Penang Malays today forms the second biggest ethnic group in Penang. In the latest statistics of 2011, as reported by the Department of Statistics (The Star, 4 August 2011), there are 636,136 Malays in Penang in 2011. This is a decline of 18,164 from the figure released for 2009, which is 654,300.

The Malays became the majority ethnic group in Penang in 2009, for the first time in recent history, when they surpassed the Chinese. However, the latest figures for 2010 shows that the Chinese is once again the majority in Penang, accouting for 670,400 of Penang's 1.5 million population, and 2.2% more than the Malays for 2010.

The Malay population in Penang has over the past decade narrowed the gap with the Chinese. A variety of reasons contribute to the growing percentage of Malays in Penang compared to the Chinese, among them the fewer number of children per Chinese family, the lower marriage age of Malay couples compared to Chinese couples, the reluctance of Chinese couples to have more children, the migration of Malays from the less developed states to Penang, the migration of Chinese from Penang to other cities such as Kuala Lumpur, as well as to overseas destinations such as Singapore and Australia, and non-pure-breed Malays such as Indian Muslims and Indonesians often passing themselves as Malays.


Masjid Haji Kassim (15 December 2008)


Despite being the majority of the Penang population today, the Malays have a mean income that is substantially lower than the Chinese, a fact that has not escaped many Malay politicians. Apart from a small minority who are able to get government contracts, the majority of the Malays are in the lower income group.

The Malays in Penang trace their roots to different groups who arrived before and after Francis Light established Penang. Even before George Town was founded, there were already Malay (and Chinese) villages in different parts of Penang, including Batu Uban and Bayan Lepas.

Masjid Jamek Batu UbanMasjid Jamek Batu Uban (22 September 2009)

Descendants of Penang Malays

The Penang Malays trace their roots various sources. The majority are descended from the Kingdom of Kedah, which ruled Penang Island before the arrival of the British. They established riverine and estuarine villages as fishermen. They lived along the estuaries of rivers such as Sungai Pinang.

Apart from the fishermen, there is a second group of Kedah Malays who migrated to Penang in the last two hundred and fifty years. They include those who were banished from Kedah for having a fall-out with the sultan as well as those who fled Kedah in the 19th century, along with the sultan, when the state was conquered by Siamese.


Date palms, Masjid Jamek Jalan Hatin (9 December 2008)


The Kedah Malays contributed to the Malay dialect used in Penang, which has close similarities with the Malay spoken in the state. Kedah Malays are however not the only Muslims in Penang who now claim themselves to be Penang Malays. There are substantial numbers of Muslims from different part of Sumatra, particularly Acheh, who moved to Penang before and after the arrival of Francis Light. They include those who settled in Batu Uban, establishing the Batu Uban Jamek Mosque, in the mid 18th century, and those who arrived from Acheh with their leader, Syed Hussain Al-Aidid, who established the Acheen Street Mosque, also called the Malay Mosque.

A third group comprises Indian Muslims from south India, particularly the Coromandel Coast (the stretch of coast from present-day Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu) and Malabar Coast (in present-day northern Kerala). They were the predominant community in places such as Chulia Street, Kampung Malabar, Hutton Lane, Transfer Road and Penang Road, from the founding of Penang Island until around the third quarter of the 19th century.

Intermarriage between the various Muslim ethnic groups have blurred the purity of each group, but for obvious economic and political reasons, have today regarded themselves as Bumiputra.

Private Guided Tours of Penang

If you are seeking private guided tours of Penang, message Penang Tour Guides at penangtourguides@gmail.com and enquire with them.

 Buy, rent or sell properties in Penang

Do you have a property for sale or to rent out? Are you looking to buy or rent a property? Get in touch with me. WhatsApp me (Timothy Tye) at 012 429 9844, and I will assign one of my property agents to serve you. I will choose the agent for you, according to your property needs. So when you message me, provide me some details of what you need, whether to sell, to buy, to rent or to rent out, and what type of property, is it condo, apartment, house, shop, office or land.

Adakah anda mempunyai hartanah untuk dijual atau disewakan? Adakah anda ingin membeli atau menyewa hartanah? Hubungi saya. WhatsApp saya (Timothy Tye) di 012 429 9844, dan saya akan menugaskan salah seorang ejen hartanah saya untuk berkhidmat kepada anda. Saya akan pilih ejen untuk anda, mengikut keperluan hartanah anda. Oleh itu, apabila anda menghantar mesej kepada saya, berikan saya beberapa butiran tentang apa yang anda perlukan, sama ada untuk menjual, untuk membeli, untuk disewakan atau untuk disewakan, dan jenis hartanah apakah itu kondo, pangsapuri, rumah, kedai, pejabat atau tanah.

您有待出售或出租的房产吗? 您想购买或租赁房产吗? 与我联系。 WhatsApp 我 (Timothy Tye) 012 429 9844,我将指派一名房地产经纪人为您服务。 我会根据您的房产需求,为您选择代理。 因此,当您给我发消息时,请向我提供一些您需要的详细信息,无论是出售、购买、出租还是出租,以及房产类型,是公寓、公寓、房屋、商店、办公室还是土地。

 New Properties in Penang

Looking to buy property in Penang? Get the e-brochures right here without having to visit or contact individual developers.

  1. Anggun Residences E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  2. Aston Acacia E-Brochure, Bukit Mertajam
  3. Beacon Executive Suites E-Brochure, George Town
  4. Beverly Heights @ Bukit Gambir E-Brochure, Gelugor
  5. BM Highland E-Brochure, Bukit Mertajam
  6. Cypress Villa E-Brochure, Sungai Ara
  7. D'Zone Condominium E-Brochure, Teluk Kumbar
  8. Elements Garden E-Brochure, Butterworth
  9. Ferringhi Residence 2 E-Brochure, Batu Ferringhi
  10. GEM Residences E-Brochure, Prai
  11. Golden Triangle 2 E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  12. Grace Residence E-Brochure, Jelutong
  13. Granito @ Permai E-Brochure, Tanjong Bungah
  14. Green City Residence E-Brochure, Jelutong
  15. Havana Beach Residences E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  16. Imperial Residences E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  17. Imperial Grande E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  18. Lucerne Residence E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  19. Mezzo @ The Light City E-Brochure, Gelugor
  20. Middleton E-Brochure, Gelugor
  21. Orchard Villa 3 E-Brochure, Simpang Ampat
  22. Primero Heights E-Brochure, Permatang Pauh
  23. Queens Waterfront Q2 E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  24. Royale Heights @ Tambun Royale City E-Brochure, Simpang Ampat
  25. Royale Infinity @ Tambun Royale City E-Brochure, Simpang Ampat
  26. Rubica @ Harbour Place E-Brochure, Butterworth
  27. Sensasi Commercial Suites E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  28. Setia Sky Ville E-Brochure, Jelutong
  29. Setia Sky Vista E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  30. Setia V Residence E-Brochure, Gurney Drive
  31. Sinaran Residence E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  32. Sky @ TriPark E-Brochure, Bukit Mertajam
  33. Skyridge Garden E-Brochure, Tanjong Tokong
  34. Starhill Luxury Residences E-Brochure, Gelugor
  35. Straits Residences E-Brochure, Tanjong Tokong
  36. Taman Nuri Emas E-Brochure, Nibong Tebal
  37. The Light Collection IV E-Brochure, Gelugor
  38. The Loft @ Southbay E-Brochure, Batu Maung
  39. The Terraces Condominium E-Brochure, Bukit Jambul
  40. Trehaus Condo Villas E-Brochure, Bukit Jambul
  41. Triuni Residences E-Brochure, Batu Uban
  42. Urban Suites E-Brochure, Tanjong Tokong
  43. Valencia Residence E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  44. Vertu Resort E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  45. Vivo Executive Apartment E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  46. Viluxe E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  47. Waterside Residence E-Brochure, Gelugor

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Disclaimer

Please use the information on this page as guidance only. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.

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About this website



Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.
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