Penang Gazettes 50 Cultural Heritage Items. Here’s What Made The List

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Penang has officially gazetted 50 cultural heritage items — ranging from historic landmarks to beloved local street foods — under the Penang State Heritage Enactment 2011, marking the first such exercise since the law was introduced 15 years ago

The gazettement includes 15 heritage sites, 28 heritage foods, and seven intangible cultural heritage elements.

Penang Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy Wong Hon Wai said the move reflects the state government's commitment to preserving Penang's historical memory, cultural identity, artistic treasures, and multicultural traditions.

"Although the enactment was passed in 2011, no official state-level cultural heritage gazettement had been carried out over the past 15 years. This year, we translated the provisions of the law into concrete action by gazetting 50 heritage items," he said in a statement.

He added that this institutional protection would help ensure Penang's cultural assets continue to be preserved and passed down to future generations.

Wong described Penang as one of the more proactive states in Malaysia when it comes to recognising and preserving cultural heritage

"The gazettement of these 50 cultural heritage items not only demonstrates the state government's proactive and pioneering role in heritage preservation, but also reflects its long-term plans to position cultural heritage as an important asset in tourism, educational research, and the creative economy," he said.

He added that heritage items gazetted at the state level may later be proposed for national recognition under the National Heritage Act 2005, while intangible cultural heritage elements could eventually be considered for UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

"This will allow Penang's cultural treasures to continue shining in both the national and international cultural landscape," he said.

Here are the 50 cultural heritage items gazetted:

Heritage Sites

1. Cherok Tok Kun Inscription Stone
2. Leng Eng Seah Association Building
3. Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce Building
4. Penang Museum Board Building
5. Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower
6. Penang Free School
7. Penang High Court
8. Fort Cornwallis
9. Guar Kepah Archaeological Site
10. Kapitan Keling Mosque
11. Acheen Street Malay Mosque
12. Sheikh Omar Tomb
13. Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi
14. Municipal Building (Penang City Hall & Town Hall)
15. St. George's Church

Heritage Foods

1. Nasi Kandar
2. Pasembor
3. Char Kue Kak
4. Oh Chien
5. Kerabu Bihun
6. Hokkien Mee
7. Prawn Mee
8. Squid Noodles
9. Mee Jawa
10. Bengali Bread
11. Mamak Fried Noodles
12. Assam Laksa
13. Char Kuey Teow
14. Cendol
15. Teh Tarik
16. Air Batu Campur (ABC)
17. Masalodeh
18. Putu Mayam
19. Muruku
20. Roti Canai
21. Tosai
22. Peneram
23. Yong Tau Fu
24. Martabak
25. Chapati
26. Kari Kapitan
27. Keema
28. Ais Kepal

Intangible Cultural Heritage

1. Nasi Kandar culture
2. Kopitiam culture
3. Thaipusam procession
4. Chingay procession
5. St. Anne's Feast celebration in Bukit Mertajam
6. Penang Tanjong dialect
7. Nillaikalakki Silambam martial art
8. Teong Guan Phor Thor festival (currently in the process of gazettement)