No one can doubt that Penang is going through a very dynamic period today. It is evident in how the cityscape and the street life are changing, and in how vibrant the economy and the art scene have become.
Much has been happening, and even the popular state government cannot claim that it has full charge over how the island or the city of George Town is changing – or claim full credit for it. For one, its political control is not complete – far from it. The federal power apparatus, which is not exactly a friendly power, exercises great influence over Penang’s affairs.
For another, its economy is not a complex one. It is two-legged, running on tourism on one side and its industrial free trade zones on the other. Needless to say, both of these are heavily dependent on external forces.
In times of great change, such as the present, there is always much to fear and much to hope for at the same time. Some will emphasise the positives and others the negatives. But what one should ask is this: why does the state have these two areas of growth, which have been sustaining Penang for four decades now, in the first place?
