Window Into History - Penang Monthly (Page 3)

Early Days in Balik Pulau

10 min read

The history of Balik Pulau has been a continuous source of controversy. The following “eyewitness” account and maps may perhaps settle some of the argument and open up new avenues for discussion.

by Marcus Langdon

Khaw Sim Bee and The Na Ranong Family: A Shared History of Penang and Southern Thailand

4 min read

Penangites may recall catching a glimpse of a road sign bearing the name “Jalan Khaw Sim Bee” while passing Perak Road. This may very well be the on...

by Penang Monthly

The first and forgotten Chief Minister of Penang

6 min read

When it comes to the history of Penang’s modernisation, the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu’s name will always appear. His legacy, from the Free Trade Zone...

by Koay Su-Lyn

Koay Su-Lyn

Local Government in Penang, 1940

6 min read

Coming out as it did just a couple of years before the Japanese put a rude end to the intricate system of government that the British over 160 years had slowly...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

When Labour ruled the council

8 min read

As the first British settlement in South- East Asia, George Town inherited most of the British Empire’s conventions, including an elective local council....

by Koay Su-Lyn

Koay Su-Lyn

Penang’s Forgotten Protest: The 1967 Hartal

6 min read

The word “hartal” refers to a cessation of work or businesses in protest against a political decision. While the 1947 hartal, organised by the Pan-M...

by Koay Su-Lyn

Koay Su-Lyn

When Penang became a Spice Island

7 min read

Spices were much sought after, not only to tempt Europe’s tongues but also to cure its sick who were suffering from the plague and other nasty diseases. A...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

George Town – From city to municipality to culture centre

7 min read

George Town thus had the honour of becoming Malaya’s first city. It remained the country’s only city until 1972, when KL, on being separated from Se...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

The history of Bukit Mertajam Part I – From agrarian village to economic hub

6 min read

Early traces of civilisationModern day Bukit Mertajam is without a doubt a sprawling urban centre, with expanding boundaries which have far exceeded its dated...

by Nicholas Chan

Nicholas Chan

The history of Bukit Mertajam, Part II:From rural board to town council

5 min read

The year 1913 marked an interesting turning point for Bukit Mertajam. The passing of the Municipal Ordinance 1913 witnessed the colonial local authorities takin...

by Koay Su-Lyn

Koay Su-Lyn

The swashbuckling municipal president of Penang

5 min read

Civil servant? Soldier? Adventurer? Activist? Surely one could not be all four, and more. But one man indeed was, and left a significant mark on Penang. During...

by Louise Goss-Custard

The Devoted Pioneers of Girls’ Education in Malaya

6 min read

The Convent Light Street School, modestly nestled along Lebuh Light, proudly declares its motto to passersby: “Simple in Virtue, Steadfast in Duty”....

by Louise Goss-Custard