The Star:
Putting higher value on George Town’s liveability
By N. Trisha
Pinang Points
Tuesday, 08 Jul 2025
Tourists enjoying trishaw rides around George Town. The city has, however, a problem with bad out-of-towners. — Filepic
GEORGE Town is a place where I had always felt at ease, even at night.
As a woman, this is not something I say lightly.
I have worked in Penang’s heritage enclave for a decade now; and I have had my fair share of late-night walks to my car or quick suppers nearby.
Working late and walking through the heritage zone in the still hours had never unsettled me.
There is a familiarity to the quiet glow of shophouses, local faces and the sense that the city’s folk care for each other.
Working late and walking through the heritage zone in the still hours had never unsettled me.
There is a familiarity to the quiet glow of shophouses, local faces and the sense that the city’s folk care for each other.
But something changed in my view of George Town three weeks ago.
I had dinner with a friend at a well-known spot along Love Lane. It was 9.45pm, not that late by George Town’s standards.
I had dinner with a friend at a well-known spot along Love Lane. It was 9.45pm, not that late by George Town’s standards.
We were in our work clothes, enjoying a slow walk to our parked cars just 200m away.
Then a black sport utility vehicle with plates from a different state pulled up alongside us.
A group of young men sat inside, staring, while music blared through the open windows.
The car was also blocking our path across the narrow lane.
I made no eye contact. My friend, slightly older and composed, calmly asked them to move along.
“Boys, please go ahead. We are just walking,” she said, twice.
They didn’t budge, just grinned – something I noticed out of the corner of my eye.
Then, with a loud rev, they sped off and swerved a little too close to us for comfort.
We were unharmed, but bothered. I didn’t feel fear, but a sense of violation instead.
A feeling that something in the city I grew up in and trusted had changed.
When I recounted the incident to a male friend later that night, he was not surprised.
He said he had noticed more groups of visitors from out of state treating Penang like it was theirs to play with, and with little regard for those who actually live here.
There is a name for this kind of casual harassment: holiday-brained tourists.
Elsewhere, some call it “cruising” – groups of men in cars, enjoying their holiday, playing loud music and ogling women passing by.
What struck me even more was how, during a recent trip to Chennai, India, I walked the streets at night to buy food from roadside stalls and felt even safer than I did back home.
I continue meeting friends in my favourite spots in George Town.
But I always glance back now, listening for engines, walking faster than I used to.
Tourism is Penang’s lifeblood. We welcome visitors of all kinds – families, food lovers, history buffs and casual wanderers.
But with all its beauty, I hope local authorities plus the police will realise that we cannot afford to ignore the slow erosion of public safety, especially for women.
When visitors behave like the city owes them a good time, they tend to disturb the peace.
In this case, they destroy the trust that makes George Town liveable.
What we need now is awareness and better safety measures, such as improved lighting in back lanes and more visible patrols.
And perhaps a firm reminder to tourists that they are not just here to enjoy, they are also here to respect.
Tourists, Penang is not your playground. This is our home.
Then a black sport utility vehicle with plates from a different state pulled up alongside us.
A group of young men sat inside, staring, while music blared through the open windows.
The car was also blocking our path across the narrow lane.
I made no eye contact. My friend, slightly older and composed, calmly asked them to move along.
“Boys, please go ahead. We are just walking,” she said, twice.
They didn’t budge, just grinned – something I noticed out of the corner of my eye.
Then, with a loud rev, they sped off and swerved a little too close to us for comfort.
We were unharmed, but bothered. I didn’t feel fear, but a sense of violation instead.
A feeling that something in the city I grew up in and trusted had changed.
When I recounted the incident to a male friend later that night, he was not surprised.
He said he had noticed more groups of visitors from out of state treating Penang like it was theirs to play with, and with little regard for those who actually live here.
There is a name for this kind of casual harassment: holiday-brained tourists.
Elsewhere, some call it “cruising” – groups of men in cars, enjoying their holiday, playing loud music and ogling women passing by.
What struck me even more was how, during a recent trip to Chennai, India, I walked the streets at night to buy food from roadside stalls and felt even safer than I did back home.
I continue meeting friends in my favourite spots in George Town.
But I always glance back now, listening for engines, walking faster than I used to.
Tourism is Penang’s lifeblood. We welcome visitors of all kinds – families, food lovers, history buffs and casual wanderers.
But with all its beauty, I hope local authorities plus the police will realise that we cannot afford to ignore the slow erosion of public safety, especially for women.
When visitors behave like the city owes them a good time, they tend to disturb the peace.
In this case, they destroy the trust that makes George Town liveable.
What we need now is awareness and better safety measures, such as improved lighting in back lanes and more visible patrols.
And perhaps a firm reminder to tourists that they are not just here to enjoy, they are also here to respect.
Tourists, Penang is not your playground. This is our home.
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