Penang History

Discover how Penang (Pulau Pinang) got its name and the rich history behind Penang.

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History of Penang  

Penang or Pulau Pinang got its name from the areca nut, which means ‘pinang’ in the Malay language. The island was originally a part of the sultanate of Kedah before being ceded in 1786 in exchange for military protection when Sir Francis Light promised to protect Kedah from the Siamese and Burmese. The Union Jack was hoisted on the land of Penang, formally being in possession of the British. In honour of the heir to the British throne, Sir Francis Light named the island Prince of Wales Island.

The Sultan hadn’t known that Sir Francis Light promised him protection without the approval of the British East India Company. Kedah was attacked by the Thais, and the Company failed to carry out Light’s promise. The Sultan of Kedah tried to claim the island back but following an unsuccessful attempt, he ceded the island for an honorarium of 6000 Spanish dollars per year, which was later increased to 10,000 dollars. Up till today an honorarium of RM18,800 is paid to the Sultan of Kedah by the State of Penang.

Penang was declared a free port by Light, attracting many immigrant traders to Penang. The new folk of Penang were allowed to take whatever land they could clear. The first Chinese settlers came from Kedah, with their Kapitan Cina (leader) Koh Lay Huan, who was a Baba.

Light loss his life to malaria and is buried at the Protestant cemetery at the end of Northam Road. His son followed in his footsteps and founded the city of Adelaide in Australia.

World War II saw the evacuation of the Europeans and the beginning of a brutal Japanese occupation in 1941. They surrendered Penang to the British in 1945 but the end of the British colonization was inevitable. Penang became a part of the Malayan Union in 1946 and in 1948 a state of the Federation of Malaya. Malaya gained independence in 1957 and in 1963 became one of the 13 states of Malaysia. Penang’s free port status was revoked in 1969.

The history of Penang can still be seen in its colonial structures, design, and museums. Georgetown still holds some of Penang’s earliest buildings, including Fort Cornwallis, Chinatown, and Masjid India, which were the early Chinese and Indian trade zones respectively.