"Win Win Situation" Sculpture, Muntri Street

Win Win Situation is a steel-rod sculpture erected on an off-road at Muntri Street, George Town. It is based on the drawing by cartoonist Lefty. The sculpture was erected at Muntri Street to commemorate Ngah Ibrahim, the Malay nobleman of Larut who was instrumental in the 19th century tin mining.

Win Win Situation Sculpture, Muntri Street, George Town, Penang (1 July 2012)


The opening of tin mines in Larut, through the infusion of funds by Chinese merchants in Penang, generated enormous prosperity on both sides. It made Ngah Ibrahim one of the richest Malays in the region, while the Chinese merchants also reaped enormous profits.

Although the influx of Chinese coolies into the Larut Valley caused friction among themselves, leading to the Larut Wars, the boom in tin-mining also brought modernization and improvement to public infrastructure, as well as the founding of towns such as Taiping and Kamunting. As for Ngah Ibrahim himself, all his wealth could not save him when he was implicated in the murder of JWW Birch, the first British Resident of Perak, and he was exiled to the Seychelles.

List of Steel-Rod Sculptures by Lefty, Marking George Town Sculptures and Penang Street Art