Sia Boey, George Town, Penang

Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park in George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey (Penang Hokkien: Sia33 Boey4 社尾 ) is the name for a locality within George Town. It means "Town's End" (literally, "tail end of the settlement") in Hokkien. The Prangin Canal forms the geographic and physical end of town. Today the area on both sides of the canal has been redeveloped as the Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, a public park that preserves relics of the past, while enabling the area to be used for social and recreational activities.

The Sia Boey area is beside Prangin Road, and is also bordered by Bridge Street and Maxwell Road. The park was completed in 2019 to preserve the structure of the former Sia Boey Market Building and Prangin Canal.

The Sia Boey name came about in the 19th century, when George Town reached only to the Prangin Canal. Until the mid 19th century, the area beyond the Prangin Canal has not been developed. There were at that time a few attap houses here that formed a small Chinese village or settlement called Koay Kangnga (Hokkien: Koay1 Kang3nga4 , Chinese: 過江仔), meaning "Beyond the River". It was located where Maxwell Road and Komtar are sited today.

After being left idle for many years following the relocation of the Sia Boey Market to Macallum Street Ghaut, the site was for a while earmarked to be Penang Island's transportation hub. This evolved to become the Komtar LRT Station, which was initially intended to be over the site of the market building, but following local opposition to the idea, the station was shifted to Magazine Road insteed, thus sparing the heritage building from being demolished.

The site of the Sia Boey Market took on an archaeological dimension when a granite structure was unearthed there in October 2015. The Centre of Global Archaeological Research, USM, identified it as an old canal lock, and part of a canal basin. The archaeologists discovered that the Prangin Canal consists of 6 granite layers. The granite walls of the canal sit on top a stilt foundation created using bakau and nibong logs. A canal lock was in place to control to discharge behind a basin that served as a reservoir. The canal was approximately 20 feet wide and 5 feet deep. The discovery of the granite structure inspired the project owner to create the first urban archaeological park in the country.

Prangin Canal is not a river, in that, it is not fed by any natural source of water. Instead, it is actually a monsoon drain with a catchment comprising the households that cover an area of 278 acres.

In the old days, Prangin Canal served as a waterway. Farmers and vendors brought produce and livestock via sampan or barge to the Sia Boey market, which for much of the 19th and right through to the mid 20th century, was a watering hole for the locals.

The extant Sia Boey market building is similar in design to the early incarnation of the Chowrasta Market building which has long been replaced. Built during a time when there was limited use of electricity, and certainly no air-conditioning, it has wooden louvres to admit natural light as well as provide for some ventilation. The cast iron for the building comes from A. Handyside, a British company that was renowned at that time for producing cast iron items for various structures, including the iconic British red postboxes. The design is rather plain, if compared to Singapore's Telok Ayer Market building.

The project to give Sia Boey a complete makeover was undertaken by the Penang Development Corporation, which is the project owner, together with George Town World Heritage Incorporated, the project partner. It commenced on 25 March, 2018. In the beginning, the Prangin Canal was still a smelly, rubbish-filled canal.

In order to clean up and beautify the stretch of Prangin Canal that passes through Sia Boey, the waters of the monsoon drain had to be diverted to a new culvert. Running parallel to the exposed Prangin Canal (but obscured from view), this Prangin Diversion has a higher hydraulic capacity compared to the old canal. The drain water passing through the Prangin Diversion goes through a bio-filtration system, using a proven Japanese bio-remediation technology.

With the unclean drain water diverted and treated, plans were put in place to transform the Sia Boey site into a socio-civic centre, a patch of greenery which the locals can appreciate. The focus was to fuse heritage conservation with cultural heritage education, set within a green park, to be a benchmark for sustainable urbanisation - both nationally and globally.

November 2019

The Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park finally opened to the public. The most outstanding feature is the Prangin Canal itself, that has been turned into a pristine koi pond. There is also a public square planted with full-size trees, and a children's playground.

The next phase of the Sia Boey rejuvenation project is the restoration of the crumbling shophouses along Magazine Road and Maxwell Road. The ones along Maxwell Road are of particular aesthetic value, asn they form an elegant curve to follow the contours of the street.

Videos of Sia Boey and vicinity

Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)


Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park, George Town, Penang (5 November 2019)

History of Sia Boey

Sia Boey, George Town (6 February 2013)


By the 1870's there were plank bridges across the Prangin Canal. A bridge that linked Beach Street to the path beyond (yet to be called Bridge Street / Jalan CY Choy) was named Anson Bridge, after Archibald Anson, who served as Lieutenant Governor of Penang, Resident Councillor of Penang (1867-1882), and Major General of Singapore (as cross reference, read Governors of the Straits Settlements). The bridge has since disappeared, as the size of Prangin Canal has reduced to a ditch.

Site of former Sia Boey Market, now standing empty and idle (19 March 2010)


From the late 19th century to the turn of the 20th century, George Town experienced rapid growth. The coastline was extended out through land reclamation, creating the Chinese Trades Neighbourhood bordered by China Street Ghaut to the north, Beach Street to the west, Weld Quay to the east and Sia Boey to the south.

The population of George Town also experienced a boom during the final decades of the 19th century, and this transformed Sia Boey area from a quiet riverside produce station into a bustling market area. This market did not materialise overnight, but grew out of the market activity that increased in tandem with the rise in the population of George Town.

Salted fish being dried above the covered Prangin Canal (4 December 2008)


By the mid 20th century, the very mention of "Sia Boey" conjured images of a neighbourhood of bustling market activity. The Sia Boey precinct begins south of Malay Street, and continues all the way to Magazine Road. Within this area, one find activities related to the wet market, including the drying of salted fish in the open, the gunny sacks filled with onions and potatoes, the shops selling rattan products, basketware, animal feed, fertilizers and pesticides, and so on. These wholesalers occupy the southern end of Beach Street. They either provide auxiliary services to the market activity of Sia Boey or are the main players in the import-export trades of George Town.

By the late 1970's, the urbanisation of George Town began to threaten the very existence of Sia Boey. This is compounded by the stagnant waters of the Prangin Canal, which was deemed unsanitary. By then, much of the canal has been covered up. So it isn't surprising that those who were born in the 1980's and thereafter have no idea where the Prangin Canal is located. (Read also: Forgotten Canals of George Town)

Pre-war shophouses at junction of Tek Soon Street with Maxwell Road, awaiting their 'death sentence' (19 March 2010)


In my opinion, one of the most pitiful travesties was the forced relocation of the Sia Boey Wholesale Market to Macallum Street Ghaut. It entirely destroyed the character of this part of George Town. At the time of the forced relocation, the area was earmarked to be the new transportation hub for George Town.

This never come to pass, and for years, the Sia Boey site was left idle. In the meanwhile, the surrounding shophouses were left to fall apart. As a member (and former Council Member) of the Penang Heritage Trust, I lament the lack of appreciation for the historic value of the shophouses in the area, particularly those along Maxwell Road and Tek Soon Street. These are often left to rot and once they are falling apart, used as an excuse not to rescue them. The act, to me, is like withdrawing medicine from your dying grandmother.

Old Sia Boey Market Building (19 March 2010)

Updates on Sia Boey

29 March, 2018: The Star Metro reports on a RM6million Sia Boey Rejuvenation Project, headed by the Penang Development Corporation and George Town World Heritage Incorporated. Phase 1, costing RM6million, involves rehabilitating the Prangin Canal, conservation of the old Prangin Market and upgrading of the site's landscaping. This will be completed by August, 2018.

Phase 2 involves the restoration of the shophouses along Maxwell Road and upgrading of the surroundings. According to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, "The core objective of the project is to transform Sia Boey into a site where development and heritage conservation can coexist." 8 August, 2016: The Star Metro reports the discovery of the foundation of an old building, believed to be an old police station, at the Sia Boey site. Artefacts such as Chinese and European ceramic shards were also found.

7 September, 2015: The Star reports that Sia Boey will be transformed into a premier art district in the country. The development costing RM100 million will preserve the pre-war shophouses in the area which will be restored, and will have art galleries, studios, eateries, schools and work places.

According to Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng, the site will be served by the Light Rail Transit (LRT) which will have its line cutting through the site to give easy access to the public. The Penang Development Corporation signed an agreement with Yayasan Haji Zainuddin to set up an iconic art museum on the site. The museum will be called Ilham Penang. To this end, Yayasan Haji Zainuddin is given a 30+30-year lease on the 0.6-hectare site. Ilham Penang will have 45,000 sqft of gallery space, making it the largest art museum of its kind in the country. Features of the museum include an inhouse café or restaurant, a library, a 200-seat auditorium and storage facilities for artwork. A public exhibition is held at Sia Boey till 13 September, 2015.

1 August 2012: The Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng that the 1.8-hectare Sia Boey area will be turned into a heritage enclave. In particular, the shophouses along Maxwell Road will be preserved, restored and adaptively reused. Prangin Canal will likewise be restored.

31 May 2012: The Penang State Government is attempting to bring Sia Boey back to life. This is a project under Komtar Phase 5, and is implemented under a Business Improvement District Scheme (BIDS) through ThinkCity (the special project vehicle of Khazanah Nasional, the investment holding arm of the Government of Malaysia). Among the proposals being considered was to turn Sia Boey into a town square - perhaps similar to those in European towns - a place where people converge to enjoy various activities.

View of Sia Boey along Prangin Road (Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong) (4 December 2008)

What should we do with Sia Boey

My opinion is that the Sia Boey area should be preserved for the enjoyment of all people in Penang. It should never be given away to a developer to build more high-rise condominiums in the city. The Prangin Canal should be uncovered, cleaned up, deepened and perhaps widened, so that pleasure sampans can cruise through it. The shophouses along Tek Soon Street and Maxwell Road should be restored and used for cultural activities. Their history should also be recorded and showcased.

I suppose one person's lamentation is insufficient to save Sia Boey. So I appeal to all stakeholders, every Penangite, to throw his weight behind saving and restoring Sia Boey. No, we can't bring back the wet market, but we could turn Sia Boey into a cultural precinct that is congruent with the expectations of a modern, urban society, one that celebrates its heritage and returns life and character to this part of George Town.

Dilapidated shophouse on Tek Soon Street allowed to fall apart (19 March 2010)

360° Street View of Sia Boey

Street Art

Nearby Sights

Coffee Shops and Restaurants in Sia Boey

Tek Soon Street looking like a war zone, with shophouses deliberately left to rot (19 March 2010)

Nearby Shopping

Getting there

From the Komtar Bus Terminal, turn right and walk along Lebuh Tek Soon until Lebuh Lintang. Then turn left, walk along Lebuh Lintang until Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong. Turn right, walk along Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong. Sia Boey is located after the junction of Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong with Lebuh Carnavon.

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