List of governors of Penang

This is the list of people who have held the highest political office in Penang and its previous entities. Penang is a state in Malaysia.

Until the 18th century, the island of Penang was part of the Sultanate of Kedah. In 1786, the island was leased by the Sultan of Kedah to an officer from the East India Company, Francis Light.[1] Light renamed the island "Prince of Wales Island." In 1790, after suffering a military defeat at the hands of Light, Sultan Abdullah formally handed over the island to the British. Light was appointed Superintendent of Prince of Wales Island.[1] From 1800 to 1805, the island was led by a Lieutenant Governor.[1]

In 1805, Prince of Wales Island became a Residency, led by a Governor.[1] In 1826, the island, along with Malacca and Singapore, were consolidated into the Straits Settlements. Thereafter, Penang was administered by a British Resident Councillor subordinate to the Governor of the Straits Settlements.

Penang was occupied by the Japanese from 1941 to 1945.[1] After the surrender of the Japanese, the British returned and briefly imposed military rule on Malaya before forming the Malayan Union in 1946. During the Malayan Union and the pre-independence Federation of Malaya period, Penang was administered by British Resident Commissioners.

Since independence, the head of state of Penang, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (also known as Governor), has been appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) on the advice of the Prime Minister.[2] The Yang di-Pertua Negeri retains only ceremonial functions, including opening and dissolving the State Assembly, conferring state awards and appointing the Chief Minister after elections.[3] The Chief Minister is the head of the executive branch of the state government.

Contents

Superintendents of Prince of Wales Island

# Superintendent Took office Left office Notes
1 Captain Francis Light 01786-08-11 11 August 1786 01794-10-21 21 October 1794
Philip Manington 01794-10-21 21 October 1794 01795-05-14 14 May 1795 Acting
2 Major Forbes Ross MacDonald 01795-05-14 14 May 1795 May 1799
John Beanland 01796-01-31 31 January 1796 01796-04-03 3 April 1796 Acting for MacDonald
George Caunter May 1799 01800-04-20 20 April 1800 Acting

Lieutenant Governors of Prince of Wales Island

# Lieutenenat Governor Took office Left office Notes
1 Sir George Alexander William Leith 01800-04-20 20 April 1800 1804
2 Sir Robert Townsend Farquhar 1804 1805

Governors of Prince of Wales Island

Governors of Prince of Wales' Island.[4]
Appointed Name Arrived Ended Notes
5 Dec. 1804 Philip Dundas. 19 Sept. 1805 8 Apr. 1807 Died in office
2 Mar. 1808 Colonel Norman Macalister. 16 Oct. 1807 Sept. 1810 Died in office.
29 Jan. 1812 William Petrie. 28 Sept. 1812 27 Oct. 1816 Died in office
18 Mar. 1817 John Alexander Bannerman. 24 Nov 1817 8 Aug. 1819 Died in office
1 Mar. 1820 William Edward Phillips. 11 Aug. 1819 Aug. 1824.
4 Feb. 1824 Robert Fullerton. 20 Aug. 1824 12 Nov. 1829 Governor of the Straits Settlements (1826–1830)

Resident Councillors of Prince of Wales Island

Portrait Name Period in office Notes
William Clubley 1825–1826
Robert Ibbetson 1826–1 May 1830

Residents & Governors of the Residency of Prince of Wales Island, Singapore and Malacca (at George Town & Singapore)

Portrait Name Period in office Notes
Robert Fullerton (Resident) 1 May 1830–12 November 1830
Robert Ibbetson (Initially Resident) 12 November 1830–7 December 1833 [5][6][7][8]
Kenneth Murchison 7 December 1833–18 November 1836
Sir Samuel George Bonham, Bt 18 November 1836–January 1843

Deputy Residents & Resident Councillors, Prince of Wales Island

Portrait Name Period in office Notes
Robert Ibbetson (Deputy Resident) 1 May 1830–12 November 1830
Kenneth Murchison (Initially Deputy Resident) 12 November 1830–7 December 1833
James William Salmond 22 September 1834–1836 [9]
Captain James Low (acting) 1838
Edmund Augustus Blundell 1849–1855

In 1851 the Straits Settlements, while still remaining a Residency, was transferred from the authority of the Governor of the Presidency of Bengal and put under direct control of the Governor-general of India. The powers previously invested in the Governor of Bengal were now vested in the Governor of the Straits Settlements.

Colonial Office, United Kingdom

Lieutenant-Governors, Penang

On 1 April 1867 the Straits Settlements were transferred from the control of the Indian Government to that of the Secretary of State for the Colonies in London (Colonial Office).

Resident Councillors, Penang

Japanese Occupation

Japanese Governors of Penang

British Military Administration

Military Governors of the Settlement of Penang

Malayan Union & Federation of Malaya

Resident Commissioners of the Settlement of Penang

Malaysia

Governors of the State of Penang

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e "History of Penang". Visit Penang. http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal3/about-penang/history.html. Retrieved 17 July 2011. 
  2. ^ "Appointment Of Persons To Important Posts". Yang di-Pertuan Agong. http://www.malaysianmonarchy.org.my/malaysianmonarchy/?q=en/appointment. Retrieved 17 July 2011. 
  3. ^ "Role". Penang State Government. http://www.penang.gov.my/index.php/portal-tyt/peranan. Retrieved 17 July 2011. 
  4. ^ Auber 1826, p. 743.
  5. ^ 1831: Ibbetson signed the British Treaty with Rumbowe, 30 November 1831 as the Resident of Singapore, Prince of Wales' Island, Malacca and its dependencies. (See Newbold, 1839)
  6. ^ 1832: Robert Ibbetson, Governor of Penang, Malacca and Singapore.
  7. ^ BOUNDARY TREATY WITH JOHORE, 15 June 1833.
  8. ^ political and statistical account of the british settlements in the straits of malacca By t.j. newbold Published by , 1839
  9. ^ The Bengal directory and annual register Published by Samuel Smith & Co., 1838
  10. ^ The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British and Foreign India, China, and Australia Published by Parbury, Allen, and Co., 1838; Item notes: n.s. 25 (January–April 1838); p. 264
  11. ^ The Western Malay States, 1850–1873: the effects of commercial development on Malay politics By Kay Kim Khoo Published by Oxford University Press, 1972; p. 90, 91, 113
  12. ^ Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society By Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland Malayan Branch Published by The Branch, 1923; Item notes: v.56–58 1983–1985; p. 119
  13. ^ The Complete Journal of Townsend Harris: First American Consul and Minister to Japan By Townsend Harris, Japan Society (New York, N.Y.), Mario Emilio Cosenza Published by Published for Japan Society, New York, by Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc., 1930; p. 48, 75
  14. ^ The British in West Sumatra (1685-1825).: A Selection of Documents, Mainly from the East India Company Records Preserved in the India Office Library, Commonwealth Relations Office, London By John Sturgus Bastin, John Bastin, India Office Library, East India Company Compiled by John Sturgus Bastin Published by University of Malaya Press, 1965; p. 178
  15. ^ JMBRAS XXXIII L. A. Mills
  16. ^ ANSON, ARCHIBALD EDWARD HARBORD About Others and Myself, London, John Murray. 1920
  17. ^ Evans, William (b 1860) Resident Councillor, Penang
  18. ^ India Office Records, 1600-1948, British Library, Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections

References