THE Penang government is committed to conserve and protect a British-Siamese boundary stone as a valuable relic.
The 152-year-old boundary marker stone is located in the middle of a padi field at Kampung Ekor Kuching in Pinang Tunggal in the north Seberang Perai district.
The stone is believed to have been constructed around 1869 to mark the official border between Penang and Kedah.
However, it is now in a state of neglect and has eroded through time.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa, who is the chief executive officer of PBA Holdings Bhd (PBAHB) and Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP), together with other delegations visited the boundary marker stone today.
Jaseni said the stone was not known to many people but its existence served as a reminder of the events that led to the formation of Malaysia as a nation and Penang as one of its component states.
“The inscription on the stone read as ‘British and Siamese boundary’ in English, Thai and Jawi.
“It is believed to have been setup by the British in 1869, following a treaty between Great Britain and Siam’.
“At that time, Kedah was a territory of Siam (Thailand) and Penang was a colony of Britain.
“Besides defining a historic boundary, the stone may be regarded as an important marker in the histories of Penang and Malaysia.
“Thus, it is crucial for the Penang government to conserve and protect the British-Siamese boundary stone as a valuable relic in order to remind all Penangites about the reality and facts behind the history of their home state,” said Jaseni.
Also present during the visit today were Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman, Deputy Chief Minister II Prof Dr P. Ramasamy, Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud, Thailand consul-general in Penang Raschada Jiwalai and Chief Minister’s special coordinating officer Lay Hock Peng.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar
Video by Ahmad Adil Muhamad