George Town , the capital of the Malaysian state of Penang, is located at the northeastern tip of Penang Island. It is the second largest city in Malaysia, with 708,127 residents in 2010, while Greater Penang is the second most populous city with an estimated population of 2.5 million. The historical core of George Town has been written as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008.
Founded as an entrepreneur by Francis Light of the British East India Company in 1786, George Town was the first British settlement in Southeast Asia. Together with Singapore and Malacca, George Town formed part of the Straits Settlements, which became a British crown colony in 1867. It was conquered by the Japanese during World War II, before being recaptured by the British at the end of the war. Shortly before Malaya achieved independence from Britain in 1957, George Town was declared a city by Queen Elizabeth II, making it the first city in the country's modern history.
Due to the mixing of various ethnicities and religions that reached its shores, George Town acquired an eclectic array of colonial and Asian architectural styles. He also gained a reputation as Malaysia's gastronomic capital for its distinctive and widespread street food. In addition, the city has a unique cultural heritage, such as Peranakan whose heritage is still seen in Penang architecture and cuisine.
Today, George Town is the most important medical tourism hub in Malaysia, receiving about half of the country's medical tourists. The city, home to many Malaysian and international banks, has evolved into a financial center in northern Malaysia. In addition, George Town is logistically well connected; Penang International Airport in the south links it to several major regional cities, while the Penang ferry and bridge service connects the city with the rest of Peninsular Malaysia. The town's Swettenham dock has also emerged as the busiest port in Malaysia for cruise ship cruises.
Video George Town, Penang
History
Establishment
In the 1770s, the British East India Company instructed Francis Light to establish trade relations in the Malay Peninsula. Light then landed in Kedah, Siam's subordinate state threatened by Siam and Burma, as well as an internal Bugis insurgency. Aware of this situation, Light established a friendly relationship with the then Kedah Sultan, Sultan Muhammad Zainal Adilin II, and promised British military patronage, while the Sultan reciprocally offered Pulau Penang, part of Kedah.
Although Light later reported this offer to his superiors, it was only in 1786 when he was finally instructed to get Penang Island from Kedah. The British East India Company seeks control over the island as a base of the Royal Navy, and as a trading post between China and India. For that, Light negotiated with the new Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah, regarding the transfer of the island to the British East Indian Company in exchange for the British military aid. After the agreement was signed between Light and the Sultan, Light and his entourage sailed to Penang Island, where they arrived on July 17, 1786.
The area where Light first landed, which is now the Esplanade, was originally a swamp covered with dense forest. After the area was cleared, a simple ceremony was held on August 11, where Union Jack grew up. Pulau Penang was renamed to Prince of Wales Island after the heir to the throne of England, while the new settlement of George Town was created in honor of King George III.
Light developed George Town as a free port, allowing traders to trade without having to pay any taxes or duties. The purpose of the policy is to attract traders from the Dutch ports in the region. The number of incoming vessels rose from 85 in 1786 to 3,569 in 1802; The population of George Town also increased to 10,000 in 1792.
An appraisal committee was established in 1800, making it the first local council established in Malaya England. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court was established in Fort Cornwallis in 1808.
The colonial era
In the early 19th century, Pulau Penang became the center of spice production in Southeast Asia. Spices such as nutmeg, cloves and pepper, produced from spice herbs throughout the island, are exported through the Port of Penang in George Town. Spice trade also allows the British East India Company to cover administrative costs in Penang.
In 1826, George Town was made the capital of the Straits Settlements, an administrative government that also comprised of Singapore and Malacca. However, the capital was later diverted to Singapore in 1832, as the latter had seized the position of George Town as a leading port in the region.
Nonetheless, George Town defended its interests as a vital English entrepreneur. Due to the opening of the Suez Canal, the emergence of steamers and the explosion of tin mining in the Malay Peninsula, the Port of Penang became a major tin exporter port. At the end of the 19th century, when trading firms and banks, including Standard Chartered and HSBC, flocked to George Town, the city also evolved into a prominent financial center in Malaya.
Throughout the century, the population of George Town grew rapidly along with the economic prosperity of the city. A cosmopolitan, emerging multicultural population comprising ethnic Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan, Eurasian, Thai and others. However, population growth also creates social problems, such as inadequate sanitation and public health facilities, as well as rampant crime. The latter culminated in the Penang Riot of 1867, in which the rival Chinese triads were at loggerheads in the streets of George Town.
Also in the same year, the Straits Settlements were made a British crown colony, to be ruled directly by the Colonial Office in London. For George Town, the British direct rule meant better law enforcement, as the police force was greatly increased and the secret society that had previously struck the city was gradually banned. More investments are made on municipal health care and public transport.
With better access to education, a greater degree of participation in municipal affairs by Asian residents and substantial press freedom, George Town is considered more intellectually receptive than Singapore. The city became a magnet for renowned British writers, Asian intellectuals and revolutionaries, including Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham and Sun Yat-sen.
World War
At the beginning of World War I in 1914, the Battle of Penang took place, where Emden Textile , a German Imperial Navy cruiser, drowned two Allied warships off the coast of George Town. 147 French and Russian sailors were killed.
World War II, on the other hand, brings unparalleled social and political unrest to Penang. In early December 1941, Japanese fighter planes indiscriminately shelled and bombed George Town, and wiped out the surviving Allied air squadrons. While the British Army had previously appointed Pulau Penang as a fortress, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival then ordered the withdrawal from Penang. Not only did the British leave the Stone Maung Citadel in the south of the city, they also secretly evacuated the European population on Penang Island, leaving the rest of the population to their fate. Historians have since argued that the silent withdrawal and evacuation of the white race led to the loss of British sense of invincibility, and that the moral fall of British rule in Southeast Asia did not come to Singapore, but in Penang.
George Town fell to the Imperial Japanese Army on December 19, 1941, marking the beginning of the brutal period of the Japanese occupation. Pulau Penang was renamed to Tojo-to , after Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo. This period is best known for the massacre of the Imperial Chinese Soldiers of the Chinese population in Penang, known as Sook Ching for the locals. Women in George Town were also forced to work as Japanese entertainers.
The George Town harbor facility is also used as a major U-boat base by Nazi Germany. Between 1942 and 1944, the Port of Penang was used by Japanese Imperial Navy submarines, Kriegsmarine, and Regia Marina.
Between 1944 and 1945, India-based bomber bombs repeatedly bombed George Town, seeking to destroy naval facilities and administrative centers. Some colonial buildings were destroyed or damaged, including the Government Office, St. Xavier, Hutchings School (now Penang State Museum) and the Penang Secretariat Building. The Penang Strait is also mined to deter Japanese shipping.
After the Japanese surrender on August 15, 1945, the Penang Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, published a proclamation of submission issued by the Emperor of Japan. Under the Operation Jurist, the Royal Marines accepted the transfer of Japanese garrisons in Penang and retook Pulau Penang on September 3, 1945.
Post-war
After the period of military administration, the British dissolved the Straits Settlements in 1946 and proceeded to merge the Crown Crown Colonies into the Malayan Union, which was subsequently replaced by the Malayan Federation in 1948. However, the absorption of British colonies from Penang to Malaya worried the Penang citizens of the economic and ethnicity. Between 1948 and 1951, the Penang Struggle Committee was formed to prevent Penang's merger with Malaya, but ultimately subsided over British disagreements.
The British government responded to concerns raised by separatists by securing the status of the George Town free port, as well as reintroducing the city election in George Town in 1951. In 1956, George Town became the first municipality in the Federation of Malaya with fully elected rights. Local councils.
On January 1, 1957, George Town was given the status of the city by Queen Elizabeth II, becoming the first city within the Federation of Malaya, and by extension, Malaysia.
Post-independence
In later years, George Town retained the status of its free port, as guaranteed by British colonial authorities before granting independence to Malaya. This was not to survive, but - in 1969, the Malaysian federal government abolished the George Town free port status, sparking massive unemployment in the city.
It also marks the start of George Town's decline, which lasted until the early 2000s. When the Malaysian federal government continued to develop Kuala Lumpur and nearby Port Klang, Penang began to suffer from a lack of brain.
In an attempt to revitalize George Town, the Komtar project was launched in 1974. Hundreds of shophouses, schools, and temples, as well as entire roads, were destroyed for the construction of the tallest skyscraper in Penang. However, instead of detaining George Town's decline, Komtar himself became a white elephant in the 2000s.
In 1974, the City Council of George Town was merged with the Penang Island Rural District Council to form the Penang Island City Council, which sparked a decades-long debate over the status of George Town.
Renaissance
The decline of the city continued into the early 2000s. In 2001, the Lease Control Act, which has protected low-income residents and small businesses in the city center from arbitrary increases in rent, was revoked. As a result, the population moved away from the historical core of the city, leaving its colonial era buildings in disrepair. Meanwhile, incoherent city planning policies and poor traffic management lead to worsening traffic congestion, while decades of decades of brainwashing also take its toll because the city lacks the expertise to regulate urban development.
In response, non-governmental organizations George Town and the national media garnered public support and established strategic partnerships for conservation of historic buildings, and to return the city to its former glory. As a result of the widespread hatred of George Town's decline, the federal opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (now Pakatan Harapan), was elected a ruler of Penang in the 2008 State Elections.
Also in 2008, George Town was written as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Subsequent attempts to clean up the city, and steps to increase the flow of traffic, cultural and environmental aspects by the new state government led George Town to become the 8th most comfortable city inhabited by ECA International in 2010. The city's service sector has been driven by the sector private sector and the influx of foreign investors.
The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami hit the west and north coast of Penang Island, including George Town, which killed 52 people (out of 68 people in Malaysia).
While George Town was declared a city by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957, Pulau Penang as a whole was also granted city status by the Malaysian federal government in 2015.
Maps George Town, Penang
Geography
Because Penang Island is just a little over Singapore / 3 with a population density of 2,372/km 2 (6,140/sqÃ, mi), George Town has one of the highest population density in all over Malaysia.
The hotels and resort belts of Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong along the northern coast of Penang Island form the northwestern outskirts of George Town. The hills in the center of Penang Island, including Penang Hill, serve as the giant green lung for George Town and an important forest catchment area. While the central hills slightly curtail the urban sprawl westward, George Town's expansion is clearer south along the eastern shores of Penang Island, creating the outskirts of Jelutong and Gelugor, the latter merging with the northern development of Bayan Lepas.
Like most island cities, scarcity of land is a pressing problem in George Town. Land reclamation projects have been undertaken to provide more lowland land in areas with high demand, such as in Gurney Drive, Tanjung Tokong and Jelutong.
Cityscape
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The oldest part of the city center has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 2008. Recognized as having "unique architecture and cultural city views without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia", George Town contains one of the largest collections of buildings in Southeast Asia.
The World Heritage Site covers nearly 260 ha (2.6 km 2 ) from the city center, roughly bounded by West Road Transfer and Prangin Road to the south. This zone covers the city administration area, which is home to historic buildings such as Fort Cornwallis, City Hall and Penang State Museum, as well as the main Central Business District along Beach Road. This zone also includes various places of worship, such as St. George, Kapitan Keling Mosque, and Goddess of Mercy Temple, as well as Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and Eastern & amp; Hotel Oriental.
Among the restrictions prevailing within the zone is the prohibition of structural development exceeding 18 m (59 ft), and that any new building adjacent to an important historical structure should not exceed the last height.
Street name
Unlike other cities in Malaysia, George Town still retains most of its street names in Britain. Even for roads that have been renamed in Malay, such as Jalan Masjid Negeri , Penang people generally still prefer to use the former colonial name of the street, which in this case is the Green Line. This is partly because the new names are often difficult (eg Pitt Street vs.
Since 2008, multi-language road signs have been used throughout Penang Island. Each new road sign indicates the official Malay name on the street and the street name of English, Chinese, Tamil or Arabic.
Suburbs
George Town's expansion has created suburbs in the northwest, west, and south. The northwestern suburbs are somewhat more prosperous, given the location of their seafront attracting tourists and expatriates. The southern outskirts, such as Jelutong, grew due to industrial activity. On the other hand, Air Itam and Paya Terubong appear to the west of George Town as a result of agricultural plantations in the central hills of Penang Island.
Beach and ocean
George Town's most popular beaches are located along the northwestern suburbs, especially Batu Ferringhi, Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong. Several hotels and resorts have been established along this location, including the Hard Rock Hotel. In addition to this, George Town is home to popular promenades like Gurney Drive, Esplanade, and Karpal Singh Drive. In particular, Gurney Drive is part of the city's second Central Business District, and is a shopping paradise with two upscale shopping centers - Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon. Land reclamation is currently underway from Gurney Drive in a state-led effort to create a seafront public park, named Gurney Wharf.
Hills
The central hills of Pulau Penang, located west of George Town, serve as giant green lungs and water catchment areas for urban islands. Towering 833 m (2,733 ft) above sea level, Penang Hill's peak is accessible via Penang Hill Railway from its base station on Hill Railway Road. After the retreat was used by British officials and Queen Elizabeth II, Penang Hill is one of Penang's most famous tourist attractions.
Garden
Established in 1884 as a branch of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Penang Botanic Gardens is the oldest botanical garden in Malaysia. Today, it serves as a major recreation area, receiving about 5,000 visitors every weekend. The botanical garden also includes the largest waterfall in Penang, which is part of the George Town water supply. Meanwhile, Park City area of ​​172 hectares (70 hectares) officially opened in 1972.
Climate
The city has a tropical rain forest climate, beneath the KÃÆ'¶ppen climate classification ( af ). The city of George experiences relatively consistent temperatures throughout the year, with an average height of about 32 ° C (90 ° F) and a low average of 21 ° C (70 ° F). The city sees on average about 2,477 millimeters (97.5 inches) of rainfall annually.
The proximity of George Town to the island of Sumatra makes it vulnerable to the dust particles carried by the wind from eternal but enduring forest fires, creating an annual phenomenon known as the Southeast Asian mist.
The weather forecast in George Town is served by the Penang Meteorological Office in Bayan Lepas, which acts as the main weather forecast facility for the northern Malaysian Peninsula.
Governance and politics
Local government
The local government of George Town and all of Penang Island was undertaken by the Penang Island City Council, which is under the scope of the Penang state government. The city council has jurisdiction over the city area of ​​305.77 km 2 (118.06Ã, sqÃ, mi), covering the whole of Penang Island, as well as five offshore islands. With a history dating from 1800, it is also the oldest local authority in Malaysia and the successor of the country's first council - the City Council of George Town.
Headquartered in City Hall, the city council is responsible for urban planning, heritage preservation, public health, sanitation, waste management, traffic management, environmental protection, building control, social and economic development, and general maintenance of urban infrastructure. By 2018, George Town is recognized as one of the cleanest cities in ASEAN, following the 2017 ranking that puts George Town as the cleanest second city in Malaysia.
The mayor of Penang Island is appointed by the Penang state government every two years, while each of the 24 council members is appointed for a one-year term. The current mayor is Yew Tung Seang, who came to power in 2018. Penang-based non-governmental organizations are also allocated four of the 24-member council.
State government
As the capital of the State of Penang, George Town is the center of Penang state government. Penang Chief Minister's Office is located inside Komtar Tower, the tallest skyscraper in Penang. The unicameral State Legislative Assembly gathered inside the State Assembly Building on Light Street. The governor of Penang, the head of state, also has his official residence within the city.
In the State Legislative Council, George Town is represented by 13 state constituencies, namely Padang Kota, Pengkalan Kota, Komtar, Flower Garden, Rat Island, Tanjong Bunga, Air Putih, Air Itam, Paya Terubong, Pomegranate Series, Datok Keramat, Sungai Pinang and Batu Lancang. Members of the State Legislative Assembly, known as the State Assembly, are elected to the office through the Penang State Election, which by convention is held in conjunction with the Malaysian Elections every five years.
The city is also represented by four Members of Parliament in the Malaysian Parliament, elected through the Malaysian Elections. The parliamentary constituents are Tanjong, Bukit Bendera, Jelutong and Gelugor Hill.
Judiciary
The Malaysian legal system is rooted in George Town. In 1807, Penang was awarded the Royal Charter governing the establishment of the Supreme Court and the appointment of the first Supreme Court judge, designated as Recorder .
The Supreme Court of Penang (now the Penang High Court) first opened in Fort Cornwallis on 31 May 1808. Edmond Stanley served as First Recorder at the Supreme Court of Penang in 1808, thus serving as the first High Court Judge in Malaya. The Supreme Court then moved a short distance to Light Street, where the building was built in 1903.
Currently, Malaysian courts have become very centralized. The trials in George Town consist of Judges, Sessions and Court of Appeals, most recently at the top of the Penang justice system. The High Court remains on Light Street to this day, along with the Magistrates and Sessions Court across the street.
Demographics
According to the 2010 Census conducted by the Malaysian federal government, George Town has a population of 708,127. Recent estimates from the Malaysian Department of Statistics show that 738,500 residents live in this cosmopolitan city in 2012. These numbers put George Town as Malaysia's second largest city by population.
In addition, the Greater Penang conurbation, which also includes Seberang Perai, and parts of Kedah and Perak, is home to 2,412,616 residents in 2010. Thus, Greater Penang is the most populous metropolitan area in Malaysia outside the Klang Valley (Greater Kuala Lumpur ).
Ethnicity
According to the Statistics Department of Malaysia, George Town is the majority city of China; in 2010, more than 53% of the urban population consisted of ethnic Chinese, including Peranakans. The Bumiputeras , which includes ethnic Malays and indigenous East Malaysian races such as Dayaks and Kada, collectively account for almost 32% of the city's population. Ethnic Indians comprise 9% of the population of George Town. It is a small but prominent minority, Eurasia and Siamese. In particular, most of the nearly 1,500 Eurasians remain concentrated on the outskirts of Rat Island.
The Peranakans, the descendants of the mixed Malay and Chinese ancestors, once became the political and business elite in George Town. They hold top positions in some of the city's most influential associations, such as the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese Association of Straits of Penang. Because the Peranakans tend to be more loyal to the United Kingdom than to China, they are also known as the Chinese King . Despite Malaysian ethnic policies that have effectively forced the Peranakans to identify themselves as Chinese, Peranakan culture is still thriving in George Town to this day, in the form of Straits Chinese style and architectural cuisine such as laksa acid .
George Town currently has a sizable expatriate population, mainly from Singapore, Japan and various Asian countries and the United Kingdom, many of whom choose to retire in Penang as part of the Malaysia My Second Home program. In recent years, George Town has been recognized as one of the best cities to retire in Southeast Asia by the likes of CNN and Forbes. In 2010, expatriates made up nearly 6% of George Town's population, reflecting the city's popularity among foreigners.
The city has also been home to Burmese, Filipino, Sinhalese, Japanese, Sumatran, Arabian, Armenian and Persian communities. A small but commercially viable German merchant community exists in George Town as well, just like the Jewish enclave. Although most of these other communities, including Jews, no longer existed, they gave their inheritance to many streets and places names such as Dhammikarama Temple, Burmah Street, Armenia Street, Jewish Cemetery and Gottlieb Street.
Language
Like other multi-ethnic cities in Malaysia, the four major languages ​​are widely spoken in George Town - Malay, English, Chinese and Tamil. However, George Town, and with its Penang extension, is best known for its distinct Hokkien dialect, known as the Hokkien Penang.
During the British colonial era, English was the official language. This is helped by the proliferation of missionary schools throughout George Town, all of which use English as their instructional medium and upheld by the locals. Most Penang people still maintain a reasonable command of language; while English English is officially used, spoken English usually takes the form of Manglish.
As in other parts of Malaysia, the current Malay language is the official language in George Town. The Malay city also uses the Malay dialect of Kedah, with slight modifications made to the original dialect to match the cosmopolitan city conditions. This modification includes the use of Indian origin words and last syllable changes l to i .
Because of their Tamil ancestors, most Indians in George Town speak Tamil. Punjabi and Telugu are also spoken by a small number of Indians. Meanwhile, China's population George Town uses various Chinese dialects, including Hakka and Canton. Mandarin, used more by youth, has become a teaching medium in Chinese schools throughout Penang.
However, Penang Hokkien serves as a lingua franca of George Town. Originally a variant of the Minnan dialect, for centuries, Penang Hokkien has incorporated a large number of loan words from Malay and English. This is spoken by many Penangite people regardless of race for communication purposes. In recent years, there has been more effort to maintain the relevance of dialect in the face of the increasing influence of Chinese and English among the younger population.
Economy
As the capital of Penang, one of the most urban states in Malaysia, George Town is one of the major contributors to Malaysia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and tax revenues. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, the city contributed US $ 12,044, or nearly 8%, of Malaysia's personal income in 2015, second only to Kuala Lumpur. In 2016, George Town was ranked the most attractive destination in Malaysia for commercial property investment by Knight Frank, even surpassing Kuala Lumpur; Penang's GDP per capita simultaneously jumped to RM47.322, the highest among Malaysian countries. George Town's popularity among foreign investors has contributed to Penang gaining the lion's share of foreign direct investment in Malaysia by 2017.
Originally established as an entrepreneur by Britain, George Town's economy is now dominated by other tertiary sub-sectors ranging from finance to tourism, while new industries, including entrepreneurial startups, are also deeply rooted in the city. In addition, George Town serves as an economic pillar in northern Malaysia, with relatively wide logistical connectivity. Penang International Airport is one of the busiest in the country, while Swettenham Pier has strengthened the city's reputation as a popular destination for cruise ships.
Financial
George Town is a banking center in Malaysia at the time Kuala Lumpur is still a small post. The oldest bank in Malaysia, Standard Chartered, opened its main branch in George Town in 1875 to meet the financial requirements of early European merchants. This was followed by HSBC in 1885 and Royal Bank of Scotland in 1888.
Today, George Town remains a banking center in northern Malaysia, with branches of major international banks such as Standard Chartered, HSBC, Citibank, UOB, OCBC, Bank of China and Bank Negara Malaysia (Malaysia's central bank). Most foreign banks still retain their Penang headquarters on Beach Street, which serves as the city's main Central Business District.
Since the 1990s, Northam Road, along with Gurney Drive, has evolved into the second Main Business District in George Town. Northam Road is now home to a group of financial services, with a number of accounting, audit and insurance companies based along this coastal road. In addition to this, the Employee Provision Fund, run by the Malaysian federal government, operates offices on the street as well.
The financial sector and related industries, such as insurance, auditing and real estate transactions, account for about 13.5% of Penang's economy in 2010.
Tourism
George Town has always been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Malaysia. Throughout history, the city has even welcomed some of the most influential figures, including Somerset Maugham, Rudyard Kipling, Noà  «Coward, Lee Kuan Yew, and Queen Elizabeth II.
In recent years, George Town has received many international awards, further placing the city on the world stage. The city has been listed by various publications, including Lonely Planet, Forbes and Time, as one of the best tourist destinations in Asia. This is in addition to George Town's reputation as a gastronomic paradise, with CNN putting it as one of the best street food towns in Asia.
Unlike most other Malaysian cities, George Town relies not only on air transportation for tourist arrivals. Apart from Penang International Airport, Swettenham Pier, strategically located in the city center, also serves as one of the main tourist entry points to Penang. In 2017, Penang attracted nearly 8.6 million tourists, with the airport posting 7.2 million passenger and dock arrivals accounting for 1.35 million other tourists. In the same year, Penang became the third largest contributor to Malaysia's tourism tax revenues after Kuala Lumpur and Sabah.
Services
With Penang's nearly Penang / 5 employed in service-related fields, the service sector has slightly outpaced manufacturing as the largest economic sector in Penang, account for 49.2% of Penang's total GDP by 2016. The bulk of employment is recorded in the retail, accommodation and food and beverage subsectors (F & amp; B), which clearly illustrates the impact of tourist arrivals on related industries with service. Since the inscription of George Town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the growing trend is the acquisition of inheritance shop in the zone by foreign investors, mainly from Singapore and Hong Kong.
In addition to this, the startup community has grown in the city, including the likes of Piktochart and DeliverEat. Attracted by the cheaper living expenses in the city and the presence of several multinational technology companies in Penang, city startups are also actively encouraged by the Penang state government and the private sector, with initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship and promote the Internet of Things (IoT).
This service sector has also been encouraged by companies seeking to establish joint service outsourcing (SSO) operations within or around George Town, including AirAsia, Citigroup, Dell, Jabil and Temasek Holdings. As a result, Penang has emerged as the second most important Global Service Center (GBS) in Malaysia, after Kuala Lumpur.
Medical tourism
An integral part of Penang's service sector is medical tourism, which has made George Town the center of Malaysian medical tourism. The city has attracted about half of Malaysian medical tourist arrivals in 2013 and generates about 70% of national medical tourism revenue. Approximately 1,000 patients arrive in George Town every day, mostly from Asian countries like Indonesia, Singapore and Japan.
The success of the medical tourism industry of George Town is mainly due to the special medical care offered at a more affordable cost by many of the city's private hospitals, coupled with trained professionals and sophisticated equipment. Indirect factors cited include relatively low cost of living and ease of travel facilitated by a well-developed logistics infrastructure.
Retail
As many as 24% of the workforce in Penang works in the retail subsector, Penang's largest economic sub-sector. Due to the large number of shopping centers and hypermarkets in George Town, the city is the main shopping center in northern Malaysia. Since 2001, shopping complex in George Town recorded the biggest increase in Malaysia. Among the more well-known malls in town are Gurney Plaza, Gurney Paragon, and 1st Avenue.
Although shopping centers now dominate retail spots in George Town, many centuries-old shophouses still operate alongside city flea markets and wet markets, such as Chowrasta Market. This traditional retail company serves more locally made products, including spices, nutmeg and tne sar pneah , Penang's famous specialties.
Architecture
Centuries of development have brought a mixture of architectural styles to George Town, both historical and modern. The oldest part of the city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while outside the UNESCO zone there is a view of the modern city, with skyscrapers, high-rise housing, offices and shopping centers built throughout the city.
Historic architecture
Most of the landmarks are George Town's famous heritage, including Fort Cornwallis, City Hall, High Court, St. John's Church. George and East & amp; Oriental Hotel is located within UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city's main Business Center area on Beach Street, also within the UNESCO zone, is home to banks built in various styles of Art Deco-based hybrids. Colonial-era bungalows, such as The Residency and Suffolk House, can be found throughout the city as well.
In addition to the colonial European architecture, various Asian architectural styles also exist throughout the city. Buildings such as the Kapitan Keling Mosque, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and Pinang Peranakan Mansion are renowned for their architectural style, combining diverse cultural influences. The Peranakan Townhouse, exemplified by the Sun Yat-sen Museum, dominates the city scene as well. Meanwhile, Indian architecture is more prominent in Little India town, which also contains the Sri Mahamariamman Temple.
In the suburbs, the Siamese and Burmese communities also leave their mark; Buddhist temples on Rat Island include Wat Chaiyamangkalaram and Dhammikarama Temple. Another example of hybrid Asian architecture is Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam, which combines Chinese, Siamese and Burmese influences.
Modern architecture
Since the mid-20th century, modern urbanization has transformed much of George City. Right south of the UNESCO World Heritage Site stands Komtar Tower, the tallest skyscraper in Penang at an altitude of nearly 250 m (820 ft). The second Central Business District on Northam Road and Gurney Drive, located along the city's northern coastline, is also home to some of Penang's tallest skyscrapers, including Setia V, Gurney Paragon and BHL Tower.
With increasing urbanization, high rise also sprung up in the suburbs of George Town.
Culture
Food
George Town, long known as the capital of Malaysian food, is renowned for its fine and diverse street food, combining Malay, Chinese, Indian, Peranakan, Thai and European influences into its literal melting pot.
The city has been recognized as one of the top food cities in Asia by CNN, as well as the world's top culinary destination by Lonely Planet in 2014. This is in addition to Time magazine in 2004, which Penang recognizes has street food best in Asia.
The best places to enjoy street food include Gurney Drive, Rat Island, Chulia Road, Kimberley Road, New Line, New World Park, Penang Road and Air Itam. The more popular local dishes include laksa acid, char kway teow , my curries , Hokkien mee , baked rice , oh chien (fried oyster omelette), rojak and chendol . In addition, some shops can be found all over town, selling delicious peanut paste crackers.
Performing arts
George Town is the birthplace of a unique form of Chingay procession, which began with its first parade in 1919. The Chingay variant in Penang includes the act of balancing a giant flag on one's forehead or one's hand. An annual Chingay march is held in the city every December, although the Chingay show is also a common feature of Chinese celebrations and major state celebrations in Penang.
Bangsawan is a form of Malay theater developed in Penang with the influence of India, West, Islam, China and Indonesia. It suffered a setback in the last decades of the 20th century and is now a dying art form. Boria is another traditional dance drama originating from Penang, featuring singing accompanied by violin, maracas, and tabla.
In addition to this, there are two Western orchestras based in George Town - Penang Philharmonic and Penang Symphony Orchestra (PSO) - as well as some room and school music ensembles. The Council of Sri Pinang and Penangpac in the Straits Quay are the two major performing spots in the city.
Street art
In 2012, as part of the Annual Festival of George Town, Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic created a series of wall murals depicting local culture, inhabitants and lifestyles. They now stand as a famous cultural landmark of George Town, with Children on Bicycles being one of the most photographed places in town.
Since then, street art scene has grown. Art exhibitions are held in a number of cultural centers of the city, such as Hin Bus Depot. In addition to wall art, several wrought iron caricatures, each depicting a unique aspect of the history and culture of George Town, have been installed in the city center.
Museum
The Penang State Museum and Art Gallery stores relics, photographs, maps and other artifacts documenting Penang's history and culture. Other museums within the city focus on religious and cultural aspects, as well as famous figures, including Penang Islamic Museum, Sun Yat-sen Museum, P. Ramlee House, Batik Painting Museum, and Museum and Gallery of Universiti Sains Malaysia.
In recent years, private-run museums have sprung up all over the city, such as the Camera Museum and the Penang Toy Museum. A number of more recent visual museums have also been launched, such as the Made-in-Penang Interactive Museum and the Penang Time Tunnel.
Festivals
The melting place of George Town culture of various races and religions means that there are many celebrations and celebrations within a certain year. The main cultural and religious celebrations in George Town include, but are not limited to, Lunar New Year, Eid, Deepavali, Thaipusam, Vaisakhi, Christmas, Vesak and Songkran Days.
City expatriates have also introduced a number of other celebrations. Bon Odori is celebrated annually on the Esplanade by Japan, while St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest, traditionally celebrated by Ireland and Germany, have also gained popularity among the locals.
In addition, the city hosts several major festivals in a given year. The George Town Festival, first held in 2010, has grown to become one of the best art events in Southeast Asia, while Penang's Hot Air Balloon Fiesta attracts nearly 200,000 visitors from around the world.
Sports
George Town has a relatively well-developed sports infrastructure. The City Stadium is Penang's premier football stadium, with a capacity of around 25,000. This is the home ground of Penang FA, and where the Penang player Mohd Faiz Subri scored the goal that earned him the FIFA Puskás 2016 Award. SPICE Arena near Relau comprises an indoor stadium, aquatic center and convention center, while the International Squash Center Nicol David at Gelugor is a great squash training facility. In addition, the Penang Turf Club, founded in 1864, is Malaysia's oldest horse racing and horse racing center. [232]
The Penang Bridge International Marathon is a popular annual event. The full marathon route starts from near Queensbay Mall, then to the 13.5 km (8.4m) long Penang Bridge, and finally returns to the starting point for the finish.
National and international sport events held at George Town include the 2001 Southeast Asian Games and Women's Squash Open World Championships 2013. In addition, George Town will host the Asian Pacific Masters Games in 2018, the first Malaysian city selected to host multi- this regional sport.
Education
George Town is home to some of Malaysia's oldest schools, making it a pioneer in the country's education system. Under British rule, missionary schools were established in George Town. They are followed by Chinese schools, some of which are also among the oldest in the country, making George Town the center of Chinese education in Southeast Asia. Recently, international schools have also been established to serve an expanding population of expatriates.
In addition, George Town has a number of private higher education institutions, as well as one of the leading state universities in Malaysia - Universiti Sains Malaysia. Apart from this, the city has several language institutes, such as the British Council, the Alliance FranÃÆ'§aise and the Malaysian German Society.
School
There are a total of 77 primary schools, 38 secondary schools, three Islamic religious schools, one technical school and one vocational school throughout George Town. Details of these schools are as follows.
Some of George Town's oldest missionary schools include Penang Free School, St. Xavier's Institution, Convent Light Street, St. Mary's School of Women. George and Boys Methodist School. Meanwhile, Chung Hwa Confucian School, founded in 1904, is the first Chinese school in Southeast Asia.
In addition to government-run and private schools, the city has seven international schools. Of these, Dalat, the Highlands, Tenby, Pelita and Hua Xia offer primary and secondary education. The Penang Japanese School is the only international school in George Town that caters to expatriates of a particular nation.
Tertiary education
Universiti Sains Malaysia, located in Gelugor, is one of the leading state universities in Malaysia. Founded in 1969 as the second university in Malaysia, originally named Universiti Pulau Pinang (University of Penang). By 2016, it's ranked 264th on QS World University Rankings, the fifth highest in Malaysia.
Several private universities have also been established in George Town, including Insight Open University, Han Chiang University Communications College, SEGi College, Central College, Penang Medical College, Lam Wah Ee College, Nursing and Adventist Health School, Academy of Equatorial Arts, DISTED College and KDU University College.
Library
George Town contains a total of 12 libraries. Among the city's libraries are the Penang State Library on Scottish Road and the Penang Digital Library on Green Lane. The latter, opened by the Penang state government in 2016, is the first digital library in Malaysia and stores a collection of digitizing more than 3,000 publications.
Health care
Many public and private hospitals in George Town have helped the city emerge as a medical tourism hub in Malaysia. Penang General Hospital, managed and funded by the Ministry of Health, is the main public hospital in George Town and serves as a tertiary referral hospital in northern Malaysia.
There are also 31 government-run clinics throughout George Town, supported by 10 private hospitals and 247 private clinics. Private hospitals in George Town include Penang Adventist Hospital, Island Hospital, Gleneagles Medical Center, Loh Guan Lye Specialist Center, Lam Wah Ee Hospital and Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital.
George Town became the first Malaysian city to install an automated external public defibrillator (AED), with the launch of its first device at Komtar in 2015. Since then, AED has been installed in several public locations throughout the city.
Media
George Town was once the center of Malaysian print media. The country's first newspaper - Prince of Wales Island Gazette - was founded in the city in 1806. One of Malaysia's most recently circulated topics, The Star, was founded in George Town on 1970s, while the oldest Chinese newspaper in the country, Kwong Wah Yit Poh , was also founded in the city in 1910.
In 2011, Penang's Premier Minister, Lim Guan Eng, inaugurated the launch of Penang's edition of Time Out . The international list magazine version is currently published in three versions - annual guides, websites, and mobile apps.
The state government of Penang also publishes its own multi-lingual newspaper, Pearl Newsletter , which is distributed free of charge every two weeks. The Penang-centric newspaper focuses on the current issues affecting Penang.
Television
Due to the well-preserved townhouse, George Town serves as a filming location for a number of movies, such as Anna and King , Lust, Caution and You mean The world for me, the last is the first film to be filmed entirely in Penang Hokkien. The Singapore drama series, The Little Lady
Radio
FM radio stations available in George Town, both government (including Pearl Mutiara based in Penang) and commercial, are listed below.
Transportation
Landed
The development of the streets and streets of George Town is an ongoing process that began in the early years of British rule. The oldest streets in town, including Light Street, Beach Street, Chulia Street, and Pitt Street, are arranged in a grid pattern.
Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway runs along the east coastline of Penang Island between the city center and the Penang International Airport, connecting the two locations with Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone and Penang Bridge. The George Town Inner Ring Road and Penang Middle Ring Road are two main ring roads around the city center. Meanwhile, the right city is also linked to the western part of Pulau Penang, such as Balik Pulau, via Pan-island Federal Route 6.
The 13.5 km (8.4 m) Penang Bridge, completed in 1985, connects George Town with the rest of Peninsular Malaysia.
Public transport
George Town was once a pioneer of public transport in British Malaya. The city's first tram system, then empowered by steam, began operating in the 1880s. Although tram lines have long been deprived, other colonial inheritances, trishaws, remain in use throughout the city, although they serve mainly for tourists.
Today, the bus forms the backbone of public transport in George Town. Rapid Penang, with over 30 routes on Penang Island, is the only public bus service provider in George Town. In addition, the open-rise cubicle, known as the Hop-On Hop-Off bus, has been introduced to tourists in the city. Meanwhile, the Penang Hill Railway is a cable-driven train to the summit of Penang Hill.
Efforts are also being made to promote pedestrians and the use of bicycles as a greener mode of transportation. Specialized biking trails have been flagged across the city and by 2016, George Town became the first Malaysian city to operate public bike sharing services, with the launch of LinkBike.
Air
The Penang International Airport, 16 km (9.9 miles) south of George Town, opened in 1935. The airport serves as the main airport for northern Malaysia, with frequent connections to major Asian cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok , Jakarta. , Ho Chi Minh City, Taipei, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Doha. It is also a hub for two cheap Malaysian airlines - AirAsia and Firefly. The airport is the second busiest in Malaysia in terms of cargo traffic and records the third highest passenger traffic of all Malaysia airports by 2013.
Sea
The Port of Penang consists of seven facilities along the Penang Strait, including Swettenham Pier in George Town. Renovated in 2009 as a cruise ship terminal, Swettenham Pier is one of the premier tourist destinations to George Town. In 2017, the pier is 1.35 million tourists, so it surpasses Port Klang as the busiest port in Malaysia for cruise ships. The dock also attracts some of the largest cruise ships in the world, such as RMS Queen Mary 2 .
A number of cruise ships call Swettenham docks as their base, bringing tourists in and out of George Town to destinations such as Phuket and Singapore. Sometimes, docks also host warships, including from Singapore, Thailand, and the United States.
Ferry
Rapid Ferry is a cross-strait ferry service connecting George Town with the town of Butterworth on the Malay Peninsula. This is the oldest ferry service in Malaysia, since 1894 when the first passenger ferry started operating. Currently, six ferries cross the Strait of Penang between George Town and Butterworth every day.
International relations
Consulate
Some countries have established their consulates or honorary consulates appointed in George Town.
Twin Cities
George Town has eight twin cities.
The state of Penang also has a twin-region partnership with Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, ratified in 1991.
Sister subdivision
- Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
City of friendship
In addition to twin cities and territories, George Town has signed five other friendship agreements.
- Sanya, China
- Zhongshan, China
- Busan, South Korea
- Changwon, South Korea
- Kaohsiung, Taiwan
In 2013, the State of Penang signed a friendly country treaty with Hainan Province in China.
Friendship Subdivision
- Hainan Province, China
See also
- George Town international rating
References
Literature
- Suet Leng Khoo; Narimah Samat; Nurwati Badarulzaman; Sharifah Rohayah Sheikh Dawood The Promise and Perils of the Island The City of George Town (Penang) as a Creative City. Urban Urban Studies. (2015).
- Francis, Ric; Ganley, Colin. Penang Tram, Trolleybuses & amp; Railway: History of Urban Transportation 1880s-1963 . Penang: Areca Books. (2006, 2nd ed. 2012) ISBN: 983-42834-0-7.
- Khoo Salma Nasution. More Than Traders: History of German-speaking Community in Penang, 1800s-1940 . Areca Books. (2006). ISBN: 978-983-42834-1-4
- Ooi Cheng Ghee. Portrait of Penang: Little India . Areca Books. (2011). ISBN: 978-967-5719-05-9
External links
- Pulau Penang (City of George) City Council
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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