Pulau Pinang and Its Malay Beginnings
By Professor Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Murad Merican
February 2025 COVER STORY
THE ORIGINAL COMMUNITY in Pulau Pinang was indigenous or Malay-Muslim, similar to the case in any state or region on the Malay Peninsula. This fact isintegral to the geographical, historical and social character of the Malay Archipelago, and acts as a reminder about the twists and turns of historical narratives, of vested interests, and of the assumptions and prejudices involved.Challenging Colonial NarrativesThis is not an essay written by a historian. Let me begin with what we expect to hear—that Pulau...
Professor Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Murad Merican
holds a doctorate in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Malaya. His areas of interests include Media and Journalism Studies, Social and Intellectual History with a particular interest on Knowledge Production, and the Kedah-Penang narrative. He has written/edited some 26 books and is a columnist for national media and periodicals.
