Lebuh Acheh
Acheen Street is a street in the inner city of George Town and within the core zone of the Unesco World Heritage Site. It derives its name from the Acehnese community that lived there. Acheen Street is almost as old as George Town itself.
Late 18th Century
If you turn back time, to the very start of George Town, you will note that when George Town was established, it pretty much drew some trading activities away from Aceh, which was already an established trading hub in northern Sumatra. To ensure that the new trading port survives, Captain Francis Light set up the prototype of a "free trade zone". He managed to attract Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid, an Arab trader who was also a member of the Acehnese royal house, to move to Penang. He did this by making a very attractive offer to this very powerful Acehnese leader: that he and his entire clan may live above British laws, and that within Tengku Syed Hussain's jurisdiction, Mahomedan Laws (that is to say, Syariah Law) prevails over colonial laws.
From the time of his arrival in 1792 until his death in 1840, Tengku Syed Hussain transformed the character of Acheen Street. He founded the Acheen Street Mosque in 1808, so that his people have a permanent place of worship. His properties include the four-storey warehouse, now called Gudang Acheh, at the junction of Acheen Street and Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai).
Mid 19th Century
By the mid 19th century, there were two Malay villages along Acheen Street: Kampong Che Long located at the junction of Acheen Street with Armenian Street, and Kampong Tuan Guru at the junction of Acheen Street with Cannon Square.
Kampong Che Long was established by Che Long Jaafar, a powerful Malay leader who founded the Red Flag Society. The Red Flag Society had a close relationship with the Khian Teik Society, also called the Tua Pek Kong Society, based at Hock Teik Cheng Sin and Khoo Kongsi. The leader of the Red Flag Society included Syed Al-Atas, whose mansion at 128 Armenian Street today houses the Penang Islamic Museum. The Red Flag Society and Khien Teik Society fought a common enemy, which was the alliance of the White Flag Society and the Ghee Hin. The antagonism between these two factions erupted into street fighting called the Penang Riots in 1867, resulting in the British banning these societies.
Kampong Tuan Guru was established by Abdul Ghani bin Abdul Rashid from Madura. He was also called Tuan Guru, meaning Master Teacher, because he was an orthodox religious teacher. Tuan Guru also established two mosques in Penang, the Masjid Maqbul in Jelutong and Masjid Tuan Guru in Tanjong Tokong.
An offshoot from Acheen Street is Lumut Lane, or Lorong Lumut, where the Basheer family established themselves.
2008 Acheen Street
Acheen Street was the first street in Penang to be given street signs in different languages, when Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng gave the greenlight to make the chance, as a means to promote greater appreciation of local heritage. The section from Carnavon Street to the junction of Cannon Square spot Roman and Jawi lettering of the name "Lebuh Aceh", while the section from Cannon Square to Beach Street spot Chinese characters for the Hokkien name of Acheen Street, Pak Cheok Kay (Stonemason's Street).
Getting there
Acheen Street can be reached by taking the Rapid Penang Bus 10, 301, 302, 307, 401 and 502, disembarking at Lebuh Carnavon. Check the Rapid Penang Bus Routes for details.
Sights along Acheen Street
Acheen Street Mosque
Penang Heritage Centre (Penang Tourism Information Centre)
Gudang Acheh
Nearby Sights
Khoo Kongsi
Dr Sun Yat Sen's Penang Base
Penang Islamic Museum
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In Other Words ...
In Hokkien: Pak Cheok Kay (Stonemason's Street); Kuan Lau (Tall House), for section near Gudang Acheh.
In Cantonese: Ta Shek Kai (Stonemason's Street); Ko Lau Chai (Tall House), for section near Gudang Acheh.
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Acheen Street Location Map
Photos of Acheen Street
Acheen Street sign, with Jawi (22 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Acheen Street sign, with Chinese (22 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Acheen Street plaque (22 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Section of Acheen Street where Kampong Che Long was located (22 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
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