Alor Star becomes a city

BY ANTHONY TAN

ALOR STAR: Alor Star, one of the region's oldest towns with a colourful past spanning 268 years, has been officially made a city – the ninth in the country. 

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting yesterday handed the letter of proclamation to the Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, at a ceremony at Istana Anak Bukit here. 

Sultan Abdul Halim then handed the letter, signed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, to Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Syed Razak Syed Zain. 

Among those present at the historic ceremony were the Sultan's consort Che' Puan Haminah Hamidun, the Raja Muda of Kedah and Raja Puan Muda, members of the Kedah royalty, former Kedah Mentri Besar Tan Sri Osman Aroff, Alor Star MP Datuk Chor Chee Heung and state exco members. 

Historic day as Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Syed Razak Syed Zain show off the letter of proclamation declaring Alor Star as a city.

The proclamation ceremony to declare the Kedah capital a city is scheduled to be held at Dataran Tunku here on Dec 21. 

Alor Star was founded in 1735 by Kedah's 19th sultan, Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin Mu'azzam Shah. It is the state's eighth administrative centre since the establishment of the Kedah Sultanate in 1136. 

The earlier administrative centres were located in Kota Bukit Meriam, Kota Sungai Emas, Kota Siputeh, Kota Naga, Kota Sena, Kota Indera Kayangan and Kota Bukit Pinang. 

Alor Star, which took its name from the Malay word alor (stream) and the setar (boeya macrophylla) tree, had been sacked twice when Kedah was attacked by the Bugis in 1770 and the Siamese in 1821. 

Significant events held here included the handing back of Perlis and Setul (now Satun) to Kedah by the Siamese in May 1897 (both provinces were separated from Kedah since 1821) and a 90-day festival from June to September 1904 to celebrate the wedding of the five children of Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah.  

Alor Star is not only one of the region's oldest towns but is older than some of the world's famous cities such as Washington DC, founded in 1775, and Sydney in 1778. 

Co-operate with city council, Alor Star residents urged