Once upon a time in Penang, there were local council elections, and the underdog Labour Party reigned for many years.
As the first British settlement in South- East Asia, George Town inherited most of the British Empire’s conventions, including an elective local council. Indeed, the island became the first and only state to own an entirely elective local council.
With that said, the island’s history is never complete without highlighting the Labour Party’s reign over the council. Since its reign marked the pinnacle of the council’s democratic development, the Labour Party’s rise and fall within the council is worth some retrospection.
