Penang Colonial Relics To Go

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31083, 11 June 1966, Page 21

Penang Colonial Relics To Go

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter— Copyright i

PENANG (North Malaya), June 8.

The State Government of Penang has decided to remove all colonial relics in the State.

The first to go is the lifesized statue of Captain Francis Light, who founded Penang in 1786. Captain Light's statue was removed from the Supreme Court grounds yesterday and taken to the Penang museum.

where it be kept as an exhibit.

The state secretary, Dato Ismail Bin Jamil, said today that the decision to remove colonial relics was taken about six months ago. He said the state government was also considering renaming some of the big towns such as George Town, the capital of Penang, and Butterworth.

Dato Ismail said: “Since Malaysia is an independent country, relics which remind us of the colonial past are no longer in keeping with present developments." Captain Light's statue was ordered from England in 1936 when Penang celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding. During the war it was removed by the Japanese and hidden away. On the re-occu-pation, the statue was re-erec-ted on the Supreme Court grounds.

Youth Hostels Busy.— Norwegian youth hostels had a record year in 1965, with 442,149 overnight visits. Foreigners accounted for 57 per cent of the visitors.— Reuter.