Kampong Siam is an ethnic Siamese enclave within the downtown core of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located within the city centre, the 2,681 m2 (0.662-acre) neighbourhood is situated near the corner between Burmah Road and Burmah Lane, immediately adjacent to Wat Chaiyamangkalaram.[1][2]
Kampung Siam | |
|---|---|
 Wat Chaiyamangkalaram is the most prominent landmark within Kampong Siam. | |
.svg)  Kampung Siam | |
| Coordinates: 5°25′52.1862″N 100°18′46.944″E / 5.431162833°N 100.31304000°E | |
| Country |  Malaysia |
| State |  Penang |
| City |  George Town |
| Government | |
| • Local government | Penang Island City Council |
| • Mayor of Penang Island | Rajendran P. Anthony |
| • Pulau Tikus State Assemblyman | Joshua Woo Sze Zeng (DAP) |
| • Bukit Bendera Member of Parliament | Syerleena Abdul Rashid (DAP) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | Not observed |
| Postal code | 10250 |
| Website | mbpp |
The neighbourhood is still inhabited by ethnic Siamese, who had moved into the area as early as the 19th century.[2] However, the enclave has also, in recent years, been under threat from rapid urbanisation and redevelopment.[3][4]
History
editThe first Siamese settlers were believed to have arrived at Pulau Tikus in the early 19th century.[2] According to a census conducted in 1828, as many as 1,117 ethnic Siamese were residing within Kampung Siam.[5] In 1845, the land where Kampung Siam now stands was granted by the British authorities to the ethnic Siamese as a gesture of goodwill to Siam.[1][2] The four female Siamese trustees who became custodians of the land also built Wat Chaiyamangkalaram next to the village.
More recently, Kampung Siam's residents have been embroiled in a tussle over land rights, as the neighbourhood is earmarked for the construction of a hotel.[1][3][4] Although the land was held in trust, it was sold without the trust holders' knowledge to a developer in 2014.[6] When the residents were issued eviction notices, a lawsuit was filed in retaliation against the developer. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2015, leading to fears that the Siamese enclave will be bulldozed to make way for redevelopment.[3][4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "myPenang". mypenang.gov.my. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
- ^ a b c d Khoo, Su Nin (2007). Streets of George Town, Penang. Penang: Areca Books. ISBN 9789839886009.
- ^ a b c "Kampung Siam residents in a state of limbo". www.thesundaily.my. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
- ^ a b c "Penang Siamese village to go, making way for urbanisation - Metro News | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
- ^ "myPenang". mypenang.gov.my. Retrieved 2018-07-19.
- ^ "Uncertain future for Kampung Siam". www.thesundaily.my. Retrieved 2018-07-19.