History of Penang

History of Penang

Penang is the second smallest state in Malaysia after Perlis. The interesting history of Penang shows us how the state has improved surviving the ravages of time. Penang, now a state of Malaysia, was part of the sultanate of Kedah until it became a British possession in 1786. It gained independence as part of the Federation of Malaya in 1957.

Early days of Penang

History of Penang starts from the sixteenth century when Portuguese traders from Goa, India in search of spices found a small island where they refilled their water supplies. Francis Light, a captain of the English East India Company, changed the future of the island city forever after he made the city a harbor in the year 1786.

Earlier, Penang was granted to the British East India Company in 1786 by the Sultan of Kedah. On 11 August 1786, Captain Francis Light hoisted the Union Jack thereby taking formal possession of Penang and renamed it Prince of Wales Island (name used until after 1867) in honor of the heir to the British throne.

Penang during the Second World War

Penang was a thriving colony of the British Empire in the first decades of the 20th century. The Second World War unleashed unparalleled social upheaval on Penang. The British withdrawal left the defenseless island in the hands of a State Committee

Penang during the Postwar Period

On 6 September 1945, Japanese forces in Penang finally surrendered to British forces. There was a vivid change in the political landscape in the aftermath of the war. In 1946 Penang became part of the Malayan Union, before becoming in 1948 a state of the Federation of Malaya, which gained independence in 1957.

Penang during the Post-Independence Period

On August 31, 1957, Penang formally became part of the newly-independent Federation of Malaya. In 1963, it also became a member state of Malaysia. Penang suffered some damage from the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

In spite of the distressful history of Penang, the city is today a bustling metropolitan city in which Eastern and Western influences blend to form a unique culture.

Hotels in Penang
Shangri-la Rasa Sayang Hotel	Eastern And Oriental Hotel
Grand Plaza Parkroyal Hotel	Shangri-la Golden Sands Hotel
Equatorial Hotel	Northam All Suite Hotel

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