UNESCO's World Heritage City

Penang Heritage City - a fitting title bestowed to this fair island. It is now part of UNESCO's World Heritage Cities Program. As a Penang born citizen, I am naturally very proud.

I know that most of us associate Penang with the beaches, the iconic Penang Bridge and its glorious food. However, the capital city, George Town, has the most number of pre-war buildings in all of South East Asia which are still intact. That is why, the island is known as Penang Heritage City.

George Town (not "Georgetown"; as most people tend to spell it), shows the world that its heritage buildings, art and culture can co-exist alongside modern development. The recognition by UNESCO created awareness from all levels and soon, Penang Heritage City will regain back its luster as the Pearl of the Orient.

Queen Victoria clock tower
The firework display during the celebration of Penang Heritage City.

The place is so rich with history. Since Francis Light drew out the plan of the city, it had born witness to the rise and fall of governments and ruling parties.

The city was coveted by many as a strategic and natural port. It was also the guardian to the northern entrance of the Straits of Malacca.

Before goods could be transported by airplanes, the one who ruled Penang, ruled the lucrative East-West trade.

The recognition by UNESCO to acknowledge George Town as a heritage city means that the initial heritage core zone and buffer zone should be preserved from further development that would change the skyline of Penang Heritage City.

The zones were proposed to UNESCO when the city was bidding for the title. Now, how do we balance the needs of prime real estate to the preservation of some old crumbling old heritage buildings?

A bank on Beach Street
A bank in Beach Street, Penang that occupies a heritage building

The Streets of George Town

The city was laid out in a grid that segregated the races. It was a typical way of the British to deal with their colonies.

At the cape area, from Fort Cornwallis going south, along Beach Street, Bishop Street, Church Street and part of Weld Quay, was the Eurasians zone.

Going to the east, the zone included Light Street and Farquhar Street as well.

Now, however, Beach Street remains as one of the longest streets and is well known as Penang banking district instead. A lot of heritage buildings are now headquarters of premier banks in the state.

Hmm, do I see eyes twinkling with dollar signs now? Yes, Penang has quite a number of wealthy millionaires who made their fortune, especially by trading. Stories of rags to riches are quite plenty in this part of the world. For example, the story of Boon Siew, the Honda motorcycles multi-millionaire who started only as a boy washing buses.


The rise of Cheong Fatt Tze to become a Chinese Mandarin is another Penang success story.

I know that young material girls would swoon if you were to tell them that their husbands-to-be are some tycoons from Penang. By the way, the colloquial name for a rich businessman is "towkay".

Material wealth aside, Penang Heritage City is rich in art and culture too. But then, please remember that this wealth made the patronage of art and culture possible for any civilization.

During the British rule, Chulia Street, part of King Street, Queen Street and Market Street formed Little India. The Chinese merchants were allocated China Street but later occupied part of Armenian quarters too. Besides these areas, small streets in between were designated as the guilds for various trades.

church street pier in george town
Church Street Pier, established since 1897

Most people forgot that Penang Heritage City is, first and foremost, a port. It still is a busy one until now. Even the creation of "nasi kandar" (one of Penang's most favorite food) originated from the needs to feed the multitude of stevedores who worked back in the late nineteenth to the middle of the twentieth century.


Port Swettenham on the north of the Weld Quay is now the berthing place for cruise ships as well as ferries to Sumatra and Langkawi.

The newly renovated Church Street Pier is now a high-end waterfront place of leisure where a century ago, it was the main pier for small boats to unload their wares. Newly built Tanjung Marina Club next to it provides services for yachts from all over the world.



Since only a few of us can afford to own yachts, hire a boat or go on cruises, maybe the best way to experience Penang view from the sea is by boarding the ferry service that commutes from Butterworth to George Town.

This ferry service is a very important transportation mode for the people on the island.Before the Penang Bridge was built, it was the only way to get to the island on a daily basis (except for the flights that flew in to Bayan Lepas International airport).

Old Penang Ferry
The faithful ferry service, a major connection to the mainland from Penang
People of Penang

We also should not skip the main factor that makes Penang unique is its people. Who are Penangites?

We are a nation of mixed blood so co-mingled, with ancestors from all over Asia and also the West.

Without being arrogant, we could say that we ALL are fine examples of living heritage. The Baba and Nyonya descendants, the Indian Muslims (colloquially known as "anak Mami Tanjung, Mamak or Mami"), offspring of the South Indian Hindu Tamils, the Eurasians and the Malays from Acheh and others in the Malay archipelago make Penang their homes. In fact, some odd Jews also used to make their living here. It is a true melting pot where inter-racial marriage is common.

With the people, comes the food! We do have our special Heritage Food Trail. You are most welcome to enjoy an extensive range of traditional food and delicacies prepared by experts in their humble little shops. The trail can be followed easily on foot. What a great way to discover a heritage city!

Signboard in Beach Street
A signboard for a few heritage sites in George Town

Among the more significant ethnic groups that built this city, the old Chinese clans, together with powerful and rich Indian and Malay traders stood out. They built beautiful mansions and places of worship that still stand till today.

Not to mention rows and rows and shop houses that act as pumps to feed the lifeblood of George Town. These are the reasons why it deserves to be called an historic city.

To the locals, the name of George Town is hardly used. It is simply called "Tanjong". It means "cape" in Malay.

When you go to Tanjong (or Tanjung according to the new spelling), be prepared to be assaulted by hundreds of sights, smells and sounds that overwhelm the senses. Don't complain that I never warn you! It is especially true if your first visit is during major religious celebration such as Thaipusam, Wesak Day or Nine Emperor's Gods festivals. "Spectacular" is an understatement.

trishaw or lanca
A trishaw for sightseeing around Penang Heritage City

Now, let's go a bit farther than George Town. For all its high-tech buildings and industry, Penang still maintains a large part of nature intact. The Botanical Garden, the hills that form the backbone of the island and the northwest beaches are designated green belt area. For me, this special area is a heritage that we should never give up. Ever.

I hope you would agree with me. The journey to Penang Heritage City starts here. Come back often to see current news and events relating to the topic.

Penang Hill

Elevation 735 m (2,411 ft)
Location Peninsular Malaysia
Coordinates 5°25′28.50″N 100°16′8.08″E / 5.424583°N 100.2689111°E / 5.424583; 100.2689111Coordinates: 5°25′28.50″N 100°16′8.08″E / 5.424583°N 100.2689111°E / 5.424583; 100.2689111

Penang Hill is a hill resort comprising a group of peaks, the major hill system of Penang, Malaysia. It is 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the city centre of George Town, and stands out prominently from the lowlands as a hilly and forested area.


View from the top of Penang Hill.

Geography & Topography

Penang Hill is mainly hilly granitic mass. The hill system is higher towards the northern part with its highest point at Western Hill, at an elevation of 833 m (2,723 ft) above sea level. A number of small rivers and streams originate from the region. Sungai Pinang is the largest of the rivers, and it starts from a number of tributaries in the area.

Land use

Because Penang Hill has a cooler environment, it has been a popular holiday retreat. A number of bungalows were built around Flagstaff Hill. The northern part of the Hills are not well developed. Government Hill, Bukit Timah and others are designated water catchment areas and no development is permitted.

Some recreational potential exists at the upper reaches of the river where the water is relatively clean. In a number of cases, sudden changes in ground level have resulted in a series of small waterfalls and rapids, where bathing, dipping and picnicking are popular.

The lower terrain of the Hills is used mainly for agricultural and residential purposes.

Accessibility


The most convenient way up to Penang Hill is by means of the Penang Hill Railway, a funicular railway from Air Itam to the top of Flagstaff Hill. Construction of the railway took place between 1906 to 1923, at a cost of 1.5 million Straits dollars. The railway was opened to the public on October 21, 1923. The 2,007 m (1 mile 435 yard) journey takes about half an hour and the train may stop at intermediate stations upon request.

The train is now out of service and is going through some upgrade and renovation. It will resume operation somewhere in early 2011.

Alternatively, there is a 5.1 km (3.17 mile) tarred road known popularly as the "jeep track". It is open only to the vehicles of hill residents. The "jeep track" is also used by off-road motorcycle enthusiasts to traverse up the steep terrain. It is a popular hiking route. It begins at the quarry at the entrance of the Penang Botanic Gardens and it takes a two or three hour leisurely hike to reach the top. Some of the more famous pit stops at the mountain are 52 and 84. At these pit stops, a view of the island is visible to hikers, who are able to get some water and tea prepared by locals stationed on the hill. Eighty Four is the last pit stop before the top of Penang Hill — approximately forty five more minutes from 84.

Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, more commonly known as Summit Road, leads from the top station to the western part of the hill right towards Western Hill and Tiger Hill.

The eastern face of Penang Hill is well served by a series of roads and paths, for example, Moniot Road, Viaduct Road, and Tunnel Road. Moniot Road is named after a Frenchman, Michael Jules Moniot who surveyed it between 1846 and 1855. Moniot Road has been declared a Heritage Trail in 1995 by the Governor of Penang.

A system of bridle paths forms a picturesque labyrinth of walks connecting the different bungalows. Indian penal servitude prisoners shipped from Bencoolen, Sumatra to Penang during the second half of the 19th century built these by-paths.

Numerous trekking trails lead from various starting points in the lowlands to Penang Hill. The more popular trails include the Moongate Trail, trail from Air Itam Dam to Tiger Hill, trail from Hye Keat Estate and trail from the Municipal Park (formerly Youth Park). Some of the trails are used by farmers to transport produce to the markets of Balik Pulau and Air Itam.


Climate

The most important feature of Penang Hill is the cooler climate. The core summit area has an average temperature ranging from 20° to 27°C. The mean minimum temperature is consistently below 21°C. The hottest months are between December and April while the coolest months are between June and October.


The most common forest type found on Penang Hill is the hill dipterocarp forest. Growing at higher altitudes are some of the submontane oak-laurel as well as coniferous trees. The Tree fern which is normally associated with higher elevations is also found growing here.

Penang Hill is scientifically important as a type site of many Malaysian plant species. In the past, botanists came here to collect plants for herbaria around the world. It is an area rich in biodiversity and has a great number of endemic species, some of which are so rare that their existence is endangered.

The rare and endangered species include the parasitic plant Exorhopalia ruficeps, which grows in the shady and damp undergrowth. The Penang Slipper Orchid (Paphiopedilum barbatum) is fast becoming over-collected and disappearing. The endangered witch hazel Maingaya malayana was rediscovered years ago and has since been propagated.


Fauna

Large mammals are not found in Penang Hills. Wild boars, small and medium sized mammals such as the squirrels, monkeys and tree shrews can be sighted. A number of species found in these hills are nocturnal. These include the civets, flying lemurs, flying civets and bats.

In the evenings, the characteristic calls of the cicadas and crickets are often heard. If one is discerning enough, the stick insect and leaf mantis may be found well-camouflaged among the vegetation.

Penang Hills have a rich bird fauna. Over 100 species or about 80% of the birds found on Penang Island have been recorded here. They range from the common garden species to rare deep forest inhabitants.

REVIVAL RALLY IN PENANG!

Hello and Shalom to all of you,

There will be a Catholic Charismatic Revival Rally this coming Saturday 14th August. It is held in conjunction with the Regional ISAO Leaders Conference (Charismatic Conference for Leaders). The conference will feature International speakers from the region and from England. While the conference is for the leaders, the Revival Rally is open to all. The Revival Rally will be a faithfill event with a parade of the nations. So, come and be blessed, come find healing in the presence of the Lord, come listen to God’s message and be revived, come and find strength to live life to the fullest.



The Revival Rally begins at 7.30pm but it is advised to come much earlier. It will be held at the St Anne’s Hall. Car Park at the church across the street. It is scheduled to end at 10.30pm to 11pm.



Invite your friends and family. Come and be blessed.

Tourism Ministry promote St Anne’s fest as a national event

The Tourism Ministry plans to promote the annual St Anne’s Novena and Feast at the St Anne’s Church in Bkt Mertajam here as a national tourism event.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said the 10-day festival, which attracted about 100,000 local and foreign pilgrims, was an important cultural and religious event with the potential to boost tourism.

“Presently, the festival is merely listed in the state’s tourism calendar. We hope to include it in our national tourism calendar next year she said after visiting the church here yesterday.

The festival is touted as one of the world’s top 20 Catholic gatherings.
House of the holy: A priest leading Mass at St Anne’s Church in Bukit Mertajam yesterday.

“Religious tourism is one of the products that we want to promote to the world,” Dr Ng said.

She later presented RM20,000 to the church in conjunction with the festival.

Thousands of pilgrims took part in a candlelight procession which began at 10.30pm at the church.

They held candles, flowers and rosaries ahead of a group of volunteers, who shouldered a palanquin bearing the statues of St Anne and her daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The 30-minute ceremony was held soon after Penang Bishop Antony Selvanayagam, parish priest Monsignor Stephen Liew and several other priests celebrated an open-air Mass outside the church.

Also at the mass was Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. The festival, which started on July 23, ends August 1.