Editing Penang (section)

=== Establishment and British rule ===
{{see also|History of George Town, Penang}}
[[File:Penang.gif|thumb|British acquisition and expansion of Penang (in yellow) occurred between 1786 and 1874, when the final alterations to Penang's boundaries were enacted.<ref name="nas.gov.sg">{{Cite web |last=Hill |first=Ronald David |date=23 November 1839 |others=Ms copy by Poon Puay Kee |title=Plan of Prince of Wales Island and Province Wellesley |url=http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/maps_building_plans/record-details/fbc7d2ca-115c-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016153437/https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/maps_building_plans/record-details/fbc7d2ca-115c-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad |archive-date=16 October 2022 |access-date=10 January 2024 |website=[[National Archives of Singapore]] }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web |last=Moniot |first=Jules Michael |date=1860 |title=Map of Prince of Wales Island, or Pulo Penang and Province Wellesley including a Careful Survey of the South Channel |url=http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/maps_building_plans/record-details/f96da40d-115c-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018071434/https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/maps_building_plans/record-details/f96da40d-115c-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad |archive-date=18 October 2022 |access-date=10 January 2024 |website=[[National Archives of Singapore]] }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceB">{{Cite web |last=Stanford |first=Edward |date=1870 |others=Revised by Major J.F.A.McNair |title=Map of Prince of Wales Island and Province Wellesley, Straits Settlements |url=http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/maps_building_plans/record-details/f97bad5c-115c-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018145240/https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/maps_building_plans/record-details/f97bad5c-115c-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad |archive-date=18 October 2022 |access-date=10 January 2024 |website=[[National Archives of Singapore]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=J. De V. |last2=Stockwell |first2=A. J. |last3=Wright |first3=L. R. |date=1981 |others=Annotated by Aloysius Ng |title=Documents Archive - Pangkor Engagement of 1874 |url=http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/hist/eia/documents_archive/pangkor-treaty.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125221607/http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/hist/eia/documents_archive/pangkor-treaty.php |archive-date=25 November 2016 |access-date=30 January 2023 |website=Empire in Asia |publisher=[[National University of Singapore]] }}</ref>|left]]

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|Abdullah Mukarram Shah]] of [[Kedah Sultanate|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]].<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Lewis Su|2016|p=34 }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Merican |first=Ahmad Murad |date=29 October 2021 |title=The 1786 Acquisition of Pulau Pinang: Unveiling the Light Letters, Revisiting Legal History Case Materials and R. Bonney's Kedah 1771–1821 |url=http://web.usm.my/kajh/vol28_2_2021/kajh28022021_08.pdf |journal=The Asian Journal of Humanities |publisher=[[Universiti Sains Malaysia]] |volume=28 |issue=2 }}</ref> The island was renamed Prince of Wales Island after the [[George IV|heir to the British throne]] and the new settlement of [[George Town, Penang|George Town]] was established in honour of King George III.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ooi |first=Keat Gin |title=The A to Z of Malaysia |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-8108-7641-5 |page=105 }}</ref>

Unbeknownst to Sultan Abdullah, Light had acted without the authority or the consent of his superiors in [[British Raj|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.<ref name="Ooi-2015">{{Cite journal |last=Ooi |first=Keat Gin |date=2015 |title=Disparate Identities: Penang from a Historical Perspective, 1780–1941 |url=http://web.usm.my/km/33(Supp.2)2015/km33s22015_03.pdf |journal=Kajian Malaysia |volume=33 |issue=Supp. 2 |pages=27–52 |issn=0127-4082 |access-date=7 March 2023 }}</ref> An annual payment of 6,000 Spanish dollars was agreed in exchange for British sovereignty over the island.<ref name="Jenkins-2008">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Jenkins|2008|p=32 }}</ref>

In 1800, [[George Alexander William Leith|Lieutenant-Governor George Leith]] secured a strip of [[hinterland]] across the [[Penang Strait]], which was subsequently named Province Wellesley (now [[Seberang Perai]]).<ref name="Jenkins-2008" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Blackledge |first=J.P. |date=6 July 1950 |title=Province Wellesley Looks Back |pages=2 |work=The Singapore Free Press |location=Singapore |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19500706-1.2.28 |access-date=18 April 2021 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book |author=Marcus Langdon |title=Penang: The Fourth Presidency of India. 1805-1830. Volume One: Ships, Men and Mansions |publisher=Areca Books |year=2013 |isbn=978-967-5719-07-3 |pages=219, 222 }}</ref> The British and Malaysian governments maintained the annual payments to Kedah until 2018, when the [[Government of Malaysia|Malaysian federal government]] increased the amount by RM10 million yearly.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 February 2017 |title=Unconstitutional to Wipe Penang off Malaysia's map, Kedah Told |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2017/02/11/unconstitutional-to-wipe-penang-off-malaysias-map-kedah-told/1312549 |access-date=4 March 2017 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ida Lim |date=7 June 2023 |title=Report: Kedah MB Denies Asking for Return of Penang, Just Wants Higher Lease Payment |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/06/07/report-kedah-mb-denies-asking-for-return-of-penang-just-wants-higher-lease-payment/73108 |access-date=15 March 2024 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref>

[[File:KITLV - 80020 - Kleingrothe, C.J. - Medan - Quay in Penang - circa 1910.tif|thumb|The [[Port of Penang]] in [[George Town, Penang|George Town]] {{Circa|1910}}. Port functions were eventually relocated to [[Seberang Perai]] in 1974.<ref name="Jou-2014">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Jou|Michael Hsiao|Aveline-Dubach|2014|p=188 }}</ref>]]
George Town grew rapidly as a [[Free economic zone|free port]] and a conduit for [[spice trade]], diverting maritime commerce away from [[Dutch East Indies|Dutch]] outposts in the region.<ref name="Jackson20132">{{cite book |author=Jackson |first=Ashley |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Rv7AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA7 |title=Buildings of Empire |date=Nov 2013 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-958938-8 |pages=7 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ooi |first=Kee Beng |date=2014 |title=When Penang Became a Spice Island |url=http://penangmonthly.com/article.aspx?pageid=4394&name=when_penang_became_a_spice_island |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529215436/http://penangmonthly.com/article.aspx?pageid=4394&name=when_penang_became_a_spice_island |archive-date=29 May 2017 |access-date=25 May 2017 |website=Penang Monthly }}</ref><ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Khoo|2007|p=5 }}</ref> In 1805, Penang became a separate [[Presidencies and provinces of British India|presidency]] of [[British Raj|British India]], sharing similar status with [[Bombay Presidency|Bombay]] and [[Madras Presidency|Madras]].<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Lewis Su|2016|p=35 }}</ref> By 1808, George Town had established its local government, while the founding of the [[Penang High Court|Supreme Court of Penang]] marked the birth of Malaysia's modern judiciary.<ref name="Koay-2014">{{Cite web |last=Koay Su Lin |first=Steven Sim |date=2014 |title=A History of Local Elections in Penang Part I: Democracy Comes Early |url=http://penangmonthly.com/article.aspx?pageid=4390&name=a_history_of_local_elections_in_penangpart_i_democracy_comes_early |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918154421/http://penangmonthly.com/article.aspx?pageid=4390&name=a_history_of_local_elections_in_penangpart_i_democracy_comes_early |archive-date=18 September 2017 |access-date=25 May 2017 |website=Penang Monthly }}</ref> In 1826, George Town was made the capital of the [[Straits Settlements]] which included [[Singapore in the Straits Settlements|Singapore]] and [[Malacca]]. As Singapore soon supplanted George Town as the region's premier [[entrepôt]], Singapore became the capital instead in 1832.<ref name="NLB-2024">{{Cite web |title=Singapore Becomes Admin Centre of the Straits Settlements |url=https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=e9600931-19db-4a18-8366-8ae5aea35464 |access-date=13 January 2024 |website=[[National Library Board]] }}</ref>

Despite its secondary importance to Singapore, George Town retained its importance as a vital British entrepôt.<ref name="Turnbull-2012">{{Cite journal |last=Turnbull |first=C. M. |author-link=Mary Turnbull |title=The Penang Story |url=https://tsnra.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/the-pg-story.pdf |journal=Penang's Changing Role in the Straits Settlements, 1826–1946 }}</ref> Towards the end of the 19th century, it became a major tin exporter and [[British Malaya|Malaya]]'s primary financial centre.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Hockton|2012|p=95 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Wong |first=Yee Tuan |title=Penang Chinese Commerce in the 19th Century: The Rise and Fall of the Big Five |publisher=[[ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute]] |year=2015 |isbn=978-981-4515-02-3 |location= |page=26 }}</ref><ref name="Langdon-2014">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Langdon|2014|pages=3, 4, 6 }}</ref> Penang's prosperity attracted a cosmopolitan population comprising [[Penangite Chinese|Chinese]], [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay]], [[Malaysians of Indian descent in Penang|Indian]], [[Peranakan Chinese|Peranakan]], [[Malaysian Siamese|Siamese]] and migrants of mixed European-Asian lineage referred to as "[[Kristang people|Eurasians]]", and led to the development of hitherto rural areas such as [[Butterworth, Seberang Perai|Butterworth]] and [[Bukit Mertajam]].<ref name="Chan">{{Cite journal |last=Chan |first=Wai Yeap |title=The History of Bukit Mertajam (1800-1957): From Agrarian Town to Central Hub of Northern Malaya |url=https://www.academia.edu/25915163 |journal=Penang Institute |via=[[Academia.edu]] }}</ref> However, the population growth created social problems such as inadequate sanitation, health facilities and rampant crime, culminating in [[1867 Penang riots|street violence and rioting in 1867]].<ref name="Ooi-19912">{{Cite journal |last=Ooi |first=Giok Ling |date=2 September 1991 |title=British Colonial Health Care Development and the Persistence of Ethnic Medicine in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore |url=https://kyoto-seas.org/pdf/29/2/290202.pdf |journal=[[National University of Singapore]] |via=[[Kyoto University]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=16 September 1867 |title=The Disturbances at Penang |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28607543 |access-date=25 May 2017 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |via=Trove }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wong |first=Chun Wai |date=20 April 2013 |title=A cowboy town that was old Penang |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2013/04/20/a-cowboy-town-that-was-old-penang_1/ |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] }}</ref>

The Straits Settlements [[Transfer of the Straits Settlements|became a British crown colony]] within the same year.<ref name="Koh-2024">{{Cite web |last=Jaime Koh |title=Straits Settlements |url=https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=b0d91ecc-3de3-4e79-a132-b2d0d886bb98#:~:text=The%20Straits%20Settlements%2C%20comprising%20Penang,East%20India%20Company%20in%20India. |access-date=13 January 2024 |website=[[National Library Board]] }}</ref> Direct British rule led to improved law enforcement, and investments in health care and public transportation in Penang.<ref name="Turnbull-2012" /><ref name="Ooi-19912" /><ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Lewis Su|2016|p=79 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="Turnbull-2012" /><ref name="Goh-2014" /><ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Lewis Su|2016|pages=145–147 }}</ref> The settlement attracted intellectuals and revolutionaries, including [[Rudyard Kipling]], [[W. Somerset Maugham|Somerset Maugham]] and [[Sun Yat-sen]].<ref name="Turnbull-2012" /><ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Langdon|2014|p=54 }}</ref><ref name="Reuters-2007">{{Cite news |date=21 January 2007 |title=Chinese Hero's Memory Burns Bright in Penang House |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-china-revolutionary-idUSKLR3439920070103 |access-date=13 October 2023 |work=[[Reuters]] |language=en }}</ref> In 1910, Sun selected George Town as the centre for the [[Tongmenghui]]'s political activities in Southeast Asia, aimed at overthrowing the [[Qing dynasty]].<ref name="Reuters-2007" />