How Pulau Tikus Got Its Name

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Pulau Tikus is the name of a suburb, the Pulau Tikus district, on the northern coast of George Town. It is also the name of Pulau Tikus, the small outcrop off the sea in Tanjong Bungah.

Dr Anthony Silbert explaining the history of Pulau Tikus at the museum of the Church of the Immaculate Conception (19 September 2010)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

The name Pulau Tikus means "rat island". It is not the most flattering of names, and yet it is the name for one of the most affluent neighbourhoods in Penang. After years of researching this issue, I finally stumbled upon Dr Anthony Silbert, an Eurasian who is a leading member within the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Pulau Tikus. Dr Silbert provided be the background into how Pulau Tikus district got its name.

According to Dr Silbert, Pulau Tikus district got its name from the early Thai Eurasians who settled there around 1810-11. When their boat arrived, it anchored off Pulau Tikus island. The island itself got the name of Pulau Tikus because during low tide, the sand dunes take the appearance of running rodents.

The early settlers tracked from Pulau Tikus island all the way to the site where they settled, which they named after the little islet. That was how Pulau Tikus district got its name.

Pulau Tikus island (9 May 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

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