Past meets present at Penang’s Citra Mutiara Festival

Colourful show: Performers in traditional attire offering a glimpse into Penang’s history during the closing ceremony of the Citra Mutiara Festival at Lebuh Armenian, George Town.— LIM BENG TATT/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: The bustling streets of historic Penang came alive as some 100 performers portrayed merchants and traders from around the world, offering a glimpse into a bygone era of multicultural harmony.

The production traced Penang’s journey from British colonial rule, through the hardships of the Second World War and Japanese Occupation, to the formation of the Federation of Malaya and present-day Malaysia.