Jalan Penang
Penang Road is the most important thoroughfare in Penang during the British colonial era. It was the first road to be built out of the original town mapped by Francis Light. It runs from Lebuh Farquhar in the north to Jalan Gurdwara to the south, and can be split into four different sections, each with its own characteristics.
The first section, now called Upper Penang Road, runs from the junction with Lebuh Farquhar, to the junction with Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah. This section is now closed to vehicular traffic. Before that, it was a unique road with traffic running on the right side rather than the usual left. It is hemmed in on one side by The Garage (at time of writing, undergoing renovations) and the City Bayview Hotel. Upper Penang Road is the venue of the monthly Little Penang Street Market and host a number of pubs and restaurants.
The second section of Penang Road runs from the junction of Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah to Lebuh Chulia. This section has several low-budget hotels. Also located here is the Ku Din Ku Meh House and the St Francis Xavier Church.
The third section of Penang Road runs from the junction of Lebuh Chulia to the junction of Jalan Burma. This is regarded as the most important section in the 1970's, when Penang Road was the main shopping street of the island. In the earlier part of Penang history, in the 19th century, this was a very cosmopolitan section settled by several different communities. Today only the road names survive them, as the character of the street becomes more homogenously Chinese. These roads branching out from Penang Road tells a story of the bygone communities. Kampung Malabar was where the Malabaris of South India settled. Sri Bahari Road was named after the North Indian community, whose temple, the Sri Kunj Bihari, is still standing. Jalan Dato Koyah was also named after a South Indian personality, in this case a Malabari miracle healer named Syed Mustapha Idris @ Dato Koya. Further down the road was the Chowrasta Market, a venue originally established by the Tamil community. Across the road from Chowrasta Market is the Central Police Headquarters, one of the biggest buildings built by the British administrators, and completed just before the Second World War. At the junction of Ah Kwee Street are the two famous Teochew Cendol stalls. Wing Look and Loke Thye Kee are two very famous bygone restaurants along this stretch of Penang Road that unfortunately have since closed down.
The final section of Penang Road runs from the junction of Jalan Burma to the junction of Penang Road with Macalister Road, Dato Kramat Road, Magazine Road and Jalan Gurdwara (formerly Brick Kiln Road). A sixth road that leads out of this junction, Gladstone Road, has since been erased by the construction of Komtar, the biggest urban development project in Penang. Across the road from Komtar is Ong Kongsi, an ornate clan temple.
Getting there
As one of the main thoroughfare in Penang, Penang Road can easily be reached by bus. Rapid Penang Free Shuttle Bus stops at three stations along Penang Road, Station No. 7 (Lebuh Muntri), No. 8 (Lebuh Campbell) and No. 10 (Komtar Utara). Rapid Penang bus 10, 11, 101, 103, 104, 201, 202, 203, U204, 206, 301 and 302
are among those that pass by it.
Sights along Penang Road
Chowrasta Market
Komtar
Loke Thye Kee
Ong Kongsi
Penang Bazaar
Police Headquarters
Segara Ninda
St Francis Xavier Church
The Garage
What to see or do
Penang Road is still an important shopping street, especially the 3rd section, between Lebuh Chulia and Jalan Burma. Chowrasta Market is a stopover point for tourists interested in the local produce such as preserved nutmeg, lempuk (also called durian koay), and preserved lime. Komtar was a major shopping mall but has pretty much lost its shine.
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In Other Words ...
In Malay: Titi Papan (Plank Bridge) in Malay, junction of Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong
In Hokkien: Tiau Keo Th'au (Head of the Suspension Bridge) junction of Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong; Goh P'ah Teng (Five Street Lights) for the section at Jalan Magazine junction; Langch'ia Tengpai Kuan (Trishaw Registration Bureau), section in front of Komtar; Kelinga Barnsarn (South Indian Market) for section in front of Chowrasta Market; Ku Khaku (Old Jail), opposite Chowrasta Market; Tiau Lang Kay (Hanging People Street), around Odeon Cinema;
In Cantonese: Tiu Khiu Thau (Head of the Suspension Bridge), junction of Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong; Kau Ka Ku (Old Jail), opposite Chowrasta Market; Tin Yan Kai (Hanging People Street), around Odean Cinema
In Tamil: Ealu Muchanti (7-Road Junction), at junction of Jalan Magazine; Rajati Medu (Queen's Arch), at Ocean Cinema.
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Penang Road Location Map
Photos of Penang Road
Penang Road signboard (24 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Penang Road plaque (24 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Penang Road (3 September 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Penang Road (30 November 2008)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
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