Tong (in blue) with other association members at the Pinang Peranakan Mansion in Church Street. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
PENANG’S Baba and Nyonya community has welcomed the government’s move to officially recognise Peranakan Chinese as a separate ethnic group, saying it spotlights a culture that has quietly flourished on the island for generations.
Persatuan Baba Nyonya Pulau Pinang president and Penang Chinese Association deputy president Datuk Lillian Tong said the announcement was deeply meaningful for Peranakan families in the state.
“We are thankful that the government has finally acknowledged the Baba and Nyonya as an ethnic group,” she said.
“It affirms our identity and gives strength to preserve it for the next generation.”
Tong said Penang’s Peranakan culture, though often compared with Melaka’s, was distinct in origin and character.
“Our ancestors were already here when Captain Francis Light founded the island,” she said.
“If you study Kedah and Bujang Valley history, you will find that Chinese traders came by boat from Siam (Thailand) and Guangzhou into Funan and Champa and some travelled overland into Kedah.
“These early settlers became part of the local population.”
Tong said Penang’s Peranakan lineage was the result of centuries of regional movement and exchange.
“We are different. Most of our families have Thai, Burmese or Indonesian grandmothers.
“That is why our language, food and even traditions have those influences,” she said, adding that the population movements during the Anglo-Dutch rivalry also shaped the island’s community.
“When Sir Stamford Raffles ordered William Farquhar to demolish Fort Mozart in Melaka, many residents were relocated to Singapore and Penang.
“Some came here by government order, others through marriage or trade. That helped our community grow,” she said.
The island’s geography made it a hub for cross-strait exchange.
“Medan, Penang and Phuket formed a triangle of culture and commerce.
“My grandfather was from Medan and many of the ornate furnishings found in Phuket’s old homes were shipped through Penang,” said Tong.
“These flows of people and artistry left their mark on Penang’s architecture and cuisine.
“Our Peranakan houses and temples show influences from Burma, Siam and the Dutch East Indies.
“Even the motifs on our tiles and wood carvings tell the story of migration.”
Tong said language and food also set Penang’s Peranakan community apart.
“Our dialect blends Thai and Indonesian tones, while Melaka’s has a different melody.
“Our Nyonya dishes are sharper in spice and reflect influences from the northern region.”
Despite these differences, Tong said the spirit of kinship and hospitality remained the same across all Peranakan communities.
“We may speak differently, but we share the same values – family, respect and the joy of keeping traditions alive,” she said.
Tong said many Penang families continued to uphold Peranakan customs at home, from festive feasts to traditional weddings.
“We may not speak the old language daily, but the culture lives on in our food, clothing and sense of identity,” she said.
One of the most tangible symbols of this heritage stands in the heart of George Town – the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, which houses thousands of antiques and heirlooms collected from old Baba-Nyonya homes.
The mansion, once the residence of a 19th-century Chinese kapitan, had been meticulously restored to showcase the lifestyle and craftsmanship of Penang’s Peranakan elite.
With its gilded wooden panels, intricate tiles, imported chandeliers and European furnishings, it remains the largest Baba Nyonya museum in the country.
“It’s our pride,” Tong said.
“Every carving and porcelain plate there tells our story – of traders who crossed seas, families who built homes, and a culture that blended East and West beautifully.”
At the national level, Baba and Nyonya Association of Malaysia chairman Datuk Ronald Gan said the community was grateful to the government for fast-tracking the recognition.
“This recognition symbolises acknowledgement of a unique heritage that has enriched Malaysia’s cultural fabric for centuries,” he said.
Gan said the move affirmed the role of the Peranakan Chinese as cultural bridge-builders.
“Our forefathers linked communities across language and faith.
“Recognising the Baba and Nyonya community honours that legacy and reminds all Malaysians that unity grows stronger through diversity.”
