From port city to World Heritage site: case study of George Town (Malaysia)

About George Town

The Historic City of George Town is located in the State of Penang in peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the components of the serial property Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2008 under criteria (ii), (iii) and (iv).

Melaka and George Town have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century. The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.

In 2009 and 2011, two State of Conservation reports were presented to the World Heritage Committee, highlighting issues in relation to the protection and management of the property. Thanks to the proactive efforts by the State Party with strong commitments from the local governments, the issues were resolved by 2013, when the World Heritage Committee noted with satisfaction the measures taken to address previous requests to mitigate the threats on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and no further reporting was required (Decision 37 COM 7B.103).

From port city to World Heritage site: case study of George Town

George Town was founded in 1786 as a free port to serve British interest in South-East Asia. The establishment of the port made George Town a centre for global trading, attracting foreign merchants, largely from China, India and Arab countries. As a result, George Town developed a multi-ethnic society that still exists today. This diversity is reflected in the architecture of the city, as well as its rich intangible cultural heritage.

Today, the different cultural and religious communities that inhabit George Town continue to live in harmonious coexistence through the understanding of multicultural traditions that have been passed down through generations despite cultural and ethnic differences. The local communities have a very strong sense of ownership of their cultural identity, acting as safekeepers and guardians of this unique heritage.

Like many port cities, the historical development of George Town has been closely linked to global events. For instance, air raids during World War II destroyed many historic buildings in the enclave. The independence of Malaya in 1957 and the formation of Federation of Malaysia in 1963 have had a significant impact on the political, economic and social activities in George Town. In particular, the revocation of the free trade port status in 1969 and the relocation of major port activities to Seberang Perai, in mainland Penang, led to high unemployment rates. The economic crisis was addressed through the establishment of the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone at the south-eastern end of Penang Island in 1972, and the transformation of George Town from an industrial, productive city into a service-oriented economy.^[1]

The economic and political developments were accompanied by new legal frameworks, affecting the conservation of the historic city. For instance, the Control of Rent Act of 1966 aimed to address the shortage of housing during the Post-War period by regulating the rental market, specifically of buildings built before February 1948. The enforcement of this legislative framework led to the increase of population in the historic centre. The Act was repealed by 31 December 1999 as affordable housing was developed at satellite cities with the expansion of the city, leading to changes in the demographics and activities in the historic town.

World Heritage site management framework

The different communities that inhabit George Town are the main safekeepers and guardians of its heritage. Through the continuation of traditional businesses, traditions and activities, the local communities and community associations ensure that George Town is preserved not only in its physical form, but also in its rich social and cultural aspects. The government has supported these activities since the 1990s, as it contributes to the unique multiculturalism of Penang, and increases its attractiveness as a heritage city.

At the same time, different regional, national and international institutional actors are active in George Town. Their actions are realised on site through local organisations, including:

• George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI), established in 2010 by the Penang State Government as the main management body for the Historic City of George Town. The mission of GTWHI is to mobilise local stakeholders, in particular the local community, to spearhead efforts in safeguarding the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the World Heritage site.
• The Department of Heritage Conservation at the City Council of Penang Island was established to execute the statutory heritage-related matters.
• George Town Conservation & Development Corporation (GTCDC) was created by the Penang State Government, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and Think City, a fully owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional. The mission of GTCDC is to complete landscape and restoration interventions in public spaces and buildings in the historic areas.

Other institutional partners such as the Department of PLANMalaysia Penang, the National Heritage Department of Malaysia, Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO, UNESCO, UN-Habitat, the Advisory Bodies, UNESCO Category II centres, local and international universities and NGOs are also present.

The different partners have worked together to preserve the OUV of the property, carrying out the urban conservation and regeneration process following an evidence-based approach. The George Town Special Area Plan (SAP) was gazetted in 2016 as the Conservation Management Plan for the World Heritage site in George Town. This document is the main statutory reference in the planning and conservation of the historic city and contains management strategies and action plans to protect its OUV. The document also details the economic and social aspects of town planning, as well as guidelines on protecting urban heritage attributes.

Conservation initiatives

George Town conservation activities often involve partnership of government and community actors. Examples of these initiatives include:

• The rehabilitation of public spaces such as the Armenian Park, China Street Ghaut, and Lebuh Light. The design of the landscape interventions, developed by Think City with funding by the City Council of Penang Island, was based on historic photographs and documentation with a particular focus on community uses and habitability.
• Conservation and restoration works at Fort Cornwallis, which involved archaeological excavations by the Universiti Sains Malaysia Global Archaeological Research Centre, and the restoration of the former storerooms.
• Conservation and restoration of Category I heritage buildings by the local community, such as the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi clan house at Cannon Square, Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi clan house at Lebuh Armenian, Tua Pek Kong Temple on King Street, Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce at Lebuh Light, and many more.
• Restauration of private dwellings: community members received free consultations from GTWHI, before they submitted their applications to the City Council. The applications are reviewed by a Technical Review Panel before being granted application approval.

This wide range of initiatives is possible thanks to a combination of public and private funding and community participation. Many projects were publicly funded by the federal government, the State Government of Penang and the local council. For instance, in 2009, Think City launched the George Town Grants Programme, which disbursed 240 grants worth MYR 16 million (approximately US$4 million) in special projects related to improving the public realm, conservation, capacity building and content development. GTWHI, through its Heritage Habitat Seeds Fund, provided MYR 3 million (approximately US$710,000) for the restoration of Category II shophouses, in collaboration with the tenants and building owners. Additionally, local residents and business owners have carried out conservation and adaptive reuse interventions in historical buildings. Many restoration interventions in private dwellings are funded by residents themselves. Local businesses often sponsor cultural events and festivals, with community members volunteering on their preparation and execution. 

Results

As a result, the economic and social dynamics in George Town have centred on culture-related and service industries, especially following its World Heritage listing. The increasing tourism within the site has brought in new dynamics and economic growth. New businesses such as hotels, cafés, restaurants and services businesses have bloomed, contributing to the rise of users and daytime population in the historic city. Family businesses, which form an important part of the economic network of suppliers and buyers, especially in the wholesale market, have survived due to the perseverance of local families and their capacity to adapt to new market demands. Many of these businesses have operated from the same shophouses or heritage buildings for generations, adding another layer to the rich urban heritage of George Town.

Some new challenges and opportunities have emerged in this context. For instance, the increasing dependence on tourism threatens the long-term balance of the historic areas of George Town. Gentrification has historically been an issue that must continue to be addressed.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, George Town was put under its hardest test, with a drop in tourism arrivals due to travel restrictions. Although the impact of the pandemic on tourism was devastating, the town also witnessed the resiliency demonstrated by some of the long-standing business operators in the city, who have adapted to the New Normal by advancing into the digital world in promoting and selling their products.

Sources: Mr Hamdan Majeed, Executive Director, Think City, 2021; Dr Ang Ming Chee, General Manager, George Town World Heritage Incorporated, 2021. 

^[1]For more information, see Long Zhao, Wun Bin Wong, Zulkifli Bin Hanafi, The evolution of George Town's urban morphology in the Straits of Malacca, late 18th century-early 21st century, Frontiers of Architectural Research, Volume 8, Issue 4, 2019, Pages 513-534.

To learn more

• Connect with the City Council of Penang Island, George Town World Heritage Incorporated, or George Town Conservation and Development Corporation (GTCDC) on Facebook.
• Read the press release Regeneration of Penang's George Town World Heritage Site, published by the Aga Khan Development Network.
• Read about the George Town Heritage Celebrations, a yearly festival where local communities come together to celebrate and showcase their own cultural practices, performances, food and crafts.
• Visit the website of project partners George Town World Heritage Incorporated, Think City, Penang Island City Council, Penang State Government, and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

• Lim, Y., Khoo, S. and Ch’ng, K., 2020. Residents’ perspectives towards conservation in George Town World Heritage City: A post-UNESCO listing scenario. Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis, 6(2), pp.161-180.
• Chan, J., Lean, H. and Qi, X., 2017. Transition of economic structure and demography: The case of tourism gentrification in George Town, Penang. In: International Society for the Study of Chinese Overseas Conference.
• Zhao, L., Wong, W. and Hanafi, Z., 2019. The evolution of George Town's urban morphology in the Straits of Malacca, late 18th century-early 21st century. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 8(4), pp.513-534.

• Six Heritage Cities from Asia, Pacific and Africa Gather in Penang to Exchange Knowledge about Strengthening Resilience Against Disaster Risks.
• Striving toward Sustainable Tourism at the World Heritage sites in Southeast Asia. 
• Celebrating community and heritage through the George Town Heritage Celebrations (Malaysia).
• Supporting Community-Based Management and Sustainable Tourism at World Heritage Sites in Southeast Asia.

Note: The cases shared in this platform address heritage protection practices in World Heritage sites and beyond. Items being showcased in this website do not entail any type of recognition or inclusion in the World Heritage list or any of its thematic programmes. The practices shared are not assessed in any way by the World Heritage Centre or presented here as model practices nor do they represent complete solutions to heritage management problems. The views expressed by experts and site managers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Heritage Centre. The practices and views shared here are included as a way to provide insights and expand the dialogue on heritage conservation with a view to further urban heritage management practice in general.