How Francis Light and enigmatic Martinha chased their dreams in Penang

A statue of Captain Francis Light seen in George Town, Penang in the early 1980s. The book trilogy 'Penang Chronicles' by Rose Gan, now into its second volume, shines a light on the British explorer's epic story. Photo: Filepic/The Star

Captain Francis Light, a British explorer and naval officer credited as the founder of Penang, is a familiar name to most Malaysians.

In George Town, where he was buried after dying from malaria in 1794, you can visit his grave at the Old Protestant Cemetery along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah Road.