Francis Light the Founder of George Town, Now a UNESCO World Heritage City

RRI.CO.ID, George Town - An English officer named Francis Light established a small settlement in Penang in 1786. Now, more than two centuries later, that settlement has grown into George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Malaysia's second-largest economic center.

He rented the island from the local ruler, Sultan Kedah, and turned it into a trading post on the strategic shipping route of the Strait of Malacca. That step became the precursor to the entry of British influence into Southeast Asia.

His idea was not accepted, Light had offered a similar concept a dozen years earlier, but it was rejected.

Only after the political situation in Europe changed did his proposal receive the green light from the British authorities.

The establishment of this colony was not without tension. Light had promised military assistance to Kedah, but when it was needed, the assistance never arrived, prompting the Sultan to attempt to reclaim his island.

Despite being marked by conflict, the settlement built by Light actually thrived and attracted immigrants from various nations from the beginning. He led the region until his death in 1794.

From that starting point, George Town was born and continues to grow. This city is now home to 2.84 million people and is known worldwide as a trading hub and a culinary paradise in Southeast Asia.