Malayan Railway Building

Malayan Railway Building (4 April 2010)


The Malayan Railway (GPS: 5.41565, 100.34244) is a historic building in George Town, Penang. Located on Gat Lebuh China, at the junction with Pengkalan Weld, the building was originally known as the Federated Malay States Railway Station and was later renamed the Malayan Railway Building. It is one of the most prominent heritage buildings along the Weld Quay waterfront of George Town. The Malayan Railway Building was built at the turn of the 20th century following land reclamation that extended the shoreline outward.

Before the Malayan Railway Building was built, the shoreline was somewhere between Lebuh Pantai and what is today Lebuh Victoria, depending on the tide. There would be piers going out into the sea, and steps (called ghauts) extending down into the water. The Kuan Yin Teng Temple on Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling used to enjoy an unblocked view of the sea, looking from its front court through Lebuh China.

Where Lebuh China met the shore, a ghaut led downwards into the sea, allowing for goods to be easily unloaded from boats into bullock carts and brought inland. The layout of China Street was regarded as good feng shui by the Chinese community, and it certainly helped to propel their prosperity. The late 19th century land reclamation put an end to all that.

With the land reclamation, Lebuh China was extended out. However, the extension, called Gat Lebuh China (China Street Ghaut) was not a straight line from Lebuh China. It bends to the left where George Town Dispensary is located. This change in orientation of Lebuh China means that the Kuan Im Teng no longer enjoyed the seaview.

To add further insult to injury, the British authorities built the Malayan Railway Building. Although the rationale given was that Penang was experiencing an economic boom due largely to the growth of tin ore exports necessitating an administrative building for the newly laid railway, the decision to place the Malayan Railway Building in such a spot as to block any seaview from the temple is again taken by the superstitious Chinese community as a way by the British to halt their prosperity, via disrupting their feng shui. And as if to confirm the British intention, the Malayan Railway Building was topped with a clock tower, with the clock facing the Kuan Yin Temple. This, to the chagrin of the Chinese community, was a very inauspicious sign, like the white men telling them that "their time is up".

Malayan Railway Building is on the Map of Gat Lebuh China, Penang

Related Page

Getting there

Malayan Railway Building is only about 700 feet from the Weld Quay Ferry & Bus Terminal. To get there, cross Pengkalan Weld using the pedestrian bridge, and then turn right, walk along Pengkalan Weld until you arrive at the junction of Gat Lebuh China. Malayan Railway Building is right in front of you.

You can also reach Malayan Railway Building by taking the Rapid Penang Free Shuttle Bus.

PHT site visit to the Malayan Railway Building (4 April 2010)

Our visit to the Malayan Railway Building

On 4 April, 2010, the Penang Heritage Trust organized a Site Visit to the Malayan Railway Building. As the Council Member of the Trust, I welcomed the guests into the building. A briefing was given by Dato' Anwar Faizal, the conservation architect Gwynn Jenkins as well as officers of the Customs Department.

Malayan Railway Building (4 April 2010)


View of the Malayan Railway Building from Gat Lebuh China (25 July 2012)


View of the Malayan Railway Building from Pengkalan Weld (30 January 2006)


View of the Malayan Railway Building clock tower (30 January 2006)


View of the Malayan Railway Building in the morning (20 March 2004)

List of Historic Buildings in Penang and Historic Buildings in Malaysia