GEORGE TOWN: A bicycle ride – or a hike – in the evening, on undulating terrain under large shady trees seems like a great idea.
And what if the graves of several prominent personalities are thrown into the mix as well?
That is what the historic Batu Gantung cemetery cycling trail has to offer.
Mostly flat with some gentle slopes, the 3.5km trail branches throughout the cemetery and can be accessed from the main entrance or smaller lanes, including one connected to the Rifle Range flats.
While the paths besides the 20,000 graves there have been around for long, Penang United Hokkien Cemeteries (UHC) has now turned them into a cycling trail, complete with paved roads, signboards and route names.
It aims to raise awareness of the cemetery’s historical and cultural significance, said UHC chairman Datuk Cheah Cheng Ean.
The cycling and walking trails, which cost about RM200,000, are part of a broader effort to turn the burial grounds into the Batu Gantung Memorial & Heritage Park, he said.
“The project was the result was a collaboration with the state Heritage Department to identify notable graves and improve the cemetery’s accessibility.
“We have identified a total of 13 historical personalities under phase one of the project that was launched in March 2025, with more to come in the next phase.”
Among the prominent Penang personalities laid to rest there are former chief minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, his father Dr Lim Chwee Leong as well as other figures such as Lim Kek Chuan, Oon Boon Tan, Chee Si Teong, Saw Soon Choo, Lim Seng Hooi, Choong Lye Hock, Lim Cheng Teik, Saw Choo Teng, Ong Boon Tek and Quah Beng Hoe.
The ashes of Dr Wu Lien-Teh are also kept in its columbarium.
Dr Wu is internationally recognised as the man who introduced quarantine measures and designed the modern medical face mask while helping to control the Manchurian plague from 1910 to 1911.
His ideas were all used during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chong Eu led the state for 21 years from 1969 to 1990 and is regarded as the architect of modern Penang. He was the man behind the state’s tallest building, the 60-storey Komtar, and the 13.5km-long Penang Bridge.
His father, Chwee Leong was a distinguished doctor and paediatrician who founded the Soo Beng Dispensary at the junction of Carnarvon Street and Prangin Road.
Prangin Road was later renamed Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong.Kek Chuan was a successful businessman and property owner, including both rows of houses along Kek Chuan Road, which was named after him.
His grave is adorned with carved granite motifs and sculptures of horsemen, servants, handmaidens and warriors.
Cheah said UHC would soon arrange tour guides to help visitors who wanted to learn more about the cemetery’s history and the notable personalities buried here.
“Those who come here for healthy activities such as cycling or walking can also help keep an eye over the cemetery grounds,” he said.
UHC, established in 1923, currently manages five cemeteries, namely Batu Lanchang (1805), Lau Khau Tiam Cemetery in Mount Erskine (1842), Batu Gantung (1886), Paya Terubong (1941) and Teluk Bahang (1965), covering about 215ha and about 88,000 graves in total.
