Post-war History of Penang

flag of crown colony of penang, in use between 1946 , 1949.



the original coat of arms of george town city council, inaugurated in 1957.

penang placed under military administration until 1946, british sought restore order in face of emerging communist insurgency. british dissolved straits settlements in april 1946, sir shenton thomas being last governor.

subsequently, separate crown colonies of penang , malacca merged federated malay states , unfederated malay states form new federation, malayan union; crown colony of singapore, excluded union, remain firmly under british rule. malayan union replaced federation of malaya in 1948. gradual withdrawal of western colonial powers in southeast asia continued taking shape, independence of malaya united political entity seemed foregone conclusion.

however, merger of british crown colony of penang vast malay heartland alarmed quarters of penang s population. questions raised on economic , ethnic issues, such citizenship of non-malays, greater trade regulations imposed on penang central government in kuala lumpur , introduction of export duties trade rest of malaya. consequently, penang secession committee, formed in 1948, proposed exclude penang federation of malaya, allow penang either retain links british empire or form political union singapore. movement led d.a. mackay, chairman of penang chamber of commerce, , included penang muslim chamber of commerce, penang chinese chamber of commerce, penang straits chinese association, penang eurasian association , penang indian chamber of commerce.

ultimately, penang secession committee failed attain goals , petered out. secession motion tabled in penang settlement council in 1949 narrowly dismissed british official votes, while petition sent london in 1951 met british disapproval. while british , american observers symphathetic secessionists cause, british administrators reluctant jeopardise own plans gradually grant independence united malayan polity. moreover, british government allayed fears raised secessionists guaranteeing george town s free port status , reintroducing municipal elections city in 1951.

on 1 january 1957, george town, capital of penang, granted city status queen elizabeth ii in 1957, becoming first city within federation of malaya, , extension, malaysia. george town continued city within malaysia (other singapore between 1963 , separation in 1965) until 1972, when kuala lumpur conferred city status.

penang, part of federation of malaya, gained independence british empire on 31 august 1957, , subsequently became member state of malaysia in 1963.