The seal and plaque commemorating George Town’s city status, which can be found today in City Hall, Penang.
IT IS THE MORNING OF the New Year. The face of the Victoria Memorial Clock Tower blocking the rising sun to the east shows the time to be 8.50.
Here, on the Esplanade beside Fort Cornwallis stands a specially erected platform of gold and blue. On it sit members of the new City Council, including the acting Chief Minister Inche Suleiman bin Datuk Abdul Rahman, the acting United Malays National Organisation (Umno) president Inche Sardon bin Haji Jubir and Minister of Transport Mr Ong Yoke Lin.
Honoured guests such as the Sultan of Perak and the Sultan of Pahang arrive to the band playing their respective state anthems.
Everyone is in place by the time Sir Donald MacGillivray, the last High Commissioner that the British will have in Malaya, arrives. He keeps his speech short and meaningful, and after 12 minutes calls on Resident Commissioner Mr R.P. Bingham to read Queen Elizabeth II’s letters patent elevating George Town into a city.
