Penang WW1 German Naval War, 1914

World War I saw a surprise naval attack on 28 October 1914 when the German cruiser SMS Emden attacked and sank Allied warships off the harbor of Penang, among them the Zhemchug. This incident aside, the war had relatively little affect on Penang. On the Esplanade there is war memorial commemorating the soldiers who fell in the war.

This may be the story long ago, but it was the only incident happen in WW1, when Penang people were still living peacefully under the Strait Settlement. May be the first taste of war, and it was a naval war, suddenly from outside. May be a great awakening of the global event, that had affect the peace of betel nut island....

You no longer can lived in the island, isolated from the world affairs; the message was clear when come to WW2.... when German come again to built a submarine base in Penang. Not only Japanese, also German from Europe....

They called it Battle Of Penang 1914. Shortly after the outbreak of the war, the German East Asia Squadron left its base in Tsingtao, China. The squadron headed east for Germany, but one ship, the light cruiser SMS Emden—under Lt. Commander Karl von Müller—was sent on a solitary raiding mission.

The following is the story of the WW1 incident happen in Penang 1914:

On October 28, 1914 - exactly 70 years ago today - most of the people of Penang were still deep in slumber just before dawn when the German raider Emden stole into the Penang harbour and sank the Russian cruiser Zhemchug in the North Channel. As it was leaving Penang, the Emden also sent the French torpedo boat, Mosquet, to the bottom of the sea, 10 miles off Muka Head on the northwest of Penang Island.

At the outbreak of the First World War, a lone German sea-raider inflicted untold damage on Britain’s war effort in the Indian Ocean. The ship was the 3,650-ton German cruiser Emden. In three months she captured or sank 23 merchant ships, attacked ports and harbours, destroyed a radio station and enticed 80 enemy warships into searching for her.

The Emden’s odyssey began on the morning of August 14 1914 when she left an anchorage among the Mariana Islands in the Pacific.

She was off to do battle, alone. Her orders were to penetrate deep into enemy waters and to seek and destroy British merchant shipping.

She was to hunt and be hunted and to fight a war 10,000 miles from the German homeland, which few among her crew ever expected to see again.

How much longer could the Emden maintain her stealthy role? Daily the hunt for her was intensified. Captain Karl Von Muller knew time was running out.

He decided on another strike, which proved to be the most audacious of all. He had already boldly attacked one enemy port, Madras, when no foreign vessel had dared to challenge British rule on the Indian mainland for a hundred years.

Now he would hit another - but this time a fortified naval base. The risks would be enormous but so, too, would be the prize of a successful raid. The new target was Penang.

The attack was made just before dawn on October 28. The Emden had her fourth ‘dummy’ funnel up and a pilot boat at the bottleneck leading into the harbour paid no attention to her.

Just before entering the harbour. Captain von Muller reduced speed and looked around. Even in the greyness the shore lights stood out.
On the port side were four particularly bright lights, evenly spaced, that at first seemed to belong to houses.

Flames
But as the earliest rays of dawn appeared, the lights separated and disclosed the large funnels and superstructure of a capital Russian warship, the cruiser Zhemchug. Captain von Muller moved toward the unsuspecting enemy.

The battle flags were run up the masts, revealing her true identity and she turned to bring the port torpedo tube to bear on the Russian cruiser.

At 500 yards, the captain and the torpedo officer could see a steam pinnace drawing away from the Russian ship.

It was only the cookboat, taking the cooks and petty officers to the early morning market to buy fresh supplies.

The Emden swiftly moved her torpedo tube into the precise position required. Then, at 300 yards, still without a stir from the cruiser, Torpedo Officer Witthoeft pulled the release handle. ‘Torpedo away!’

On deck the men strained in the gathering light and could see the tell-tale streak of bubbles. The enemy was not more than 250 yards away.

Now there was stirring aboard the Zhemchug, movement on the bridge and on the decks, but it was too late.

There was a muffled explosion below the waterline, and the Zhemchug seemed to leap out of the water, a large splash appearing against her hull just below the second funnel. Then she fell back and began to settle.

When the torpedo splash was seen from the Emden her crew began to cheer, but this was drowned out by the noise of the Emden’s guns, which opened up on the Russian cruiser, aiming at her forecastle where the men were sleeping.

Flames could be seen aboard the Russian ship. She was deep in the water, and the Emden’s shells were tearing into her.

Captain von Muller decided another torpedo was needed to finish the Russian off quickly. He put the Emden into a turn to port to fire the starboard tube.
In these few moments of manoeuvre the Zhemchug’s crew, or some of them, managed to get to action stations and shells began to whistle across the Emden.

Then came the second torpedo. It exploded with a sharp crack, striking home below the surface at a point beneath the bridge and penetrated the cruiser’s torpedo storage.

There was a second explosion and the centre of the ship rose high. She broke into two pieces and splashed back into the water. Immediately, thick smoke belched out accompanied by flickering tongues of flame. There was a sizzling and hissing sound in the water and a cloud spread around and above the Russian cruiser. Suddenly Captain von Muller saw a fast approaching ship from the mount of the harbour, trailing a dense cloud of black smoke of the kind that is associated with fast torpedo boats.

Pilot Vessel
He turned the ship hard aport and headed for this new enemy at maximum speed. At 6,000 yards Gunnery Officer Gaede opened fire on her.

The boat turned and showed herself to be a Government pilot vessel, quite harmless to the cruiser. She had suffered only one hit in the funnel, and that had not disabled her.

The interruption had, however, caused the Emden to run so far out of the harbour that it was foolhardy now to turn back and resume the attack on the ships there.
The battle flags were hauled down as the Emden moved past the entrance buoy, and soon the men were released from battle stations.

Not one man aboard the Emden had been wounded. But the Penang episode was not yet over. Moving away from the scene of her triumph the Emden made a fresh sighting. That was not a merchantman but a French destroyer.

Less than 5,000 yards from the enemy the Emden raised her battle flags. As the ships closed the Emden’s gunners began shooting.

The enemy let loose two torpedoes and turned, presenting her beam as a target. The torpedoes passed harmlessly astern, and the Emden began to fire.

After two salvos the Emden’s gunners found the range, and the third sent the French tricolour drooping. One shell must have landed in the boiler room because white clouds of steam rose high above the ship.

The French continued to fire and a machinegun sprayed bullets above the Emden. After the 10th salvo Captain van Muller ordered his gunnery officer to cease fire. The enemy ship was badly holed. Would she surrender? But no white flag showed.

Two more salvos were fired. The firing aboard the French ship ceased, and she began to sink.

But still she refused to surrender.

The Emden resumed firing, but after the 20th salvo the captain again ordered a halt. The destroyer was down by the bows. Then her stern rose for a moment, and the entire ship disappeared.

The Emden moved in. Two cutters were put over the side, and in one of them the Emden’s medical officer, Dr. Schwabe, carried bandages and medicines to treat survivors swimming in the sea.

In all, 36 seamen and one officer were rescued and brought back to the Emden. From them the captain learned that he had sunk the 2,000 ton French destroyer Mosquet.
Cornered

The Emden’s enemies hunted her for three months in the eastern Indian Ocean. At last on November 9 1914 she was cornered.

The German raider’s nemesis was the Australian cruiser, Sydney, which was bigger, faster and fired bigger shells at a longer range than those of the Emden.

Ten minutes after the battle began, the Sydney’s gunners found their target. They then began to cut the little German cruiser to pieces.

The Emden ran aground on the south coast of the Cocos Keeling Island. The engines were stopped, then started again, and she was firmly fixed on the reef.
Captain von Muller’s tactics was to ram his helpless ship into the reefs in shallow water to ensure that the wreck would be irretrievable.

At least this would be better than being sunk at sea or captured as a prize.
On the same day, the following ticker- tape message was sent out to newspapers around the world:

‘The Emden destroyed. Official. The Press Bureau issued the following statement at 12.39pm. The Emden has been driven ashore at Cocos Keeling Island and burnt.’

(This article was originally published in 2 parts in the March 1985 & June 1985 editions of the Naval Historical Review)

Karl Friedrich Max von Müller

Karl Friedrich Max von Müller (June 16, 1873 – March 11, 1923) was Captain of the famous German commerce raider, the light cruiser SMS Emden during World War I.

The son of a Prussian Army Colonel, he was born in Hanover. After attending gymnasium at Hanover and Kiel, he entered the military academy at Plön in Schleswig-Holstein, but transferred to the Imperial Navy, on Easter 1891. He served on the schoolship Stosch, then on the 'cruiser-frigate' Gneisenau on a voyage to the Americas. He then became signal lieutenant of battleship Baden in October 1894, and later, on her sister ship the Sachsen.

Von Müller was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See, and posted to the gunboat Schwalbe. During the Schwalbe's deployment to German East Africa, he caught malaria which troubled him for the remainder of his life. After returning to Germany in 1900, he served ashore before becoming second gunnery officer of the battleship SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II. An appointment to the staff of Admiral Prince Heinrich of Prussia proved to be his "big break". After receiving high praise and ratings from his superiors, he was promoted to the rank of Korvettenkapitän in December 1908, and assigned to the Reichs-Marine-Amt in Berlin where he impressed Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz.

As a reward, von Müller was given command of the SMS Emden in the Spring of 1913. Soon he achieved fame and notoriety in both the German and other imperial powers' newspapers for initiative and skill in shelling rebellious forts along the Yangtze at Nanjing (or Nanking). He was awarded the Order of the Royal Crown Third Class with Swords.

At the outbreak of World War I, Emden was anchored in the German base at Tsingtao. She departed in the evening of July 31, 1914. On August 4, she intercepted and captured the Russian mail steamer Rjäsan, the first prize taken by the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) of the Great War. Emden then rendezvoused with the German East Asia Squadron of Admiral-Graf (Count) Maximilian von Spee in the Mariana Islands.

It was during a conference at the island of Pagan that Müller proposed a single light cruiser of the squadron be detached to raid Allied commerce in the Indian Ocean, while the remainder of von Spee's Squadron continued east across the Pacific. Kapitän von Müller and Emden were given the assignment.

In the following 12 weeks the Emden and Müller achieved a reputation for daring and chivalry unequalled by any other German ship or Captain. Müller was highly scrupulous about trying to avoid inflicting non-combatant and civilian casualties. While taking fourteen prizes, the only merchant sailors killed by the Emden's guns were five victims of a shore bombardment of British oil tanks at the port of Madras, India, despite the precautions Müller had taken so the line of fire would miss civilian areas of the city. Emden also sank the Russian cruiser Zhemchug and the French destroyer Mousquet during a daring raid on Penang, Malaya. Thirty-six French survivors from Mousquet were rescued by the Emden, and when three died of their injuries, they were buried at sea with full honours. The remaining Frenchmen were transferred to a British steamer, Newburn, which had been stopped by the German ship, but not attacked, so as to enable them to be transported to Sabang, Sumatra, in the neutral Dutch East Indies.

When the Emden sent a landing party ashore to destroy a radio station at Port Refuge in the Keeling Islands on November 8, 1914, she was finally cornered by the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney, and was defeated by its longer range guns. Müller, with the rest of his surviving crew, was captured and taken to Malta. A detachment of the crew which had gone ashore was missed, and escaped to Germany under the leadership of Emden's first officer Hellmuth von Mücke. On October 8, 1916, two days after the German resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, Müller was separated from the rest of the Emden crew prisoners and taken to England where he was interned at a prisoner of war camp for German officers located at the Midlands Agricultural and Dairy College (now the Sutton Bonington Campus of the University of Nottingham). In 1917 he led an escape of 21 prisoners through an underground tunnel, but was recaptured. The climate of England disagreed with his malaria, and he was eventually sent to the Netherlands for treatment as part of a humanitarian prisoner exchange. In October 1918 he was repatriated to Germany.

After some controversy, Müller was awarded the Pour le Mérite (or Blue Max) and finally promoted to Kapitän zur See. In early 1919, he retired from the Navy on grounds of ill health, and settled in Blankenburg. He politely refused to write a book detailing his service and exploits. He was elected to the state parliament of Brunswick (Braunschweig) on an anti-class platform as a member of the German National Party. He died there quite suddenly, most likely weakened by frequent malarial bouts, on March 11, 1923.

An army barrack at Emden was named after him, as Karl von Muller barrack. The bronz plaque with Emden's Coat of Arms.

(source: wikipedia)

German cruiser SMS Emden





SMS Emden was a light cruiser of the Imperial German Navy in World War I. The Emden raided Allied shipping in the Indian Ocean early in the war, sinking or capturing thirty Allied merchant vessels and warships before being run aground by her captain to prevent her from sinking, after engaging the more powerful HMAS Sydney at the Battle of Cocos.

The Emden was launched at Danzig on 26 May 1908 and was commissioned into the Kaiserliche Marine on 10 July 1909. She was named after the German city of Emden, which sponsored the warship. Armed with ten 4.1 inch (105 mm) guns, she was the last German cruiser to use reciprocating engines. Emden's sister ship Dresden and all following cruisers were equipped with steam turbines. As with most ships of the time, Emden's twelve boilers were heated by burning coal.

On 1 April 1910, the Emden officially entered the fleet and was assigned to the East Asian Station at Tsingtao in Germany's Chinese Kiautschou colony. Emden left Kiel on 12 April 1910, transited Kiel Canal, and entered the open sea. She was never to see German home waters again. At Tsingtao she acquired the nickname "Swan of the East" because of her graceful lines.

Russian cruiser Zhemchug
Zhemchung (Russian: Жемчуг) was the second vessel in a two-vessel Izmurud-class cruiser protected cruisers built for the Imperial Russian Navy. Her name can be translated to mean “Pearl”. Zhemchung was ordered as part of the Imperial Russian Navy’s plan to expand the Russian Pacific Fleet based at Port Arthur and Vladivostok to counter the growing threat posed by the Imperial Japanese Navy towards Russian hegemony in Manchuria and Korea. For the Russian cruiser, wikipedia has also a good article on the ship.Zhemchug was formally commissioned on August 29, 1904 and she was assigned to the Second Pacific Squadron of the Russian Pacific Fleet.She tok part in Battle of Tsushima from May 27-28, 1905 during Russo-Japanese War.She took severe damage in the battle, but managed to escape to Manila, a neutral port and was interned until the end of the war. At the start of World War I, Zhemchung was part of the Allied (British-French-Japanese) joint task force pursuing the German East Asia Squadron under Admiral Maximilian von Spee, and operated in the Bay of Bengal together with the Imperial Japanese Navy cruiser Chikuma. On October 28, 1914 she was moored at Penang, when attacked by the German light cruiser Emden in what was later called the Battle of Penang.

Zhemchung arrived in Penang on October 26 1914 for repairs and to clean her boilers. Against the advice of Admiral Martyn Jerram, commander-in-chief of the Allied Fleet, Commander Cherkassov had given most of his crew shore leave, and left the ship with all torpedoes disarmed, and all shells locked away save for 12 rounds stowed on deck. Commander Cherkassov was at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel in Georgetown with a lady friend. The remaining crew were having a party on board rather than keeping watch. Emden arrived at Penang disguised as a British steamer, and opened fire on Zhemchung at point-blank range with a torpedo and her main batteries. The torpedo hit near the aft funnel, blowing off the fantail of the cruiser and destroying the aft guns. To their credit, Zhemchung’s crew managed to load and return fire with the front guns, but missed the German raider and struck a merchant ship in the harbor instead. Emden’s second torpedo then struck Zhemchung at the conning tower, breaking the ship in two. The explosion killed 89 crewmen, and wounded 143 others and the ship quickly sank.

A court-martal held in Vladivostok found Commander Cherkassov guilty of gross negligence and sentenced him to 3.5 years in prison. His executive officer Lieutenant Kulibin, was sentenced to 18 months. The sentences were later commuted to 18 months by Tsar Nicholas II, but both officers were stripped of their rank, decorations and status as members of the Russian nobility. The bodies of 82 crewmen were buried in Penang Western Road cemetery; seven bodies were never recovered. The ship’s 5-inch guns were salvaged by the Russian cruiser Oleg in December 1914.

The only visible evidence of the Battle of Penang incident today is a granite monument which says “To the officer and men of the Russian navy cruiser “Zhemchug” – Their Grateful Motherland” at Penang Western Road Cemetery. A large ship’s anchor next to the plaque with the names of the Russian military personnel. The epitaph to honour the fallen soldiers are in Russian and English.

In Pulau Jerejak, Penang, there is a grave marker to two soldiers from the Russian ship Zemschug who were killed when the German ship Emden sneaked into Penang Harbour in 1914 and attacked.

French destroyer Mousquet
French destroyer Mousquet was returning to the Penang harbour from a patrol. She was under the command of a Lt. Théroinne. The French destroyer Mousquet then trailed Emden under the mistaken notion that the German cruiser was a British warship in pursuit of an enemy vessel. Once both ships were out in open sea, Emden turned her heavy guns on Mousquet and sank her, off Muka Head. Mousquet’s two sister ships, Pistolet and Fronde, tried to follow Emden but lost her during the pursuit.

Lt. Théroinne was amongst the Frenchmen lost aboard the Mousquet. Thirty-six French survivors out of a crew of 80 from the destroyer were picked up by the Emden, three of whom later died from their injuries.They were buried at sea at the insistence of von Müller. Two days later, the Germans stopped the British steamer Newburn and transferred the remaining Frenchmen so that they could be conveyed to Sabang, Sumatra, then part of the neutral Dutch East Indies. Note: Sabang is a city consisting of several islands in Aceh, Indonesia. The metropolitan area is located on Weh Island, 17 km north of Banda Aceh.

The anchor of the warship is today, still on display in the forecourt of the Penang Museum

War Memorial Monument and Cenotaph - The Battle of Penang

Not too far from The Esplanade lies a monument that stands by the sea at the intersection of Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah and Jalan Padang Kota Lama in the heart of George Town, Penang. The gated stone monument is the War Memorial, erected to commemorate the brave soldiers who sacrificed themselves in The Battle of Penang during World War I.

Recommended articles
1. Russian cruiser Zhemchug; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_cruiser_Zhemchug
2. SMS Emden (1908); http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Emden_%281908%29
3. Battle of Penang, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Penang
4. Russian heroes in Battle of Penang,by Tiberius Kerk dated May 5, 2011 http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/05/05/russian-heroes-in-battle-of-penang/
5. Mousquet (M16) [+1914],http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?105954
6. The last gentleman-of-war: the raider exploits of the cruiser Emden, by R. K. Lochner, Naval Institute Press, 2002.
7. Weh Island, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weh_Island

Penang Trishaws

Penang Trishaws(檳城三轮车)

PENANG, July 7 (Bernama) -- George Town's second anniversary celebration to mark its declaration as Unesco World Heritage Site, on Wednesday kicked off with a procession of 50 decorated trishaws in the city. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng joined in the procession which began at the Penang Municipal Council heritage building at 9am, and ended at the Yap Kongsi building in Armenian Street about 1pm.

Trishaws(人力三轮车)/Pedicab

The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport; it is also known by a variety of other names such as pedicab, bikecab, cyclo, becak,bicycle rickshaws or trishaw or, simply, rickshaw which also refers to auto rickshaws, and the, now uncommon, rickshaws pulled by a person on foot. Cycle rickshaws are human-powered, a type of tricycle designed to carry passengers in addition to the driver. It is a human-powered vehicle for hire, usually with one or two seats for carrying passengers in addition to the driver. it is normally a three-wheeled vehicle propelled by human power.

Trishaws are widely used for transportation in many parts of Asia, especially in Penang.

Trishaws are designed differently at different places of the world. In South Asia, the passenger seat is mounted behind the driver's, while in Indonesia the driver sits behind the passenger seat. In the Philippines, the seats are usually mounted side-by-side. Cycle rickshaws are also used in some European cities, such as Soho and Covent Garden in London, New York, Munich, which are normally motor powered, where they are most often found near tourist attractions.

Penang Trishaws service is one of the best ways of seeing Penang, moving around the heritage city of Georgetown. Nowaday, it is part of must do list for tourist in Penang.

In 1997 a new pedicab design was created in Berlin, Germany. It is a modern and newly designed pedicab (CityCruiser) with a 500-watt electric assist motor. Although these electric-assist pedicabs were engineered in Germany they are manufactured in the Czech Republic and some clones are now also produced in China. The Chinese clone can be purchased for about three thousand US dollars; the German original is around six thousand US dollars. The Chinese vehicles have over 200 parts and require daily maintenance in order to stay in use but the original will with regular checks require a once a month tune up, in line with most quality western pedicabs. The batteries last about 4 hours with a full charge. As with a few recumbent and semi-recumbent designs, some drivers may suffer with knee and joint pain due to the weight of the vehicle (145 kg).

In many major cities, bicycle rickshaws or pedicabs are popular alternatives to taxi cabs and mass public transportation. I see it in New York(Central Park), San Diego(Harbor area), Munich etc

Trishaws/Beca in Penang(檳城人力三轮车)

In Malaysia ,there are two types of trishaw, the one in Penang is the type with the cycle at the back of passenger carriage. The passenger seat carriage is in front, and the cyclist or trashawman’ seat with the cycle at the back. The cycle will push the carriage forward. In other part of Malaya and some countries in Asia, the cycle is at the side of the passenger carriage, the passenger seat carriage will move together with the cycle, as the trishaw man cycled along.

In Penang, the cycle rickshaw is called Trishaws(三轮车). The local Hockkien Chinese call it lang-chhia(人车), may be a short form of human power tricycle vehicle(人力三轮车), taking the first word “human or lang”( 人) and the last word “ vehicle or chiaa”( 车) , forming the two words, lang-chiaa(人车). The local Malay also called in “Beca”, a Malay word actually derived from Hockkien dialet which means “be-chia” or horse cart. Be (马)is Chinese word for horse, and chia(车)is Chinese word for cart, vehicle or car.The trishaw man is called lang-chiaa-pek() and cycling the trishaw is ta-lang-chiaa.

Penang trishaw are human powered or pedal powered, but the local council is gradually introducing motor powered trishaws. There are about 200 trishaws in Penang, which are scattered around Georgetown area, especially tourist areas. . It ferries tourists through narrow lanes, offering them a closer view of the neighbourhood in an unhurried manner. The nostalgic feeling sitting on top of the three wheeled beca does indeed an unforgettable experience. Besides the novelty of traveling in this open-fronted three wheeled vehicle, trishaw allows visitor the opportunity of visit the sights at a more leisurely pace and stopping at any point to snap picture or to buy souvenir.

The earlier version of rickshaw, which was pulled by runners; you can now found it in Penang museum. But you happen to visit Nara, Japan, you will able to see a rickshaw, similar to the one used in early Penang.



The History of Trishaw in Penang (1880-Now)

The earlier version of trishaw was rickshaw pulled by a runner, the passenger carriage seat was mounted at the back, the runner will use his leg power to pull the carriage. The rickshaw was invented in Japan in 1869. The rickshaw was introduced to Singapore in 1880, last from 1880 to 1940.

The safety bicycle, the bicycle we know it today,with two wheels of equal size, arrived at Malaya in 1890s. It was called "Kereta Angin", which literally means air vehicle; but the Chineses called it kha-chiaa(脚车), which literally means vehicle or car of the legs.

The first car was introduced in 1903, in 1906 the Municipal Commission it took over the tram service and started the electric tram service in Georgetown. A tram or tramcar in English, referred to as streetcar or trolley car in North American,is a rail vehicle which—at least in parts of its route—runs on tracks in streets.

On 9th September 1912, The Malay Daily Chronicle contained an article headed "The coming of pedal rikisha". But trishaw was not introduced, rickshaw is still popular, may be the price was too high for the poor rickshaw puller; may be they need to learn new skill of cycling..... whatever the reason, the pedal power is here to stay.

In 1920, trolley buses were introduced in Georgetown, it is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires (generally suspended from roadside posts) using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit. This development of public transport posed a stiff competition to the rickshaw pullers.

1922, it was reported "Its streets are well-paved and electric lighted. It has tram- cars, buses, rickshaws and motor cars"(source: The Christian advocate: Volume 97, 1922)

In 1927, a Penang newspaper plead for the abolition of rickshaw traffic,arguing that riding rickshaws conflict with the European notion of human dignity(Source: South China Morning Post,30th April 1927). At the end of 1930s, the man-drawn rickshaw was still the popular means of transport for short distance, particularly in the city. The cycling which, by the 1930s, on cheap Japanese bicycles, was already immensely popular with Malayan youth.

1936- The new rickshaw that resembles an old fashioned buggy mounted on a tricycle, was introduced to Penang, Strait Settlement in 1936. It was introduced by the Municipal Commissioner, an initial fleet of 50 rickshaws. (source: Popular Mechanics Oct 1936, Pg 539). The cycle rickshaw is something new, one advantage was the operator rides too. It was the same type of trishaw Penang is using today. In 1938, The licensing of bicycles and tricycles is in force and was further regulated.

Before the war, trishaws were regarded as a novelty in Malaya, but they became a major form of transport during the Japanese Occupation. The current type of trishaw become popular in Penang around the period 1941. In Penang there were about 100 trishaws registered at the beginning of 1942, and around 2500 one year later in 1943,and out number the rickshaws.

From 1947, after the introduction of trishaws during the war, the association used the name Trishaw Peddlers Association and had a membership of over 1,000.

In 1950, the statistic at the time revealed 2,000 trishaws, and the number of the trishaws was maintained at the figure for some time, and no more new license issued.

The Straits Times, 25 August 1950, Page 7 reported with a photo of motor trishaw, and a Singapore motor firm has applied for permission to sell the Czech motor trishaw for $1,825. It was tested in Orchard Road, Singapore on 24/8/1950. The motor trishaw however was not well accepted in the market, may be it was too expensive at the time.

In 1954,4th of June, the proudest moment in the history of the trishaw riders. A total of 500 trishaws from Penang ride for a donation campaign for the Nanyang Univeristy in Singapore(为南大义踏). They collected substantial sum for the university.

Initially the trishaw was the basic transport for local people, especially for woman, children and elderly people. It was also a common phenomenon for woman working in entertainment sector taking trishaw to work. It was one of the attractive scenes for the young man during the time, looking at beautiful woman sitting in the trishaw passing by. Some rich baba family considered riding the trishaw was for bad woman, good woman will not ride the trishaw. The bicycles was the king of the road at that time.

In 1958, Boon Siew noticed the popularity of the Honda Super Cub motorbike which had been just introduced in Japan. He believed that this low-cost, high-efficiency machine would find a similarly receptive market in the rapidly urbanizing areas of Malaysia. The first Malaysian Honda showroom was set up on Pitt Street in Penang, very near the home of Boon Siew. As a sign of their deepening bond of trust and respect, the Japanese Honda Motor Co Ltd soon appointed Boon Siew the sole distributor for Honda motorbikes in the country just as the historic first 50 units of Honda 4-stroke cub were being imported into Malaysia. The Honda Cub became the best selling motorcycle in Malaysia, as it was cheaper than the American and British motorbikes.

The introduction of Honda Cup motorcycle by Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew, change the transport mode of Penang. The so called Honda Cup is picking up fast in the island. The trishaws were facing the real challenge of the days, with the easy installments payment of the hire purchase, soon Honda bikes are everywhere in the street.

In 1964, when the City Council was controlled by Socialist Front, a meeting was held between the association, trishaw owners, and trishaw riders, to discuss the possibility of issuance of new license. The meeting resolved that new license can be issued to create employment opportunity for the local people. In 1964, there were 2,125 trishaws.

Penang has five bus companies which operate from three different terminals. ... 1. Lim Seng Bus Co. Ltd. Terminal at Prangin Road, operate from Georgetown to Air Itam, along Dato Kramat Road 2. Hin Company The other terminal is at Prangin Road(now Jl. Dr. Lim Chwee Leong). Terminal Blue buses (Hin Bus Co.) operate from Georgetown, passing Pulau Tikus. and along the northern beaches to Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang 3. Penang Yellow Bus Company , terminal at Prangin Road, operate from Georgetown to Balik Pulau, passing Jelutong, Glugor 4.Sri Negara bus 5. City Council MPPP buses leave from the Leboh Victoria Terminal one street from the ferry terminal and go to various city destinations. The public buses posed a real threat to the trishaw service sector. The trishaw was forced to retreat to smaller market segment, and operate their service only in the city.

Then come the Vietnam War (from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975) in the 70s, which give trishaws riders some relief, as the GI having the R&R in Penang. R & R, or ‘rest and recreation’, gave soldiers serving in Vietnam a brief respite from the war. United States servicemen on a twelve-month tour of duty were given seven days R & R outside Vietnam. In the early part of the war they could spend this time in one of several Asian cities or Hawaii. From 1 July 1969 onwards, one of the popular destination was Penang. The GI were visiting bars and tourist areas with the bar girls. There were demand for trishaw transport to tourist destination, especially out of city. Their arrival become the new income source for the trishaw service sector in the island. The trishaw man were also acting as tourist guide, and begin to pick up some English to cater for the change. That was the time the trishaw riders saw the potential of trishaws in the tourist industry. Many of them have good time, and some hardworking one was able to save and own a new trishaw themselves.

In 1969, it increased to 2,562 trishaws. This was mainly due to good income received from GI visiting for R&R. Not all trishaws are owned by the riders, some of the riders rent the trishaws from the trishaws owners. The riders need to pay their rental daily. In 1969, it was reported that of 2,562 trishaws, only 446 trishaws are owned by the riders, the remaining 2,098 trishaws are owned by 49 owners in the state. From 1964 to 1969, there is only increase of about 400 trishaws. The local council considered that the number of the trishaws has reached the saturation point. There after the issuance of trishaw license was suspended.

When the Vietnam War was over in 1975, the trishaw was now restricted for sending school children from rich family to their schools or sending amahs or housewives to the morning markets. Then passenger cars and buses become common transport mode, cheaper Japanese cars like Toyota , Datsun, and later Honda cars are in the city……. The trishaws seems to know the swan song is coming….Some local residents began to complain that the trishaw caused congestion and it is an accident hazard s in the roads.

In the late 70s, 80s; Penang was going through industrialization, factories were opened up. In 1987,there are 1700 registered tricycle rickshaw (trishaw) pedallers. Penang people were now having better standard of living, children are going to schools, become better educated. Some of the young people found employment in factory, there were near full employment. Trishaw riders found succession problems. The riders that remained are now old and elderly……until today.

In 2001, 7th September, another trishaw ride donation campaign to collect fund for New Era College Malaysia(新纪元学院)，200 trishaw riders from Penang ride for the campaign.

The number of trishaw and license holders between 2005-2009 are:

2005- 619 trishaws; 101 rider license holders
2006-246 trishaws; 210 rider license holders
2007-105 trishaws; 65 rider license holders
2008-230 trishaws; 180 rider license holders
2009-225 trishaws; 175 rider license holders
(source: http://www.mppp.gov.my/187)

The trishaws sector now has passed its prime; and are facing the competition with taxi, bus, and private car ownership. It is now facing declining stage of their life cycle. It no longer considered as the basic transport mode for Penang people. Gone are the days when the local nyonya woman riding the trishaw to the wet market , temples or to the clinic. It is no longer the choice for public transport. It slowly becomes a mode of transportation merely for tourists. Now only the local Council and state government can ensure the survival of the trishaws in Penang.

You need to apply for Lesen Pengayuh Beca from MPPP to be a trishaw rider, with a fee RM24 and RM2, the initial outlay is low to start the service.

Penang Trishaw Riders' Association(槟城三轮车工友联合会).

Penang Trishaw Riders Assn. No. 276, Macallum Street Ghaut, 10300 Pulau Pinang

Beca riders/traishawman peddlers/ (三轮车夫)

The puller of the rickshaw in the pre wars days were called Rickshaw coolie, they are the runner who will pull the carriage by running on the road. The Chinese called them Lang-chia-pek(人力车夫). They are also called beca rider, or traishaw rider. The locals however popularly called them trishaw man.

In the old days Penang, there were many romance stories of trishaw man with their passenger, some even end up married. May be that is why some Nyonya from the rich family will tell you the story that good nyonya girls should not take the trishaw alone, otherwise people will think negative on you.

The trishaw peddlers are not only provide public transport in the street of the city of Penang. They are now act also as a tourist guide for their passengers. They are equipped with the latest information of the tourist sights along the tourism routes that they took. Some of these riders can speak good English and some foreign languages, which is helpful to the tourists.

The state government is now taking initiative to motorize the trishaws in Penang, which will make cycling easier for the peddlers.

The Future of Penang Trishaw riders

The state government is rebranding the trishaw service as tourism products, especially for the heritage city, where the trishaw is the most suitable transport to move in the narrow streets of the heritage city.

The critical success factor of the trishaw service in rebranding as tourism product is the succession factor; as the current peddlers are normally people of advance age, the succession issue become critical, the profession was not able to attract new blood to the industry. Without proactive planning by the state, the industry may be facing a natural death.

Trishaws is part and parcel of the living heritage of Georgetown, it should continue to remain as living heritage, not only for tourism, but also cultural heritage for the future generation.

So, while some trishaws are still around, seek them out and take a ride down memory lane......lang-chiaa, anyone....

Suggested articles/websites

1. Don’t let Trishaw Riders ruins Penang image; http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/03kfff/Article/
2. Insurance Coverage for trishaw riders, fares; http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/new-straits-times/mi_8016/is_20070119/insurance-coverage-trishaw-riders-fares/ai_n44353229/
3.http://www.mppp.gov.my/187
4. My R & R in Penang, by Lt Col Hank Brandli USAF Ret, Melbourne, Fl.;http://libertyyes.homestead.com/hankbrandli9.html(An interesting story on the author's R&R in Penang)
5. Penang trams, trolleybuses & railways: municipal transport history, 1880s-1963(2006), by Ric Francis, Colin Ganley, Areca Books, 2006
6. Rickshaw coolie: a people's history of Singapore, 1880-1940(2003), by James Francis Warren, NUS Press, 2003
7. Reluctant heroes: rickshaw pullers in Hong Kong and Canton, 1874-1954
By Chi Ming Fung, Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland(2005),Hong Kong University Press, 2005

Election warm up talk still on communal line

MCA President Dr Chua Soi Lek has warned the Chinese community that their support for the opposition may cause no Chinese representation in the ruling government. Dr Chua had criticized the SUPP for still accepting government positions in the Sarawak after the latter was badly thrashed in the recent elections.

Why MCA did not ask Gerakan to avoid cabinet seat; I still remember the President of Gerakan said the same thing during the Political Tsunami of last election, if I still can remember.

MCA is now using communal politic tactic to start its election campaign. Some community viewed the warning as a threat to Chinese community. MCA by using racial tone in salvaging their political strength is a desperate move , and may be this will be their last strike, they will possibly followed the steps of SUPP, Gerakan and SNAP.

The two party system is going to stay, despite MCA has the fear that it will become the scenario of Malay dominated ruling party and Chinese dominated opposition party. Malaysian know the scenario will be unhealthy, if Malaysian still thinking of political maturity of pre- merdeka or early independence days of 50s, 60s, 70s, or even 80s, where communal parties was the norm of the days. But the days are long gone, Malaysian are going for multiracial political parties, not parties based on race line.

If there is no Chinese representative in the cabinet, so what? even with representative in the cabinet, the interest of the community was also not protected. What is the use of having racial representative. It is time to throw away the parties based on race, to follow the call for " One Malaysia" Concept as started by the Prime Minister. The first step is to think Malaysian, not Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan or Iban.

Racial politic will not have market for the future generation and the young voters; they are more educated, and more access to information. They are having the common issues, regardless of race, religion, and education background.

What is "race baiting"? It is the term used in as a synonym for "playing the race card" in American politics to refer to situations where one politician accuses another of being a racist. Race baiting is any form of speech, actions, or other forms of communication, to anger, intimidate or incite a person or race of other people or in simplicity, the making of verbal attacks against members of a racial group.

The party that accused that the other parties are using "race baiting" tactic; but they are now using proxies, thinking that most Malaysian are blind to their tactic.If it is in the opposite direction, some of the proxies will have been under ISA detention. Why the impartiality?....it is clear that it depend on which direction you are in. If you are in the right direction, you can talk anything you like, without any action taken by authority. The picture is very clear.

I was surprise when the Chinese premier come visit Malaysia, he also call for support of "One Malaysia", despite the disrespect of small country to welcome in wrong writing in the welcome banner. I remember historical event of the late Prime Minister Tun Razak's visit to China in 1974, which paved way for the establishment of Malaysia-China ties. On 31st of May 1974, Malaysia was the first Southeast Asian state to effect official ties with China But the most important was that Tun Razak dissolve Parliament on his return to Malaysia after his China visit. General elections 1974 were held in Malaysia between 24 August and 14 September 1974, alongside state elections in all states except Sabah. The result was a victory for Barisan Nasional (formerly the Alliance Party), which won 135 of the 154 seats. I was thinking that the same tactic will be repeated to make use of Premier Wen Jiabao's visit for coming election to gain votes from Chinese community.



China's Premier Wen Jiabao visited Malaysia on April 27 & 28. His high profile visit to Malaysia was marred by an embarrassing banner at a welcoming ceremony. The Chinese text on the banner contained several grammar and syntax errors. The said banner was prominently displayed at a podium near the Prime Minister's Department in the federal administrative capital for the official welcoming ceremony Premier Wen Jiabao, the Prime Minister of a country with 2nd highest GDP. The sentence in Malay was: "Istiadat Sambutan Rasmi Sempena Lawatan Rasmi TYT Wen Jiabao Ke Malaysia" (Official welcoming ceremony in conjunction with official visit of His Excellency Wen Jiabao to Malaysia). Literally translated, the Chinese words read: "Official welcoming ceremony, with him Wen Jiabao His Excellency's official visit Malaysia". the translation was done by Google Translate, instead of consulting an official language interpreter. It was a shameful day for all Malaysian....

I do not know whether the ruling party will make use of Premier Wen Jiabao's visit as the strategic tool for the coming federal and state election. Otherwise the opposition will have a good time making use of the issue to ridiculous the efficiency of the current government. The tactic will backfire.....

What the Chinese community, especially urbane Chinese's concern is the national issues; no longer the communal issues. the corruption, the government governance, the efficiency, the fairness, the protection of their rights, the quality of education, transparency etc.... If the ruling parties are still thinking that they can use communal issues as a base to attract back the votes of Chinese community, they are wrong.

If you put non-Chinese in Chinese constituency, if the candidates are fighting for the same national issues that appealed to the community, they will still votes for him, regardless of their racial background. One fine example is the Kapal Singh in Chinese dominated constituency.

MCA President Dr Chua Soi Lek's statement will backfire, giving a slap on the One Malaysian campaign, talking about the issue going against One Malaysia Concept, how can you threatening the Chinese community, using communal line. The voters will not buy it, surely......he will see the swan song of either his Presidency or his party.....

It seems that he can see his future very clearly....

1Malaysia stresses national unity and ethnic tolerance. The 2010 values of 1Malaysia as articulated by Najib Razak are perseverance, a culture of excellence, acceptance, loyalty, education, humility, integrity, and meritocracy.

Lately there are so many politicians, talking on racial line; I am wondering why the One Malaysia Concept did not make us talk more like Malaysian......is it facing failure to even convince their own politician?....

The country can no longer move forward based on communal line; otherwise it has no future, when globally people are looking less at their skin and religion differences when cyber technology are maturing to borderless society, where nationalism may become less sensitive to the younger generation, the Y generation.

Why?......they will ask.....and cast their votes....

Suggested articles/website:

1. 1 Malaysia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1Malaysia
2. Banner boo-boo during Wen Jiabao's visit to Malaysia, http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20110429-276272.html
3. PM expresses regret over Chinese banner translation error; http://www.mmail.com.my/content/70972-pm-expresses-regret-over-chinese-banner-translation-error
4. Najib following in dad's footsteps; http://www.malaysianbar.org.my
/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=23712
5. DAP wants to be a monopoly, says Chua,http://www.mca.org.my/en/dap-wants-to-be-a-monopoly-says-chua/
6. PAS rejects Najib's invite, says fully committed with PR, http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/40101-pas-rejects-najibs-invite-says-fully-committed-with-pr

Rangoon Road

Rangoon Road(仰光路)


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Rangoon Road is located between Burma Road and Macalister Road. It is located within the triangular grid , bordering by Penang Road(檳榔律), Burma Road, Anson Road(安順路)and Macalister Road. In within the grid are roads running parallel to each others. The roads are Macalister Lane(姓王公司後 Sen-ông-kong-si-aū), Kinta Lane(近打冷巷), Madras Lane(油较路), Jahudi Road(爪夷路, now Jalan Zainal Abidin,再纳阿比汀路), Lorong Selamat(平安巷), Rangoon Road(仰光路) and Aboo Sittee Lane(三星巷, 三牲巷).

It is known as yang-gon-lor(仰光路) by local Chinese, having similar meaning as its English name.

Rangoon Road or Jalan Rangoon, is named after the former capital of Burma. Rangoon( now is known as Yangon), it is literally means "End of Strife", it is a former capital of Burma (Myanmar) and the capital of Yangon Region (formerly Yangon Division). Colonial Yangon, with its spacious parks and lakes and mix of modern buildings and traditional wooden architecture, was known as "the garden city of the East." By the early 20th century, Yangon had public services and infrastructure on par with London. Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial centre. Rangoon Road is the off road of Burma Road, road named after the country; and there are also many road names in George Town named after towns or places in Myanmar. Many of them, like Rangoon Road, are side road/off road of Burma Road.

In the old days, when Burma and Penang were under British, there was ferry service between the two cities. There are still barter trade between the two places today.

Penang DAP or DEMOCRATIC ACTION PARTY(槟州民主行动党)Head Office will be located at Rangoon Road, just behind the former Super Supermarket building. It is time the state DAP have their own building.

May be next time, the street will become Jalan DAP.....



Suggested articles/websites:

1. DAP(DEMOCRATIC ACTION PARTY (MALAYSIA); http://dapmalaysia.org/newenglish/
2. DAP Penang, http://dappg.org/

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

Macalister Lane

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Macalister Lane, or Lorong Macalister, is the first road in a series of side roads between the two main roads of Penang Road and Anson Road. It is within the grid of rectangular area bordered by Penang Road, Burma Road, Anson Road and Macalister Road. It was the first road that run parallel with the Penang Road, between Burma Road and Macalister Road. Like Macalister Road(It was also called Jalan Bahru, literally in Malay means New Road), Macalister Lane was named after Colonel Norman MacAlister, Governor of Penang (1807–1810).

Colonel Norman Macalister, who was a native of Scotland, was Lieutenant-Governor of Prince of Wales Isle (Penang) from 1808 to 1810. The present brick structure of Fort Cornwallis in Penang, was built by convict labour in 1810 during his term as Governor of Penang. He was lost at sea, in the South China Seas, while on the ship "Ocean" traveling back to Scotland (August 1810). Macalister Road and Macalister Lane in Penang are named after him. Macalister Road was originally known as Jalan Bahru or New Road, it may have changed after the death of Colonel Norman Macalister in 1810. Macalister Lane was probably built and named after 1810, prior to that it may be an area behind Ser-ong-kong-si or Ong clan house.

There is a side road connected Macalister Lane to Penang Road, the road is called Lorong Bertam.Bertam is reported to be named after a village in Kepala Batas, Kampong Bertam. The two row of houses are all painted with blue color, a blue lane indeed...

The Chinese called it Ser-ong-kong-si-au(姓王公司後), which literally means “Behind the Ong clan house”. A clan is a group which consists of families that are related to each other, clan house(会馆)is a common institution or meeting place for oversea Chinese in British Malaya, especially Strait Settlement of Singapore, Penang and Malacca. It is a social organization. Normally the family clan houses are either surname related or ancestral village related. Local Penang Hockkian called clan house, “kongsi”( 公司) or Hui-kuan(会馆). Kongsi means “sharing” in Malay, but it is today means company, a commercial enterprise. Kongsi is more meaningfully described the clan house in British Malaya, as it is a place the oversea Chinese who gather together, and shared their stories and living. Some kongsi had hostel facilities for the new comers, and provide medical treatment for the poor. Some call it ancestral temple(宗祠). Penang is the place with many Chinese clan houses, a city of clan houses. Many of these clan houses are now heritage. The earliest clan house in Penang is PERSATUAN KAR YIN FEE KON P. PINANG(檳城嘉應會館), 22, 1st Floor King Street, 10200 Penang; established in 1801. Ong clan house is for people with the surname of Ong(王氏). Ong clan house (王氏宗祠), the local Hockkien called it “Ser-ong-kongsi”(姓王公司). It is located at Penang Road, just directly opposite KOMTAR building in Penang. Macalister Lane is located behind Ong Kongsi.


Persatuan San Kiang Pulau Pinang(槟城三江公会)
Persatuan San Kiang Pulau Pinang(三江公會),槟榔屿三江公所was formed in 1897, it was the earliest San Kiang Association in South East Asia. It is now located at No. 109, Macalister Lane, 10400 Penang. San Kiang Clan house was initially established mainly for the Shanghainese(上海人). But today the clan house is not restricted to Shanghainese, it is opened to all people from San Kiang.

What is San Kiang, which in Chinese it means three rivers(三江), but in China there is no such place or iver called San Kiang or San jiang. Where is the place? It is believed that the term “Sam Kiang” first appeared in 1868 (Emperor Tongzhi’s 7th year). Chinese overseas in Japan established a Sam Kiang ancestral hall in the Xing Fu Temple at Nagaski and later formed a Hezhong Sam Kiang office.
San kiang or San jiang, can be defined in broad sense or narrow definition. In narrow definition, it is the name for three provinces, namely Zhejiang(浙江), Jiangsu( 江蘇)and Jiangxi(江西). It is also called Small San Jiang(“小三江”) . In broad definition, it is the region within the three river basins of Yangtze River(長江)、Yellow River(黃河)、and The Amur(or Heilong) River. The broad definition is also called Big San Jiang(“大三江”). For Nanyang(南洋)Chinese, or oversea Chinese, San Kiang in Hokkian means the third region, other than the two main provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi or the two Guangs which included Hainan(兩廣, 包括海南), and Fujian(福建).

That means if you are Chinese, and your ancestral home is not from Guangdong(粵), Guangxi(桂), Fujian(閩), or Hainan( 琼), you are belong to the group called San Kiang(三江), and you are allowed to join Persatuan San Kiang Pulau Pinang(三江公會).

Chee Cheong Fun at Macalister Lane

Today, Macalister Lane is today famous for the street food, Chee Cheong Fun, the stall is located outside Seow Fong Lye Coffee Shop.

Recommended articles/websites:
1. Norman Macalister, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Macalister
2. Macalisters in Britain's Colonial Past, by Robert M. McAllister, http://www.clanmcalister.org/cma-penang.html
3.Macalister Road, Penang , my ealier blog dated 27th Feb 2010, http://teochiewkia2010.blogspot.com/2010/02/macalister-road-penang.html

Adolf Hitler & Malaysian Politic

Recently our Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng was being criticized on his Easter Message. The following was the full message:

Easter Message 2011

In this holy Easter celebration to mark the crucification of Jesus Christ and the Lord Jesus resurrection, is also an occasion to to renew Christians’ vows of faith in truth, hope and love.

Christians regardless of skin colour have prayed for peace and prosperity. Christians have also prayed for wisdom and compassion in our leaders. Most important of all Christians pray for truth to guide Malaysians in our daily affairs.
All religions celebrate these common values of truth, unity in diversity, freedom of choice and peace. We must seek truth from facts and not allow sentiments to be ruled by blind emotion.

To all Christians, I wish you a very happy and blessed Easter.

If we are to be one united nation, we must learn to share, we must believe in equality and equal opportunity. We must believe in justice.

Stop the characterization of the Holy Scriptures by the Home Ministry as threats to national security and public order. Stop restrictions on the right of Christians to use any language to worship. Stop the stamping of Malay bibles which is an act of dishonouring the Holy bible.

We need to change. Change for the better. To change is difficult but not to change is fatal. We need a change of mindset of treating every Malaysian as facing common problems and aspirations. We must celebrate our differences and our diversity.
We should move away from the mindtrap of fear based on hate, racism, extremism. We should not be taught to fear diversity. We should not be brainwashed with Hitlerian ideas that one is superior to another merely because of the colour of our skin.
We must have the courage to change.

Malaysians are ready to embrace change; change for the better. Malaysians no longer want to live under a situation where freedom is curtailed, human rights infringed, and abuse of power, corruption and mismanagement are rampant.
In the recent Sarawak state election, Sarawakians have decided that enough is enough. Sarawakians want good governance, end to corruption, empowered by democracy, equal opportunity and justice for all.

Just as Easter signifies a renewal of life, Faith, hope and love can drive home a victory against ignorance, fear and oppression.

Let us fill our hearts with faith, hope and love by discarding those with racial prejudices and hatred or who preach the language of violence and division. Then only can we realise the ideals and aspirations in the Malaysian Constitution of forging one nation.

(source: http://limguaneng.com/index.php/2011/04/24/easter-message-2011/)

As I looked at his message, word by word, I have found no wrong in his message.

Statement of Change to accept Differences and Diversity

The only wrong or mistake, if any, is his mention of "Hitlerian ideas - that one is superior to another merely because of the colour of our skin". That was the wrong highlighted by the blog and Utusan Malaysia.

"We need to change. Change for the better. To change is difficult but not to change is fatal. We need a change of mindset of treating every Malaysian as facing common problems and aspirations. We must celebrate our differences and our diversity.
We should move away from the mindtrap of fear based on hate, racism, extremism. We should not be taught to fear diversity. We should not be brainwashed with Hitlerian ideas that one is superior to another merely because of the colour of our skin.
We must have the courage to change".

If we digest his message word by word, sentence by sentence, and to understand the whole passage on the message he desire to deliver, we will understand what he was talking about. The statement is clear, a message of change; after the message for change, he re-emphasized that, "We should not be taught to fear diversity. We should not be brainwashed with Hitlerian ideas that one is superior to another merely because of the colour of our skin. We must have the courage to change".

Any ordinary person will not see anything wrong with the statement. It was a fair statement. "We should move away from the mindtrap of fear based on hate, racism, extremism"; this is a criteria for a democracy, a foundation for our nation building, we should all against hate, racism and extremism in a multiracial and multi-religion county like Malaysia. It is nothing wrong, unless you do not agree with the statement.

"We should not be taught to fear diversity",this is positive message for country with diversity, Malaysia was found based on diversity, why should we fear? so anyone who taught to fear diversity, is against the spirit of "1 Malaysia" by the Prime Minister. He is against the spirit of nation founding of Malaysia. So, nothing wrong with the sentence.

The critic of his message, focused on the statement; " We should not be brainwashed with Hitlerian ideas that one is superior to another merely because of the colour of our skin". That statement touched the sensitivity of the critic. The name of Adolf Hitler was mentioned, that negative icon of Nazism during the World War 2, the bad man called Adolf Hitler. But if you delete the name of Adolf Hitler, the sentence is ;

"We should move away from the mindtrap of fear based on hate, racism, extremism. We should not be taught to fear diversity. We should not be brainwashed with ideas that one is superior to another merely because of the colour of our skin. "

That is also a fair statement, a statement of fairness promoted by all religion; he ask us to follow our religion that we should be a racist, extremist, and full of hate. No audience will go against this statement, which is positive and a call to move away from extreme. To be aware of the people who are extremist, racist, and full of hate; that is good message.....

There was no sign of race baiting. By the way the term "race baiting" is also used in as a synonym for "playing the race card" in American politics to refer to situations where one politician accuses another of being a racist. Race baiting is any form of speech, actions, or other forms of communication, to anger, intimidate or incite a person or race of other people or in simplicity, the making of verbal attacks against members of a racial group. Did you find any race baiting in Lim Guan Eng's Easter 2011 message?...

But the word "Hitlerian ideas", was treated as ugly by one of the editor of the main stream press, and blogger. Lim Guan Eng was rebuked in a pro-Umno blog Minda Intelek Melayu which accused Lim of claiming that the country adopted and practiced racial supremacy the way Nazi Germany did under Hitler in the 1940s. Utusan Malaysia highlighted it in their editorial column. That was the out cry from some politician...the political games again started, and it was a sign that federal election is coming close.....

What is Hilterian ideas in Lim Guan Eng's mind ?

We cannot speak for Lim Guan Eng, what is Hilterian ideas, as it will be a broad study on philosophy and political ideas of Adolf Hitler. But since he was talking about "Hitlerian ideas - that one is superior to another merely because of the colour of our skin". It must be related to racial issue of Adolf Hitler's ideas. Lim Guan Eng is using the word "Hilterian ideas" to describe and emphasis on the racial fairness and unity in diversity, which is a good and fair statement, and will be acceptable if the message is deliver in any country(democratic country) in the world.....

Wikipedia do have an article on Nazism and race, the extract from the article on the supremacy of Aryan race, as follow;

Nazism developed several theories concerning races. The Nazis claimed to scientifically measure a strict hierarchy among "human race"; at the top was the master race, the "Aryan race", narrowly defined by the Nazis as being identical with the Nordic race, followed by lesser races.

At the bottom of this hierarchy were "parasitic" races (of non-"Aryan" origin) or "Untermenschen" ("sub-humans"), which were perceived to be dangerous to society. In Nazi literature, the term "under man" ('Untermensch') was applied to the Slavs, especially including Russians, Serbs (from South Slavic group), and ethnic Poles.[1] Nazi ideology viewed Slavs as a racially inferior group, who were fit for enslavement, or even extermination.[2] About 2 million non-Jewish ethnic Poles were killed by Nazi Germany.[3][4] Lowest of all in the Nazi racial policy were Gypsies and Jews, who were both eventually deemed to be "Lebensunwertes Leben" ("Life unworthy of life") and to be exterminated during the Holocaust (see Raul Hilberg's description of the various phases of the Holocaust). Not to be forgotten, Hitler did have people of Jewish descent working for him. Coined as mischling (or 'Half-Jews'), they were often employed in the Wehrmacht, although they were not allowed to be soldiers after 1940. One mischling, Werner Goldberg, was even called "The Ideal German Soldier" by German newspapers.

Hitler starting as soon as he took power his program of selection of population — a real biopolitics — with the July 1933 "Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring" and the T-4 Euthanasia Program which would terminate in the Holocaust; and the Marxist line, which transformed the essentialist notion of "race" into the historical concept of class struggle.

(source: Nazism and race, wikipedia)

This article on state racism may also be helpful to understand the issue of race baiting accusation.

State racism is a concept used by French philosopher Michel Foucault to designate the reappropriation of the historical and political discourse of "race struggle", in the late seventeenth century.

It also refers to a type of institutional racism promoted by a government. Examples include Apartheid in South Africa, Jewish-Non-Jewish segregation in Israel, and racial segregation in the United States, as well as any systemic or community-based racism in local, state or federal law enforcement (see also racial profiling).
Affirmative action measures are sometimes accused of being a form of state racism, especially when they favour an ethnic majority.

Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender , or national origin"[1] into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination. The focus of such policies ranges from employment and education to public contracting and health programs

(source: wikipedia)

This was the critic and their responses:

1. Apakah patut Lim Guan Eng menuduh pihak lain menggunakan idea-idea Hitler? Apakah benar negara ini mengamalkan satu lebih unggul dari yang lain kerana warna kulit?

Kenyataan Lim Guan Eng itu ternyata berbau hasutan dan berat sebelah. Adalah tidak masuk akal apabila segala yang terbina dalam negara ini berdasarkan kepada idea-idea Hitler !!

Jika ya, tidak mungkin ada kaum lain yang lebih cemerlang daripada kaum Melayu dan Bumiputera. Tetapi perkara itu tidak pernah terjadi tetapi Lim Guan Eng berfikiran demikian!

Kenapa? Apakah Lim Guan Eng dan DAP masih terperangkap di dalam kepompong rasis dan perkauman beliau? Atau parti DAP cuba sengaja mengapi-apikan perkauman di antara rakyat negara ini?

Dan adalah kurang sopan jika Guan Eng sanggup menuduh pihak lain mengamalkan idea Hitler walau pun ianya jauh sekali daripada benar!

http://novandri.blogspot.com/2011/04/mesti-baca-dap-sangat-melampau-tuduh.html

2. Setiausaha Agung DAP, Lim Guan Eng hari ini dikecam apabila dikatakan cuba menggambarkan seolah-olah negara ini mengamalkan idea Hitler iaitu seseorang itu lebih unggul dari yang lain kerana warna kulit.

Idea berkenaan menurut blog Minda Intelek Melayu (M.i.M), dilontarkan oleh Guan Eng dalam perutusan beliau sempena sambutan Hari Easter 2011 seperti yang disiarkan menerusi laman blognya semalam.

Kenyataan Guan Eng itu, kata blog berkenaan, berbaur hasutan dan berat sebelah kerana adalah tidak masuk akal apabila segala yang terbina dalam negara ini adalah berdasarkan kepada idea-idea Hitler.

''Jika benar, tidak mungkin ada kaum lain yang lebih cemerlang daripada kaum Melayu dan Bumiputera. Perkara itu tidak pernah terjadi tetapi Guan Eng berfikiran sedemikian!," kata blog itu menerusi entri terbaru seperti yang disiarkan di http://novandri.blogspot.com, hari ini.

Now, who is race baiting?.....readers should read the original message, decided on your own. Avoid reading any articles or comments by people with political agenda.

Who is race baiting, who has politicize the simple message?....

Statement of Historical events

Another wrong highlighted by the blog was the statement:

"Stop the characterization of the Holy Scriptures by the Home Ministry as threats to national security and public order. Stop restrictions on the right of Christians to use any language to worship. Stop the stamping of Malay bibles which is an act of dishonoring the Holy bible".

I found nothing wrong with the statement, as it is the statement summarized the events that happen sometime ago. You can said it is a truth story that happen in Malaysia. The summary of events can be extracted from any daily newspaper in Malaysia of all languages. If you do not believe in Malaysian newspapers, then you can find it in all websites of reputable global newspapers. Or may be you do not believe in mass media, then you can always found it in any social media, blogs, or web articles. So, nothing wrong with it, it is a statement to summarize what actually happen. If you find this statement wrong, may be it should not be telling the truth to the people; but people of the group who have suffered from the events will still remember the events.....may be like many things that happen in the past, we should hide inside the carpets and remain silence, pretending nothing happen......
May be Lim Guan Eng is wrong to use the word "Stop", he should be more polite to say " Let us stop" or " Let us plead" or.....but he is a politician and vocal person, it is not political slogan in pre-election political rally, there is no shouting and emotional out pour like Sarawak election. I am sure he know how to respect the religious people in the church, and not shouting like political rally. In this statement, he was actually emphasis and bringing on the past events that happened, which was not good for the sensitivity of the people of the particular faith. He shared with their feeling. There is nothing wrong.

Finally it is message of Change

The core of the message is talking about change and he even mentioned "Malaysians are ready to embrace change; change for the better. Malaysians no longer want to live under a situation where freedom is curtailed, human rights infringed, and abuse of power, corruption and mismanagement are rampant", the statement I am sure is the same outcry of all Malaysian, regardless of race, religion, and political inclination. The Prime Minister also called for Change, the "One Malaysian" concept is the program of change.

A positive message, with or without Adolf Hitler

It is a message of peace,love, and hope...and a message of change for better...

Finally in conclusion, he rightly stated that "Just as Easter signifies a renewal of life, Faith, hope and love can drive home a victory against ignorance, fear and oppression". That is his message of Easter, and nothing wrong.

Anyhow, the statement was addressed to the audience in the church celebrating Easter or readers reading his message in his personal blog. It is a private event,only the audience who come into the church or visit his blog/website, will receive the message. If you feel offense by the statement, as you support the action of the government on the issue, then do not read it. It is freedom of choice and expression. If the statement is criminal or against the national law, then report it to the police or charge him in court. We are living in democratic country, there are always legal procedures for grievances.

Readers should read the comment by Lim Guan Eng himself, and understand what is in his mind; before making any judgmental statement. This blogger do not want to comment on his statement in Guan Eng: Is opposing Hitler wrong?,(http://my.news.yahoo.com/guan-eng-is-opposing-hitler-wrong-044444463.html)to remain in neutrality.Readers can decide for yourself actually what were the issue and agenda of all the fuss on Adolf Hitler.....

In the same spirit by ruling party

For reader's information, the ruling party was once using the name of Adolf Hitler to describe Lim Guan Eng sometime ago....

He(Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Senator Koh Tsu Koon) criticised Guan Eng's approach to the matter as being simplistic, saying that as an accountant, the latter should realise that many factors must be considered before a decision is taken by the government.

“Of course he (Guan Eng) can give speeches like (former Indonesian leader) Sukarno and (German dictator Adolf) Hitler, he is clever to talk. But what is the solution?” he queried.

Former PKR Bayan Baru parliamentarian Zahrain Hashim (right), who has since become independent, had earlier this year called Guan Eng a "dictator, a chauvinist and communist-minded".

(source: Gerakan: Guan Eng a 'Hitler', Kit Siang 'desperate' , by Susan Loone,
Malaysiankini, dated Sep 26, 10 , http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/143660 )

What do you think, are they using the same ugly name? Adolf Hitler must be happy that Malaysia liked his name; or may be like HIM?.....or his ideas..

It is sad, not for Adolf Hitler, as he is dead. It is sad for Malaysian politic for using tactic like Adolf Hitler in the domestic politic, in a democracy country....

Heil Hitler.....Heil Malaysia....the demon has come out of democracy....and we have the crazy politician remain in the country to play the games of Adolf Hitler.... crazy,just crazy....

Sign of coming election

Since the last election campaign, when the opposition make use of IT technology to win their support, ruling parties are now jumping into the wagon. They are now actively using cyber technology and social media. However, the ruling parties have the strategic advantages over opposition, as they have the control over the mass media. They are now doing even better, by using proxy in the social media and publicity campaign. This is the heat of pre-election campaign for coming federal election, and the ruling party have being heated up immediately after Sarawak state election. The politician are using racial sentiments, the popular tools to gain support.....I just ponder who is race baiting?.....

For general public, please use our common sense and not to fall into the traps of the political games. Cyber political games are on, Heil Hitler.....Heil Malaysia....

The games of proxies has begin.....

Related articles/websites:

1. Gerakan: Guan Eng a 'Hitler', Kit Siang 'desperate'; http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/143660
2. Easter Message 2011,http://limguaneng.com/index.php/2011/04/24/easter-message-2011/
3. Guan Eng: Is opposing Hitler wrong?, http://my.news.yahoo.com/guan-eng-is-opposing-hitler-wrong-044444463.html
4. MESTI BACA ! Heil Hitler - DAP Meroyan Tahap Malu Dek Pendedahan MiM !!, http://novandri.blogspot.com/2011/04/mesti-baca-heil-hitler-dap-meroyan.html(The blog may delete article)
5. Malaysia amal idea Hitler? Utusan Malaysia online; http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0426&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_16.htm
6. Lim Guan Eng's Remarks not based on Reality, http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=582092