singapore and Malacca were incorporated with it, Penang continued to be the seat of government of the Straits Settlements, an extension of the British Raj. In 1829 Penang was reduced from the rank of a presidency, and eight years later the fast-growing town of Singapore was made the capital of the Settlements. In 1867 the Straits Settlements were created a Crown colony under direct British rule, in which Penang was included.

For ten days in August 1867, Penang was gripped with civil unrest during what was known as the Penang Riot which pitted rival secret societies Kean Teik Tong (the Tua Pek Kong Hoey), led by Khoo Thean Teik and the Red Flag against the alliance of the Ghee Hin Kongsi and the White Flag, which the British under newly appointed lieutenant-governor Col. Edward Anson put down with sepoy reinforcement after days of chaos.

At the turn of the century, Penang, with her large population of Chinese immigrants, was a natural place for the Chinese nationalist Sun Yat Sen to raise funds for his revolutionary efforts in Qing China. These frequent visits culminated in the famous Penang Conference of 1910 which paved the way to the ultimately triumphant Wuchang Uprising which overthrew the Manchu government.

World Wars

During the First World War, in the Battle of Penang, the German cruiser SMS Emden surreptitiously sailed to Penang and sank two Allied warships off its coast – the Russian cruiser Zhemchug in the North Channel, and as it was leaving the island, the French torpedo boat, Mosquet 10 miles off Muka Head. During World War II, Penang, then a British island garrison, suffered devastating aerial bombardments and finally fell to invading Japanese forces on 17 December 1941 as the British withdrew to Singapore after declaring George Town an ''open city''. Penang under Japanese occupation was marked by widespread fear, hunger, and massacres which targeted the local Chinese populace. Especially feared was the Japanese military police Kempeitai and its network of informants. Penang was administered by four successive Japanese governors, beginning with Lt-Gen Shotaro Katayama. Penang also served as a U-boat base for the Monsun boats in the Indian Ocean for Japan's ally, Germany during the War. The destruction of the Penang Secretariat building by Allied bombing in the final months of the Occupation caused the loss of the greater part of the British and Japanese records concerning the island, causing enormous difficulties to compile a comprehensive history of Penang. Following Japanese surrender in the War, on 21 August 1945 the ''Penang Shimbun'' published the statement of capitulation issued by the Emperor. The official British party reached Penang on 1 September, and after a meeting between the Commander-in-Chief of the East Indies Fleet and Rear-Admiral Uzumi on 2 September, a detachment of the Royal Marines landed and occupied the island on 3 September. A formal ceremony to signify British repossession of Penang took place on Swettenham Pier on 5 September 1945.

		Incorporated into	Date
			1826
			1867
			19 December 1941
			1 April 1946
			31 January 1948
			31 August 1957
			16 September 1963

Independence and after

The British returned at the end of the war and was intent to consolidate its rule over its possessions in British Malaya into a single administrative entity called the Malayan Union, but by then British prestige and image of invincibility were already severely dented. The Malayan Union was vehemently rejected by the people, and the Federation of Malaya was formed in its place in 1948, uniting the then Federated Malay States, Unfederated Malay States, and the Straits Settlements of which Penang was a part. Independence seemed an inevitable conclusion. Nonetheless, the idea of the absorption of the British colony of Penang into the vast Malay heartland alarmed some quarters of the population. The Penang Secessionist Movement (active from 1948 to 1951) was formed to preclude Penang's merger with Malaya, but was ultimately unsuccessful due to British disapproval. Another attempt by the secessionists to join Singapore as a Crown Colony was also unfruitful. The movement was spearheaded by, among others, the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Penang Indian Chamber of Commerce, and the Penang Clerical and Administrative Staff Union.

Penang, with the rest of Malaya gained independence in 1957, and subsequently became a member state of Malaysia in 1963. Wong Pow Nee of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) party was Penang's first Chief Minister. He presided during the period of the Communist insurgency and the formation of Malaysia.

The island was, since colonial times, a free port until its sudden revocation by the federal government in 1969. Despite this abrupt setback, from the 1970s to the late 1990s the state under the administration of Chief Minister Lim Chong Eu built up one of the largest electronics manufacturing bases in Asia, the Free Trade Zone in Bayan Lepas located at the southeastern part of the island.

The pre-War houses in the historic centre of George Town was for half a century until January 2001 protected from urban development due to the ''Rent Control Act'' which prohibited landlords from arbitrarily raising rentals as a measure to provide affordable housing to the low-income population. Its eventual repeal visibly changed the landscape of Penang's demographic pattern and economic activity: it led to overnight appreciation of house and real estate prices, forcing out tenants of multiple generations out of their homes to the city outskirts and the development of new townships and hitherto sparsely populated areas of Penang; the demolition of many pre-War houses and the mushrooming of high-rise residences and office buildings; and the emptying out and dilapidation of many areas in the city centre. Unperturbed development sparked concerns of the continued existence of heritage buildings and Penang's collection of pre-War houses (southeast Asia's largest), leading to more vigorous conservation efforts. This was paid handsomely when on 7 July 2008, George Town, the historic capital of Penang, was formally inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, alongside Malacca. It is officially recognised as having "a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia".

The Indian Ocean tsunami which struck on Boxing Day of 2004 hit the western and northern coasts of Penang island, claiming 52 lives (out of 68 in Malaysia).

Geography

Topography

The state is geographically divided into two sections:

Penang Island (Pulau Pinang in Malay): an island of 293 square kilometres located in the Straits of Malacca; and

Seberang Perai: a narrow hinterland of 753 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 east and north (demarcated by the Muda River), and by Perak in the south.

The body of water between Penang Island and Seberang Perai consists of the North Channel to the north of George Town and the South Channel to the south of it. Penang Island is irregularly shaped, with a granitic, hilly and mostly forested interior. The coastal plains are narrow, the most extensive of which is in the northeast. In general, the island can be distinguished into five areas:

The northeastern plains form a triangular promontory where the state capital is situated. This densely populated inner city is the administrative, commercial, and cultural centre of Penang.

The southeast, once consisting of rice fields and mangroves, has been completely transformed into new townships and industrial areas.

The northwest consists of a coastal fringe of sandy beaches lined with resort hotels and residences.

The southwest contains the only large pockets of scenic countryside with fishing villages, fruit orchards, and mangroves.

The central hill range, with the highest point being Western Hill (part of Penang Hill) at 830 metres above sea level, is an important forested catchment area.

The topography of Seberang Perai, comprising more than half of the land area of Penang, is mostly flat save for Bukit Mertajam, the name of the hillock and the eponymous town at its foot. It has a long coastline, the majority of which is lined with mangrove. Butterworth, the main town in Seberang Perai, lies along the Perai River estuary and faces George Town at a distance of 3 km (2 miles) across the channel to the east.In general, the mainland or Seberang Perai can be distinguished into three districts:

The Northern Seberang Perai District

The Central Seberang Perai District

The Southern Seberang Perai District

Due to the lack of land for development in Penang, a few land reclamation projects had been undertaken to provide suitable low-lying land in high-demand areas such as Tanjung Tokong, Jelutong (construction of Jelutong Expressway) and Queensbay. These projects had been implicated in the change of tidal flow along coastal areas of Penang Island and were postulated to have caused the silting of Gurney Drive after the Tanjung Tokong reclamation.

Geology

There are three main geological formations in Penang, i.e. the orthoclase to intermediate microcline granite, microcline granite, and the Mahang formation (mainly ferruginous spotted slate). Penang Island has no sedimentary rocks and most of the island is underlain by igneous rocks which are granites in the IUGS or Streckeisen classification. On the basis of proportions of alkali feldspar to total feldspar, granites on Penang island are further distinguished into two main groups: the North Penang Pluton (approximately north of latitude 5° 23'), and the South Penang Pluton. The former group is subdivided into the Ferringhi Granite, the Tanjung Bungah Granite and the Muka Head Microgranite, whereas the latter is subdivided into the Batu Maung Granite and the Sungai Ara Granite. A study of three disparate locations on the island show that the soil profile in Batu Ferringhi (of early Jurassic age) is silty whereas those in Paya Terubong (early Permian – late Carboniferous) and Tanjung Bungah (early Jurassic) are clayey.

Drainage system

The major rivers in Penang include the Pinang River, Air Itam River, Dondang River, Teluk Bahang River, Tukun River, Betung River, and Prai River. The Muda River separates Penang from Kedah in the north, while the Kerian River forms the boundary between Penang, Kedah, and Perak. The latter is known for its firefly colonies.

Climate

Penang enjoys a year-round tropical rainforest 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''.

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

style="background: #81BEF7;"	Temperature (day)	28 °C-33 °C
style="background: #81BEF7;"	Temperature (night)	22 °C-25 °C
style="background: #81BEF7;"	Ave annual rainfall	2670 mm
style="background: #81BEF7;"	Relative humidity	70%–90%

Towns and neighbourhoods

Penang Island

Air Itam – Bagan Jermal – Balik Pulau – Bandar Baru Air Itam – Batu Ferringhi – Batu Maung – Batu Lanchang – Bayan Baru – Bayan Lepas – Gelugor – George Town – Gertak Sanggul – Green Lane – Gurney Drive – Tanjung Tokong – Jelutong – Mount Erskine – Pantai Aceh – Paya Terubong – Pulau Tikus – Pulau Betong – Relau – Sungai Ara – Sungai Dua – Sungai Nibong – Sungai Pinang – Tanjung Bungah – Tanjung Tokong – Teluk Bahang – Teluk Kumbar

Seberang Perai

Alma – Bagan Ajam – Bagan Luar – Batu Kawan – Bukit Mertajam – Bukit Minyak – Bukit Tambun – Butterworth – Ceruk Tok Kun – Jawi – Juru – Kepala Batas – Mak Mandin – Nibong Tebal – Permatang Pauh – Perai – Seberang Jaya – Simpang Ampat – Sungai Bakap – Bukit Tambun – Penaga – Permatang Tinggi – Val d'Or

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. Starting as a leper asylum in 1868 and later a maximum-security penal colony (till 1993), Jerejak is now a tourist attraction offering jungle trails and a spa resort. Other islands include Pulau Aman, Pulau Betong, Pulau Gedung, Pulau Kendi (Coral Island) and Pulau Rimau.

Greater Penang (Conurbation of George Town)

The National Physical Plan of Malaysia envisages a "Conurbation of George Town" encompassing George Town and surrounding areas. The greater metropolitan area of Penang consists of highly urbanised Penang Island, Seberang Prai, Sungai Petani, Kulim and the surrounding areas. With a population of approximately two million, it is the second largest metropolitan area in Malaysia after the Conurbation of Kuala Lumpur (Klang Valley).

This urban area is coterminous with the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), one of three development regions identified in Peninsular Malaysia, under a repackaging of the Ninth Malaysian Plan (a five-year national development plan). NCER encompases Penang (Penang Island and Seberang Prai), Kedah (Alor Star, Sungai Petani and Kulim), Perlis (Kangar) and Northern Perak. However the Barisan Nasional-controlled federal government decided to defer the Penang Outer Ring Road and Penang Monorail projects following the change of state government in 2008, attributing the decision to economic considerations.

George Town has been ranked as the most liveable city in Malaysia, eighth most liveable in Asia and the 62nd in the world in 2010 by ECA International, an improvement in ranking from recent years.

Demographics

The state has the highest population density in Malaysia. The whole of Penang State has a density of 1,450.5 people per square kilometre and has a population of 1,520,143 as of 2010.

+ Historical Population of Penang
style="background:#307D7E;"	Census	Population

Penang Island has a population of 704,376 in 2010 and a density of 2,372 people per square kilometre. Penang Island is the most populated island in Malaysia, and also an island which has the highest density in the country.

Seberang Perai is the hinterland portion of Penang State populated by 815,767 people in the 2010 Census, and has a density of 1,086 people per square kilometre.

The ethnic composition in 2010 was:

Malay: 653,600 (43%)

Chinese: 623,200 (41%)

Indian: 152,000 (10%)

Others:

* Bumiputra – other than Malay: 7,600 (0.5%)

* Other races: 7,600 (0.5%)

* Non-Malaysian citizens: 83,600 (5.5%)

Penang was long the only state in Malaysia where ethnic Chinese formed a plurality, but more recent statistical trends show that the Malay community has surpassed the Chinese in numbers. The percentage of people of Chinese descent in the population is expected to drop to 40.9% by the end of 2010, while the percentage of Malays will increase to 43%. Nevertheless, the Chinese remain more visible because most of them live in the urban areas.

Penang is also host to an estimated 70 000 to 80 000 of migrant workers, especially from Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, and South Asian nations who are mostly involved in domestic help, services, manufacturing, construction, plantations, and agriculture.

In retrospect, colonial Penang was truly a cosmopolitan place. Apart from the Europeans and the already multiracial citizenry, there were communities of Siamese, Burmese, Filipino, Ceylonese, Eurasian, Japanese, Sumatran, Arab, Armenian, and Parsee people. A small but commercially significant community of German merchants also existed in Penang. Even though most of these communities are no longer extant, they lent their legacy to street and place names such as the Burmese Buddhist Temple, Crag Hotel, Siam Rd, Armenian St, Acheen St, and Gottlieb Rd. There was a Jewish enclave in Penang before World War II, but few Jews if any remain today. Penang currently has a sizeable expatriate population especially from Japan, various Asian countries and Britain, many of whom 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, Malacca and Singapore. They have partially adopted Malay customs and speak a Chinese-Malay creole of which many words contributed to Penang Hokkien as well (such as "''Ah Bah''" which means Mister, referring to a man as "''Baba''"). The Peranakan community possesses a distinct identity in terms of food, dress, rites, crafts and culture. Most of the Peranakan Chinese are not Muslims but practise an eclectic form of ancestor worship and Chinese religion, while some were Christians. They prided themselves as being Anglophone and distinguished themselves from the newly-arrived ''Chinamen'' or ''sinkheh''. The Peranakan as a living culture, however, are almost extinct today due to their re-absorption into the mainstream Chinese community, otherwise being Westernised. Still, their legacy lives on in their distinctive architecture (exemplified by the Pinang Peranakan Mansion and the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion), cuisine, elaborate nyonya kebaya costume and exquisite handicrafts.

Language

The common languages of Penang, depending on social classes, social circles, and ethnic backgrounds are English, Mandarin, Malay, Penang Hokkien and Tamil. Mandarin, which is taught in Chinese-medium schools in the state, is 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 Chinese settlers. Many police officers also take a course in Hokkien. 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. It incorporates a large number of loanwords from Malay and English. Most Penang Hokkien speakers are not literate in Hokkien but instead read and write in standard (Mandarin) Chinese, English and/or Malay. Other Chinese dialects, including Hakka spoken in state and mostly Balik Pulau, Cantonese are also spoken in the state. Teochew is heard more in Seberang Perai than on Penang island.

Malay, the language of the indigenous population, the official language of the state, as well as the medium of instruction of national schools, is spoken in the northern accent, with characteristic words such as "hang", "depa", and "kupang". Syllables ending with "a" are typically stressed.

English, a colonial legacy, is a working language widely used in commerce, education, and the arts. English used in an official or formal context is predominantly British English with American influences. Spoken English, as in the rest of Malaysia, is often in the form of Manglish (Malaysian colloquial English).

Religion

Islam is the most widely professed religion in Penang. Other religions include Buddhism (33.6%, 2000), in the Theravada, Mahayana and increasingly also Vajrayana traditions, Taoism, Chinese folk religion, Hinduism (8.7%); Roman Catholicism and 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 tiny and little-known community of Jews in Penang, mainly along Jalan Zainal Abidin (formerly ''Jalan Yahudi'' or Jewish Street).

Governance and law

The state has its own state legislature and executive, but they have relatively limited powers in comparison with those of the Malaysian federal government, chiefly in areas of revenues and taxation.

Executive

Penang, being a former British settlement, is one of only four states in Malaysia not to have a hereditary Malay Ruler or Sultan. The other three are 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 the 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. His consent is required to dissolve the Legislative Assembly. In practice the Governor is a figurehead whose functions are chiefly symbolic and ceremonial. Actual executive powers lie with the Chief Minister and the State Executive Council whose members he appoints from the Legislative Assembly. The Chief Minister is in theory appointed by the Governor from among the elected assemblymen whom in his opinion commands the confidence of the majority of the members of the Legislative Assembly, but in practice is invariably the leader of the party that wins the most seats in the state elections. The State Secretariat heads and coordinates the various departments and agencies of Penang's civil service.

The Chief Minister of Penang is Lim Guan Eng from the Democratic Action Party (DAP). Following the 12th general elections of 8 March 2008, the coalition of DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) formed the state government with the chief ministership going to the former for being the single largest party in the state legislature. Penang holds the distinction of being the sole state in Malaysia whose chief ministership has been continuously held by an ethnic Chinese since independence.

Local authorities

A Committee of Assessors was formed in 1801 as the first town-planning agency. The Enactment of Act XXVII “An Act For Appointing Municipal Commissioners And For Levying Rates And Taxes In The Several Stations Of The Settlement Of Prince Of Wales Island, Singapore And Malacca” was considered to be the establishment of the first local government in Penang. The first Municipal Council in Malaya, the Municipal Council of George Town was established in 1857, later becoming the City Council of George Town in 1957. In 1974, the City Council of George Town and the Rural District Council of Penang Island were merged into one local authority.

Though Penang in 1951 was the first state in the then Malaya to hold local elections, local councillors have been appointed by the state government ever since local elections were abolished in Malaysia in 1965 as a result of the Indonesian Confrontation. There are two local authorities in Penang, the Municipal Council of Penang Island (''Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang'') and the Municipal Council of Seberang Perai (''Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai''). Both municipal councils are made up of a president, a municipal secretary and 24 councillors. The president is appointed by the State Government for a two-year term of office while the councillors are appointed for one-year terms of office. The local councils are responsible, among others, for regulating traffic and parking, maintaining public parks, upkeeping cleanliness and drainage, managing waste disposal, issuing business licenses, and overseeing public health.

The state is divided into five administrative regions, each headed by a district officer:

Penang Island:

* North-East Penang Island District (''Daerah Timur Laut'')

* South-West Penang Island District (''Daerah Barat Daya'')

Seberang Perai:

* Northern Seberang Perai District (''Daerah Seberang Perai Utara'')

* Central Seberang Perai District (''Daerah Seberang Perai Tengah'')

* Southern Seberang Perai District (''Daerah Seberang Perai Selatan'')

Legislature

The unicameral state legislature, whose members are called state assemblymen, convenes at the neoclassical Penang State Assembly Building (''Dewan Undangan Negeri'') at Light Street. It has 40 seats, 19 of which are held by the Democratic Action Party, 11 by Barisan Nasional, nine 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. As in the national Parliament, Penang practises the Westminster system whereby members of the executive are appointed from amongst the elected assemblymen.

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.

The Penang State Constitution embodies the state's highest laws which was codified since Independence. Amendments to the Constitution require a two-thirds majority support from members of the Assembly. The Malaysian Federal Constitution enumerates matters which come under federal, state, and joint jurisdictions. The state may legislate on matters pertaining to Malay customs, land, agriculture and forestry, local government, civil and water works, and state administration, whereas matters that fall under joint purview include social welfare, wildlife protection and national parks, scholarships, husbandry, town planning, drainage and irrigation, and public health and health regulations.

Judiciary

The Malaysian legal system had its roots in nineteenth-century Penang. By 1807, a Royal Charter was granted to Penang which provided for the establishment of a Supreme Court. This was followed by the appointment of the first Supreme Court judge designated as the “Recorder”. The Supreme Court of Penang was first housed at Fort Cornwallis and was opened on 31 May 1808. The first Superior Court Judge in Malaya originated from Penang when Sir Edmond Stanley assumed office as the First Recorder (later, Judge) of the Supreme Court in Penang in 1808. The legal establishment in Penang was later progressively extended to the whole of British Malaya by 1951. Post-independence, the Malaysian judiciary has become largely centralised. The courts in Penang consist of the Magistrates, Sessions, and High Court. The Syariah court is a parallel court which hears matters concerning Islamic jurisprudence.

Economy

+ Employment by Industry (%) in Penang, 2008–2009 (Q3)
	INDUSTRY		2008		2009
TOTAL

Industry

Penang is 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 – earning Penang the nickname ''Silicon Island''. 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. In 2010, Penang had the highest total of capital investments in the country. The state attracted RM 12.2 billion worth of investments, up fivefold from RM 2.2 billion last year and a total increase of 465%. Other than that, Penang also accounted 26% of Malaysia's total investments in 2010.

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 a self-funding statutory body aiming enhance Penang's socio-economic development and to create employment opportunities whereas InvestPenang is a non-profit entity of the state government with the sole purpose of promoting investments within Penang.

Agriculture

Agricultural land in 2008 is used for (in descending total area) oil palm (13,504 hectares), paddy (12,782), rubber (10,838), fruits (7,009), coconut (1,966), vegetables (489), cash crops (198), spices (197), cocoa (9), and others (41). Two local produce for which Penang is famous for are durians and nutmegs. Livestock is dominated by poultry and domestic pigs. Other sectors include fisheries and aquaculture, and new emerging industries such as ornamental fish and floriculture.

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

+ Public Holidays in Penang
Holiday	Date
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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 to cater to the financial requirements of early European traders. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, now known as HSBC, opened its first branch in Penang in 1885. This was followed by the UK-based Royal Bank of Scotland (then ABN AMRO) in 1888. 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, Bank of China and Bank Negara Malaysia (the Malaysian central bank) together with local banks such as Public Bank, Maybank, Ambank and CIMB Bank.

Culture and heritage

Arts

There are two major Western orchestras in Penang – the Penang Philharmonic (formerly Penang State Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (PESSOC), and the Penang Symphony Orchestra (PSO). The ProArt Chinese Orchestra is an orchestra playing traditional Chinese musical instruments. There are also many other chamber and school-based musical ensembles. The Actors Studio at Straits Quay is a theatre group which started in 2002.

Bangsawan is a Malay theatre art form (often referred to as the ''Malay opera'') which originated from India, developed in Penang with Indian, Western, Islamic, Chinese and Indonesian influences. It went into decline in the latter decades of the 20th century and is a dying art form today. Boria is another traditional dance drama indigenous to Penang featuring singing accompanied by violin, maracas and tabla.

Chinese opera (usually the Teochew and Hokkien versions) is frequently performed in Penang, often in specially built platforms, especially during the annual Hungry Ghost Festival. There are also puppetry performances although they are less performed today.

Museums and galleries

The Penang Museum and Art Gallery in George Town houses relics, photographs, maps, and other artefacts that document the history and culture of Penang and its people. The Penang Islamic Museum at the former Syed Alatas Mansion highlights the history of Islam in Penang from its beginnings until today. The tragedy of the Second World War is vividly depicted in the Penang War Museum, a former fortress constructed by the British in anticipation of an amphibious invasion by the Japanese that never materialised. The Universiti Sains Malaysia Museum and Gallery, located within the university campus contains an extensive exhibition relating to ethnographic and performing arts, and features various art works by Malaysian artists. Also, Penang Toy Museum is located at Tanjung Bungah and there is a forestry museum within the Teluk Bahang Forest Park. The Penang State Art Gallery at Dewan Sri Pinang showcases a permanent collection of local artists as well as special exhibitions. The birthplace of Malaysia's legendary singer-actor P. Ramlee has been restored and turned into a museum.

Architecture

The architecture of Penang is a durable testament of her history – a culmination of over a century and a half of British presence, as well as the confluence of immigrants and the culture they brought with them. Fort Cornwallis at the Esplanade was the first structure the British built in Penang. Outstanding examples of colonial period buildings include the Municipal Council and Town Hall buildings, the buildings in the old commercial district, the Penang Museum, the Eastern and Oriental Hotel, and St George's Anglican Church – all of which are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Suffolk House, the former residence of Penang's British governors, on the banks of the Air Itam river is an example of the Anglo-Indian garden house. The stately Seri Mutiara (formerly known as the Residency), completed in 1890 as the residence of Penang's British Resident Councillors, is today the official residence of the Governor. Chinese influence is visible at the many ornate clan houses, temples, pre-war shophouses, and mansions such as the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. The Clan Jetties are a collection of water villages at Weld Quay. The Indian community built many elaborate temples such as the Mahamariamman temple, while Muslim influence can be seen at the Kapitan Keling Mosque, the Acheh Mosque, and the Penang Islamic Museum. The P. Ramlee Museum is an excellent example of traditional Malay stilt houses. Siamese and Burmese architecture can be appreciated at the Sleeping Buddha and Dharmikarama temples. Modern structures and skyscrapers also abound in Penang, sometimes side by side with heritage buildings. Notable examples include the KOMTAR tower, the UMNO tower and the Mutiara Mesiniaga building.

Festivals

The cultural mosaic of Penang naturally means that they are a great many number of festivals to celebrate. The Chinese celebrate, among others, the Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, Hungry Ghost Festival, Qing Ming, and the feast days of various deities. The Malays and Muslims celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Hari Raya Haji, and Maulidur Rasul while the Indians observe Deepavali, Thaipusam and Thai Pongal. Christmas, Good Friday and Easter are celebrated by Christians. The annual Saint Anne's Novena and Feast Day draws thousands of Catholics to St. Anne's Church in Bukit Mertajam. Buddhists observe Wesak Day while the Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi. Many of these festivals are celebrated in a large scale and are also public holidays in Penang. Bon Odori is an annual event held at the Esplanade by the expatriate Japanese population. The Penang Government organises the annual George Town Festival which celebrates the city's World Heritage Site status with arts and live cultural performances throughout the month of July. The famous Pesta Pulau Pinang (Penang Fest) is a combination of trade expo, family-oriented carnival and cultural events held throughout the month of December since the 1960s primarily at the Pesta site in Sungai Nibong and other locations in the state.

Food

Penang, long known as ''the food capital of Malaysia'', is renowned for its good and varied food. 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 also shows some influence of Thailand. Its especially famous "hawker food", many served al fresco, strongly features noodles, spices, and fresh seafood. The best places to savour Penang's food include Gurney Drive, Pulau Tikus, New Lane, New World Park, Penang Road and Chulia Street, as well as Raja Uda and Chai Leng Park over on the mainland. Penang is also famed for its traditional biscuits such as the ''tau sar pneah'' (bean paste biscuit).

Tourism

Visited by Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Noel Coward and Queen Elizabeth II among many others, Penang has always been a popular tourist destination, both domestically and internationally. In 2009, Penang attracted 5.96 million tourists, ranking third in tourist arrivals in Malaysia. Penang is known for its rich heritage, multicultural society and its vibrant culture, its hills, parks, and beaches, shopping, and good food.

Penang has been ranked by Yahoo! Travel as one of the "10 Islands to Explore Before You Die", and listed in Patricia Schultz's best-selling 1,000 Places to See Before You Die travel book.

Beaches

The most popular beaches in Penang are located at Tanjung Bungah, Batu Ferringhi, and Teluk Bahang, and these contiguous beaches are home to Penang's famed hotel and resort belt. More secluded Muka Head, which hosts a lighthouse and a marine research station, and Monkey Beach – both within the Penang National Park – offer more pristine water.

Pollution which has been going on for years taints the beauty of the beaches and increasingly turns tourists away to places like Langkawi and Pangkor. Among the identified sources of pollution include inefficient sewage disposal and unchecked commercial activities.

Parks, gardens and natural history

Despite its limited land size and dense population, Penang has managed to retain a considerable area of natural environment. As of 2011, 7% of the state's total surface area or 7524 hectares was forested. Located at the fringe of George Town, at the foot of Penang Hill are two adjacent green areas – the Penang Municipal Park (popularly known as Youth Park) and the Penang Botanic Gardens. Penang Hill, despite encroaching development, remains thickly forested and lush in vegetation. The Relau Metropolitan Park was opened in 2003. Robina Beach Park is a park by the beach near Butterworth.

Gazetted in 2003, the Penang National Park (the country's smallest at 2,562 hectares) at the northwestern tip of Penang island boasts of a lowland dipterocarp forest, mangroves, wetlands, a meromictic lake, mud flats, coral reefs and turtle nesting beaches in addition to a rich diversity of birdlife. In addition to this, there are nature preserves in Bukit Relau, Teluk Bahang, Bukit Penara, Bukit Mertajam, Bukit Panchor, and Sungai Tukun. The Penang Butterfly Farm in Teluk Bahang, one of few of its kind in the world, is a walk-in free-ranging butterfly habitat, breeding and conservation centre. The Penang Bird Park in Seberang Jaya is the first aviary in Malaysia. Other places of special interest include the Tropical Spice Garden and the Tropical Fruit Farm in Teluk Bahang, and the Bukit Jambul Orchid and Hibiscus Garden.

A small bushy tree, ''Alchornea rhodophylla'', the almost-extinct tree ''Maingaya malayana'', and the toad ''Ansonia penangensis'' are endemic only to the island of Penang. Some of the commonly seen birds in Penang include the migratory greater spotted eagle (''Aquila clanga''), the blue-tailed bee-eater (''Merops philippinus'') and the blue-throated bee-eater (''Merops viridis''), and the endemic chestnut-headed bee-eater (''Merops leschenaulti''), the Brahmniy kite (''Haliastur indus''), the common sandpiper (''Actitis hypoleucos''), and the white-bellied sea eagle. The sandy beaches of the Penang National Park are the nesting grounds for the green turtle (''Chelonia mydas'') from April to August, and the olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidocchelys olivacea'') between September and February. The Irrawaddy dolphin (''Orcaella brevirostris'') and the bottlenose dolphin (''Tursiops truncatus'') are occasionally sighted in the coastal seas off the Park. Also living in the Park are the leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis''), the flying lemur (''Galeopterus variegatus''), and one of the world's largest arboreal rodents, the cream-coloured giant squirrel (''Ratufa affinis''))

Shopping

Penang is a major shopping destination in the northern region of Malaysia. It has several modern shopping malls offering a wide range of merchandise. Among the more popular ones on Penang island are Queensbay Mall (Penang's largest), Gurney Plaza at the famed Gurney Drive, KOMTAR (Penang's first modern shopping mall) and Penang Times Square (an integrated commercial and residential complex near Komtar). Notable shopping malls in Seberang Perai are Sunway Carnival Mall at Seberang Jaya and Seberang Prai City Perdana Mall at Bandar Perda.

Traditional bazaars such as the Chowrasta Market and Campbell Street, and makeshift open-air night markets known as ''pasar malam'' were the precursors to today's shopping malls. They offer goods ranging from modern electronics and textiles to foodstuffs and local produces.

Education

Schools

Penang was a pioneer in education in Malaysia, having some of the earliest established schools in the country. The public school system comprises national schools, vernacular (Chinese and Tamil) schools, vocational schools, and religious schools. There are also a few international schools, such as Dalat International School, Tenby International School, The International School of Penang (Uplands), and the Penang Japanese School. The state has five Chinese Independent High Schools.

Chinese schools

Penang has long been the centre of a well-developed Chinese-language schooling system. These schools were set up by local Chinese associations with donations from philanthropists, and have historically attracted students from Chinese communities in Thailand and Indonesia, where Chinese education was banned. These schools are well-supported by the community and many consistently produce good results, thus attracting non-Chinese students too. There are 90 Chinese primary schools and 10 Chinese secondary schools in Penang. Among them are Chung Ling High School (established 1917), Penang Chinese Girls' High School (est. 1920), Union High School (est. 1928), Chung Hwa Confucian School (est. 1904), Phor Tay High School (est. 1940, the first Buddhist school in Malaysia), Jit Sin High School (est. 1949), Han Chiang School (est. 1919) and Heng Ee High School (1957).

Formerly missionary schools

Formal education in Penang stretches back to the early days of British administration. Many of the public schools in Penang are among the oldest in the country and even in the region as a whole but has since been turned into national schools. They educated generations of important personages in the country's history, which included royalty, ministers, lawmakers, sportsmen, artists, and musicians. Most notable of these are Penang Free School (est. 1816, the oldest English school in the country), St. George's Girls' School (est. 1885), [[Methodist Boys' School, Penang|Methodist Boys' School (est. 1891), St. Xavier's Institution (est. 1852), and Convent Light Street (est. 1852, the first school for girls in Malaysia).

National, vocational, and religious schools

National schools use Malay as their medium of instruction. Unlike early Chinese and missionary schools, national schools are mostly built and funded by the government. The student population in these schools tend to be more multiracial. Examples are Bukit Jambul Secondary School, Sri Mutiara Secondary School and Air Itam Secondary School. The Tunku Abdul Rahman Technical Institute and the Batu Lanchang Vocational School are two of Penang's vocational schools. The Al-Mashoor School is a religious school in Penang.

Colleges and universities

Penang is home to two medical schools (Penang Medical College and Allianze College of Medical Sciences), a nursing college, a dental training college, two teacher's training colleges, and numerous private and community colleges. The two public universities in Penang are Universiti Sains Malaysia at Gelugor and its Engineering campus at Nibong Tebal, and Universiti Teknologi MARA at Permatang Pauh. The former, popularly known by its acronym USM, is one of Malaysia's earliest universities, and is today accorded the status of apex university dedicated to research. Wawasan Open University is a private university dedicated to distance-learning. Penang also hosts SEAMEO RECSAM, a research and training facility for the enhancement of the science and mathematics education in Southeast Asia. Some of the colleges in Penang include KDU College, Inti College, Disted-Stamford College, Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC), Han Chiang College, and Olympia College.

Libraries

The Penang Public Library Corporation in 1973 replaced the Penang Library which in turn was set up in 1817. It operates the main Penang Public Library in Seberang Prai, the George Town Branch Library, the Children's Library, and three smaller libraries.

Media

The mainstream newspapers in Penang include the English dailies ''The Star, The New Straits Times'', and the free ''The Sun''; the Malay dailies ''Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, Harian Metro'', and ''Kosmo!''; the Chinese dailies ''Kwong Wah Yit Poh, Sin Chew Daily, China Press'', and ''Oriental Daily News''; and the Tamil dailies ''Tamil Nesan, Malaysia Nanban'', and ''Makkal Osai''. The ''Malay Mail'' is an English weekly. ''Nanyang Siang Pau'' is a Chinese-language financial daily while ''The Edge'' is an English-language financial weekly newspaper. All of them are in national circulation.

Health care

Health care in Penang is provided by public as well as private hospitals. The public health care system first established by the colonial authorities was supplemented by health care provided by local Chinese charities, and Christian missionaries such as the Roman Catholic and the Seventh-day Adventist.

Today public hospitals are funded and administered by the Ministry of Health. The Penang Hospital is a tertiary-care regional referral centre. In addition to public hospitals are numerous smaller community clinics (''klinik kesihatan'') and private practices. Private hospitals supplement the system with better facilities and speedier care. These hospitals cater not only to the local population but also to patients from other states and health tourists from neighbouring countries such as Indonesia. Penang is actively promoting health tourism. In 2010, 250,000 foreign patients were treated. The state earned an estimated RM 230 million through medical tourism in 2010, up from RM 162 million in 2009. Penang also contributed 70% to Malaysia's medical tourism revenue. Hospices are also increasingly becoming the choice for long-term and terminal care. Infant mortality rate at present is 0.4% while life expectancy at birth is 71.8 years for men and 76.3 years for women.

{| cellpadding="10" |- valign="top" | Public hospitals

''Penang Island''

Penang General Hospital (main)

Balik Pulau Hospital

''Seberang Perai''

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

Tropicana Medical Centre Penang

''Seberang Perai''

Bukit Mertajam Specialist Hospital

Bagan Specialist Centre

|}

Transportation

Getting to Penang both from within and outside Malaysia is easy as Penang is well-connected by road, rail, sea and air. Flights are available from Kuala Lumpur to Penang by local carriers such as AirAsia.

Bridges, roads and highways

Penang Island is connected to the mainland by the 13.5-kilometre, three-lane, dual carriageway Penang Bridge (completed in 1985), one of the longest bridges in Asia. On 31 March 2006, the Malaysian government announced a second bridge project, tentatively named the Penang Second Bridge. The bridge is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.

Penang on the side of Seberang Perai 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 comprises the Penang Bridge.

The proposed Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR) was mooted to cut travelling time on the eastern part of the island but was subsequently shelved. Concerned citizens voiced protests over the designated route which will cut across quiet residential areas and may also adversely affect the environments.

The Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway formerly known as the Jelutong Expressway, a coastal highway on the eastern part of the island, links the Penang Bridge to George Town. 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

One of the earliest modes of transportation in Penang was the horse hackney carriage which was popular throughout the last quarter of the 18th century until 1935, when the rickshaw (jinriksha) gained popularity, until it in turn was rapidly superseded by the trishaw beginning in 1941 and still used in George Town today, mostly for sightseeing rides, albeit in much lesser numbers.

Horse trams, steam trams, electric trams, trolleybuses and double deckers used to ply the streets of Penang. The first steam tramway started operations in the 1880s and for a time horse-drawn cars were also introduced. Electrical trams were launched in 1905. Trolleybuses commenced in 1925 and they gradually supplanted the trams but they in turn were discontinued in 1961 and regular buses henceforth became the only form of public transport to this day.

For a long time, the Penang public bus service was deemed unsatisfactory. On 1 April 2006, the Penang state government revamped the entire bus network in the hope of improving the bus service in the state. Under the revamped routes, bigger buses were made to run along "trunk" routes while minibuses ran "feeder" routes which branched off trunk routes, but conditions did not improve. On 20 February 2007, the government announced that Rapid KL would operate the public bus service in Penang under the new entity called ''Rapid Penang'' which is formed for this purpose.

Rapid Penang started on 31 July 2007 with 150 buses covering 28 routes on the island and mainland. This services has since been extended. After Rapid Penang came in, the public transportation in Penang has improved and is now better. Public transportation usage in the state has also increased from a lowly 30,000 commuters a day in 2007 to 75,000 commuters a day in 2010. Currently, there are 350 buses plying 41 routes around the state (30 routes on Penang Island, 9 routes on Seberang Prai and 2 routes connecting Penang Island and Seberang Prai). However, usage of public transport remains low, contributing to traffic jams in the city during rush hours. In light of this, the city council has introduced free shuttle bus services for short intra-city travel to lessen the congestion.

There are two main bus terminals for inter-state express coaches. One is located at the ferry terminal in Seberang Perai, and another at Sungai Nibong on the island.

Taxis in Penang do not use the meter as required by the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board but instead charge fixed fares.

Rail and monorail

Penang has 34.9 km of rail track within its border. The Butterworth railway station 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.

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. The railway underwent an extensive upgrading in 2010 and was reopened in early 2011.

Penang had a monorail proposal under consideration since 1999. The Penang Monorail project was finally approved on 31 March 2006 under the Ninth Malaysia Plan but was then deferred indefinitely by the federal government.

Airport

Penang International Airport (PEN) is located at Bayan Lepas in the south of the island. The airport serves as the northern gateway to Malaysia and is the secondary hub of Firefly, a low-cost carrier wholly owned by Malaysia Airlines as well as AirAsia, a pioneer low-cost carrier from Malaysia. Other airlines operating at Penang are national flag carrier Malaysia Airlines, SilkAir (a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines), Thai Airways International, Tiger Airways, Jetstar Asia Airways, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific and Dragon Air, Taiwan-based China Airlines, China Southern Airlines, together with Indonesian airlines Lion Air, Kartika Airlines, Sriwijaya Air and Wings Air.

Penang Airport has direct flights to other Malaysian cities, namely Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Johor Bahru, Langkawi, and regular connections to major Asian cities such as Bangkok, Jakarta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei and Guangzhou.

The airport also serves as an important cargo hub due to the large presence of multinational factories in the Free Trade Zones as well as catering to the northern states of peninsular Malaysia.

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). With Malaysia being one of the largest exporting nations in the world, the Port of Penang plays a leading role in the nation's shipping industry, linking Penang to more than 200 ports worldwide. The Swettenham Pier Port also accommodates cruise ships and on occasions, warships.

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 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 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 (at the Penang Botanic Gardens), Guillemard Reservoir, and also from the Muda River of Kedah.

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 and an Internet service provider (ISP) in the state. Mobile network operators and mobile ISPs include Maxis, Digi, Celcom, and U Mobile. Currently, Penang is undergoing a statewide Wi-Fi installation. The Wi-Fi internet connection will be provided by the Penang State Government for free. The Wi-Fi service, named "Penang Free Wi-Fi" has covered some commercial spots and some areas including the state government office, KOMTAR in Penang Island, and some commercial spots on Seberang Prai. When completed, Penang will be the first state in Malaysia to provide residents with free Internet connection.

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 coastal water degradation.

Sister cities

Adelaide, Australia (8 December 1973) Xiamen, China (1991) Medan, Indonesia Taipei, Taiwan (March 2011)

Military installations

Army

The Tun Razak Camp () at Bukit Gedong on the island is home to the 2nd Infantry Division of the Malaysian Army while the Peel Avenue Camp () in George Town houses the 509th Regiment of the Rejimen Askar Wataniah.

Minden Barracks in Gelugor which is the site of Universiti Sains Malaysia was formerly a base of the Overseas Commonwealth Land Forces (Malaya) from 1939 to 1971.

Air Force

RMAF Butterworth () in Butterworth is a Royal Malaysian Air Force base. The installation is also the Integrated Air Defence System (IADS) command centre of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA). The airbase stations four RMAF squadrons and hosts a Royal Australian Air Force squadron as part of Australia's commitment to the FPDA.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

Penang is one of the hotbeds of social activism in the country. Anwar Fazal, 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. It publishes the ''Utusan Konsumer'', ''Utusan Pengguna'', ''Utusan Cina'', ''Utusan Tamil'', and ''Majalah Pengguna Kanak-kanak''. The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action is an organisation based in Penang whose objectives are to protect, promote and support breastfeeding globally.

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 worked to enlist the historic enclave of George Town as a World Heritage Site and had played an important role in saving many heritage buildings in Penang from demolition.

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.

The Socio-Economic and Environmental Research Institute (SERI) is a non-profit Penang-based think tank and research institute with a focus on facilitating dynamic and sustainable development for Penang. It publishes the Penang Economic Monthly.

Aliran is a national reform and human rights movement which began in 1977 in Penang. It publishes the ''Aliran Monthly''.

Sports

The state has good sporting facilities which include two major stadia – the City Stadium in George Town and the Batu Kawan Stadium in Southern Seberang Perai. 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 36-hole Penang Golf Resort and the 18-hole Kristal Golf Resort.

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, and the Penang Squash Centre. The Tanjung City Marina which can accommodate up to 140 yachts and boats of various sizes is located at the historic Weld Quay. The Penang Turf Club, established in 1864, is Malaysia's oldest horse racing and equestrian centre.

The international dragon boat festival is held in Penang annually since 1979 around the fifth day of the fifth moon of the lunar calendar. The Penang International Dragon Boat Festival (PIDBF) which leads the development of the sports successfully held the World Club Crew Championship 2008 at Teluk Bahang Dam. Normally, the state will hold two races in a year, the Penang International Dragon Boat Festival in the month of June and Penang Pesta Dragon Boat race around early December.

The Penang Bridge Marathon is a popular annual event. The full marathon route starts from near Queensbay Mall, to the Bayan Lepas Expressway, then on to the 13.5 km length of the Penang Bridge, and finally back to the starting point for the finish. This event hosted 24 000 runners in 2010.

Penang also hosts the unique Chingay procession which began with its first parade in 1919. It is held in celebration of the birthdays of the Chinese deities or in the procession of the Goddess of Mercy (Guan Yin). The procession can be seen yearly on Christmas night or during Chinese festivals such as Chinese New Year or other major events in Penang.

Penang's firsts

Penang became the first British outpost in the then Malaya and Southeast 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.

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 Southeast 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. The St Xavier's Institution established in 1852, is the first school established in Malaysia to be administered and fully owned by the La Salle Brothers.

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 Southeast Asia.

Chung Hwa Confucian School founded by Cheong Fatt Tze in 1904, 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.

George Town, the state capital of Penang, became a city by a royal charter granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 1 January 1957, becoming the first town in the Federation of Malaya to become a city. (For further discussion on the disputed city status, refer Municipal Council of Penang Island.)

George Town together with Malacca Town are the first cities in Malaysia to be granted the UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

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.

Penang Botanic Gardens, established in 1884, is the first botanic gardens in Malaysia.

Phor Tay High School, founded in 1940, is the first Buddhist school in Malaysia.

Diocese of Penang, together with Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur in 1955 is the first Catholic diocese to have a local bishop at helm.

College General is the first and only Catholic seminary in Peninsular Malaysia founded in 1665 in Ayutthya, Thailand and then relocated to Penang in 1808.

Penang Island is the first and only island in Malaysia to be connected to the mainland through land transport when the Penang Bridge was completed in 1985.

The Penang Ferry Service is the oldest ferry services in Malaysia, connecting George Town on Penang island to Butterworth in Seberang Perai.

The Penang Hill Railway, opened in 1923, is the first funicular hill railway in Malaysia.

George Town Dispensary was the earliest dispensary in the then Malaya. It was opened in 1895.

Penang is the first state in Malaysia to launch the "No Plastic Bag Day" campaign.

Famous Penangites

Tunku Abdul Rahman, 1st Prime Minister of Malaysia; studied in Penang Free School and retired in Penang.

Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysia's fifth Prime Minister, hails from the mainland town of Kepala Batas, Penang.

Ah Niu, artist, popular across Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and China.

Alleycats, popular Malaysian band formed in the 1960s.

Anwar Fazal, who Mother Earth News called in 1983 "probably the most influential figure in the worldwide consumer movement".

Anwar Ibrahim, the ex-Deputy Prime Minister, currently the MP representing Permatang Pauh and leader of parliamentary opposition.

Jill Bennett (1931–1990), actress, born in Penang.

Cheong Fatt Tze (1840–1916), Chinese Consul for the Qing Emperor, based in Penang in 1890. A street in Penang was named after him.

Professor Chin Fung Kee from Nibong Tebal, the designer of the Penang Bridge

Jimmy Choo, the famous shoe designer.

Eddy Choong, the four-time All England champion

Chung Keng Quee

Chung Thye Phin

Gu Hongming (1857–1928), famous Chinese scholar from Penang.

Hon Sui Sen(1916–1983), Minister for Finance, Singapore from 1970 to 1983. A Penang-born Hakka, he was educated at St Xavier's Institution, Penang.

Karpal Singh, Member of Parliament and Chairman of Democratic Action Party. A prominent lawyer and opposition politician widely known as "Tiger of Jelutong".

Khaw Boon Wan, Minister for Health, Singapore (2004 – ). Penang-born and educated at Chung Ling High School, Penang.

Koh Tsu Koon, former Chief Minister of Penang, now a federal minister in Prime Minister's Department.

Lee Chong Wei, currently ranked No.1 badminton player in the world (22 January 2009)

Li Yi (李逸, birth name 李金标) (1952–1980), Chinese singer of the 1970s whose promising singing career was cut short by a fatal road mishap in 1980. His illustrious singing career took off after emerging as the winner at the RTM national level singing contest (全国天才园地歌唱比赛) in 1971.

Lim Chong Eu (1919–2010) former Chief Minister of Penang. He was known as the Father of Modern Penang

Loh Boon Siew (1915–1995), founder of Boon Siew Honda and sole distributor of Honda motorcycles in Malaysia.

Nicol David, women's squash world champion.

Nor Mohamed Yakcop, currently the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department. Penang-born and educated at St Xavier's Institution, Penang

Danny Quah, economist, head of the Economics Department (2006–2009), Professor of Economics, and Co-Director of Global Governance at the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK. Council Member, Malaysia's National Economic Advisory Council (2009–)

P. Ramlee (1929–1973), Malaysia's legendary actor/singer/director.

Tan Twan Eng, novelist, nominated for the 2007 Man Booker Prize for the novel The Gift of Rain.

Lillian Too, feng shui consultant and best-selling author of feng shui books.

John H. Whyte (1928–1990), a political scientist born in Penang.

Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee (1911–2002), former Chief Minister of Penang

Wu Lien-teh (1879–1960), renowned plague fighter and pioneer in the modernisation of China's public health system.

Ken Yeang, architect famous for his bioclimatic skyscrapers.

Yeap Chor Ee (1867–1952), prominent businessman and philanthropist.

Yong Mun Sen (1896–1962), pioneer artist, father of Malaysian painting.

Image gallery

Quotes

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. # ''The Blue Mansion'' (Singapore, 2010) featuring Patrick Teoh # ''Ice Kacang Puppy Love'' (Malaysia, 2010)featuring Ah Niu and Angelica Lee.

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

#''The Phantom Ship'' by Frederick Marryat (1792–1848). #''Two Years Before the Mast'' by Richard Henry Dana, Jr. (1815–1882). #''A Retrospect'' by Protestant Christian missionary J. Hudson Taylor (1832–1905), which documented how he founded the China Inland Mission (rename in 1964 Overseas Missionary Fellowship and now OMF International). #''The Penang Pirate'' by John Conroy Hutcheson (1840–1897). #''An Outcast of the Islands'' by Joseph Conrad (1857–1924). #''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930). #''Around the World in Seventy-Two Days'' by American woman journalist Nellie Bly (birth name Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman, 1864–1922). It is a true account of her journey in 1889 to see if she could beat the fictional journey in Jules Verne’s 1873 novel, ''Around the World in Eighty Days''. #''The Man Who Could Work Miracles'' by H. G. Wells (1866–1946). #''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. #''The Gift of Rain'' by Tan Twan Eng set in World War Two Penang, was nominated for 2007 Man Booker Prize. #''Interlok'' by Abdullah Hussain. Book 2 was set in Simpang Empat, Penang, Seberang Perai and Book 3 was set in Pitt Street (now Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Kling). This controversial book cronicles three Malayan individuals of Malay, Hockien Chinese and Tamil Indian origins in pre-war Penang.

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

#''P. Ramlee The Musical'', staged in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore by ENFINITI Vision Media. #''The Secret Life Of Nora (2011), an upcoming musical set in 1960s Penang. The musical tells the tale of a spy masquerading as a cabaret singer on a reconnaissance mission to acquire intelligence on a ring involved in human trafficking.

See also

Architecture of Penang

British Malaya

Battle of Penang

Street names of George Town, Penang

Kulim

References

Sources

The Penang Tourism Action Council. ''The "Light" Years and Beyond''. Retrieved 2005-07-26.

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

www.penang-artists.com/Yong%20Mun%20Sen.htm

External links

Listing Penang's Events

UNESCO World Heritage Listing

Penang State Government

Penang Heritage Trust

Penang World Heritage Web

Photographs of Penang by Peter Loud

VisitPenang the Official web site of Penang State Tourism Development, Culture, Arts & Heritage committee.

Penang Tourism Website

Penang Travel Guide

Penang economic data and reports by Socio-Economic & Environmental Research Institute (SERI)

Traveller's guide to Penang written and maintained by locals

Tropical Spice Garden’s (TSG) Cooking School

Are you ready for yet another Durian season in 2011 in Penang?

Category:Article Feedback Pilot Penang Category:States of Malaysia

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