Christopher Tan Popular Books

Christopher Tan Biography & Facts

Penang (Malay: Pulau Pinang, [pi.naŋ]) is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. These two halves are physically connected by the Penang Bridge and the Second Penang Bridge. The state shares borders with Kedah to the north and east, and Perak to the south. With 1.74 million residents and a population density of 1,659/km2 (4,300/sq mi) as of 2020, Penang is one of Malaysia's most densely populated and urbanised states. Seberang Perai is Malaysia's third largest city by population. Penang is culturally diverse with a population that includes Chinese, Malays, Indians, Eurasians, Siamese and expatriates. Established by Francis Light in 1786, Penang became part of the Straits Settlements, a British crown colony also comprising Malacca and Singapore. During World War II, Japan occupied Penang, but the British regained control in 1945. Penang was later merged with the Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia), which gained independence in 1957. Penang's economy shifted from entrepôt trade to electronics manufacturing and the tertiary sector in the late 20th century. It is one of the country's most developed economic powerhouses, with the second highest GDP per capita among Malaysian states, and the third highest Human Development Index after Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Penang is Malaysia's leading exporter with nearly RM451 billion (US$108.94 billion) in exports in 2022, primarily through the Penang International Airport which is also the nation's third busiest in passenger traffic. Etymology The name Penang comes from the modern Malay name Pulau Pinang which means 'areca nut island'. Penang is also colloquially referred to as the "Pearl of the Orient" and "The Island of Pearls" (Malay: Pulau Mutiara). Over the course of history, Penang Island had been known by different names by seafarers from various regions. The locals named it Pulo Ka Satu, meaning The First Island, as it was the largest island on the maritime route between Lingga and Kedah. The Siamese, who were the overlords of Kedah, called it Ko Mak (Thai: เกาะหมาก). Maritime explorers also took note of the island's abundance of areca nut. During the 15th century, Admiral Zheng He of Ming China referred to the island as Bīngláng Yǔ (traditional Chinese: 檳榔嶼; simplified Chinese: 槟榔屿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Pin-nn̂g-sū; lit. 'areca nut island') in his navigational charts. In the Description of Malacca, Portuguese cartographer Manuel Godinho de Erédia named it Pulo Pinaom. History Early history Archaeologists have discovered human remains such as the "Penang Woman", along with seashells, pottery and stone tools, in Seberang Perai. The artifacts indicate that around 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, Penang was inhabited by nomadic Melanesians during the Neolithic era. Pali inscriptions on the Cherok Tok Kun megalith suggest the Hindu-Buddhist Bujang Valley civilisation, based in present-day Kedah, held authority over parts of Seberang Perai by the 6th century. The entirety of Penang later formed part of Kedah, which came under Siamese suzerainty by the late 18th century. Establishment and British rule Penang's modern history began in 1786 when Francis Light, a representative of the British East India Company (EIC), obtained Penang Island from Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah of Kedah in exchange for military aid. Light had been sent to the Malay Peninsula by the EIC to build trade relations in the region, where he saw the strategic potential of Penang Island as a "convenient magazine for trade" that could enable the British to check Dutch and French territorial ambitions in Southeast Asia. After negotiating an agreement with the Sultan, Light and his entourage landed on Penang Island on 17 July that year and took formal possession of the island "in the name of King George III of England" on 11 August. The island was renamed Prince of Wales Island after the heir to the British throne and the new settlement of George Town was established in honour of King George III. Unbeknownst to Sultan Abdullah, Light had acted without the authority or the consent of his superiors in India. When the EIC reneged on military protection, the Sultan launched an attempt to recapture the Prince of Wales Island in 1791. However, the attempt was defeated by EIC forces and the Sultan sued for peace. An annual payment of 6000 Spanish dollars was agreed in exchange for British sovereignty over the island. In 1800, Lieutenant-Governor George Leith secured a strip of hinterland across the Penang Strait, which was subsequently named Province Wellesley (now Seberang Perai). The EIC gained permanent sovereignty over both Prince of Wales Island and the new mainland territory, while the annual payment to the Sultan of Kedah was increased to 10,000 Spanish dollars. The British and Malaysian governments maintained the annual payments to Kedah until 2018, when the Malaysian federal government increased the amount by RM10 million yearly. George Town grew rapidly as a free port and a conduit for spice trade, diverting maritime commerce away from Dutch outposts in the region. In 1805, Penang became a separate presidency of British India, sharing similar status with Bombay and Madras. By 1808, George Town had established its local government, while the founding of the Supreme Court of Penang marked the birth of Malaysia's modern judiciary. In 1826, George Town was made the capital of the Straits Settlements which included Singapore and Malacca. As Singapore soon supplanted George Town as the region's premier entrepôt, Singapore became the capital instead in 1832. Despite its secondary importance to Singapore, George Town retained its importance as a vital British entrepôt. Towards the end of the 19th century, it became a major tin exporter and Malaya's primary financial centre. Penang's prosperity attracted a cosmopolitan population comprising Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan, Siamese and migrants of mixed European-Asian lineage referred to as "Eurasians", and led to the development of hitherto rural areas such as Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam. However, the population growth created social problems such as inadequate sanitation, health facilities and rampant crime, culminating in street violence and rioting in 1867. The Straits Settlements became a British crown colony within the same year. Direct British rule led to improved law enforcement, and investments in health care and public transportation in Penang. Owing to enhanced access to education, active participation of Asian residents in municipal affairs and substantial press freedom, George Town was perceived as being more intellectually receptive than Singapore. The settlement attracted intellectuals and revolutionaries, including Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham and Sun Yat-sen. In 1910, Sun selected George Town as the centre for the T.... Discover the Christopher Tan popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Christopher Tan books.