Exploring Icons of Georgetown

Information

George Town is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang, located on the north-east corner of the island. It had an estimated population of 500,000 as of 2010. The metropolitan area (which consists of Jelutong, Sungai Pinang, Sungai Nibong, Gelugor, Air Itam, Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong) has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the second largest metropolitan area and the biggest northern metropolis in Malaysia. Excluding the metropolitan area, the area of George Town is the seventh largest city by population in Malaysia. Together with Alor Setar and Malacca City, it is one of the Malaysian oldest cities in the Straits of Malacca since its foundation by Francis Light, who was a captain and trader for the British East India Company (EIC) after being instructed by his company, Jourdain Sullivan and de Souza to establish presence in the Malay Archipelago.

Light gained control of Penang Island through a treaty negotiated with the Sultan of Kedah, although in the early stages of negotiation the Sultan refused to cede the island. The Fort Cornwallis was then established and he was successful in increasing the island import values and settlement population especially with the free trade policy the British used at the time. The Sultan of Kedah tried to regain control of the area when he saw the British had failed to provide protection to them as promised earlier in the treaty they had signed when the Sultan was attacked by the Siamese, the plan was however ended with a failure when Light implemented night raids on the Sultan's fortress. Prior to its successful trading post, many Chinese traders began to settle in the town as well to other areas in Penang Island to participate in agriculture and to manage plantations. This was continued under the administration of Straits Settlements with the migration of more Chinese together with Indian workers prior to the Industrial Revolution in Britain.

The situation during the World War I did not directly impact the town daily activities, although the Imperial German Cruiser Emdensank a French destroyer and a Russian cruiser before shelling the oil storage tanks near the city in the Battle of Penang. During World War II, however, the town suffered greatly, since as it was heavily bombed first by the Japanese and later by the Allies. After the war, the town remained as the capital of Penang until the formation of Malaysia in 1963. In 2008, it was listed together with Malacca City as one of Malaysian UNESCO World Heritage Site for its long history as a cosmopolitan city. Today, George Town is well known for its unique street foods, culture and heritage as well with its position as a medical tourism hub with many patients from neighbouring Sumatra in Indonesia frequently visiting the city to undergoing treatment.