Lorong Selamat(Peace Lane)

Lorong Selamat(Peace Lane)


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Lorong Selamat is located between Burma Road(车水路)and Macalister Road(中路). The Burma Road end of the road is facing Tune Hotel and The New World Park,and the other end at Macalister Road. It is one of the parallel roads with the Penang Road, between Burma Road and Macalister Road.

Lorong Selamat is the official name, and it is in Malay. The Chinese called it Pheng-an-ke(平安街) in Hokkian dialect, which means road of peace/safety, but now the local Chinese just named it Pheng-an-Siang(平安巷) in Mandarin, a direct translation from its Malay name, which literally means “Peace Lane”. Why it was call in that name, is it because it is near to Aboo Sittee Lane, the gangster area and the residents there anticipated for a peaceful residence area…..and they named it Pheng-an-ke. The meaning is the same as the official name, Lorong Selamat, Selamat is the Malay word for safety. Peace is called Aman in Malay. Is it a former Malay village or is it named after a person called Selamat?. It is also strange that there is no Chinese name for the street.

During the period, a number of Georgetown streets became centres of Muslim gangster activities. Chulia Street, Hutton Lane, Macalister Road, Dato Kramat, Malay Street, Argyll Road, Burma Road, Abu Sittee Lane, Kimberley Street, Queen Street, Campbell Street and Pinang Road all earned notorious reputation for such activities. The area from the junction of Jalan Bahru(now Macalister Road) to Anson Road and up to Kramat Road was Jalan Bahru White Flag territories.(source: Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 72, 1999, by Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Malaysian Branch)

Aboo Sittee Lane nearby, was called Samseng Hang or street of gangster by local Chinese. Why this street was called Lorong Selamat?.......

I just cannot find any clue about the road name……….

Today, it is a famous street for Penang street food(食街), especially Char Koay Teow(炒粿條). The street has become tourist must come food street.

May be in future, some enterprising Penang lang (Penang people), will capitalize the name of Peace Lane, to make it into a Peace Park, to either celebrate Silence Night annually or selling some souvenirs with peace themes. It will make Lorong Selamat , a truly Peace Lane. This street has the potential to become a theme street, as all tourist attractions and food heaven are around the area.

Selamat Datang ke Lorong Selamat

Peace from Peace Lane

平安巷, 平安....

Ba Hu Raps(Meat Floss Raps)



Suggested website/articles:
1.自創風趣順口溜推銷肉鬆‧安娣網絡人氣指數爆燈, http://www.kooky.com.my/chinese/node/3229?tid