Penang Recognises Hungry Ghost Festival, Six Sites As State Heritage

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 3 (Bernama) -- The Teong Guan Phor Thor Festival, or or Hungry Ghost Festival, has been declared a Penang State Heritage effective June 25, thus making it the first to recognise the festival as state heritage. 

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the recognition was an effort by the state government to preserve the traditions and cultural diversity of Penang’s communities.

He said the state government approved the nomination of the festival as state heritage on April 8 before going through the screening process and expert scrutiny.

“This recognition is not merely to preserve and conserve a traditional practice, but also to elevate the diversity of festivals celebrated by our multiracial society as part of Penang’s identity.

“In Penang, there are more than 200 groups all over celebrating this festival during the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar,” he told a press conference on the gazettement of state heritage at Komtar here today.

Meanwhile, Chow said the state government has also approved the designation of six sites as heritage sites under the Penang State Heritage Enactment 2011 on April 8.

The six sites are the Upper and Lower Stations and Funicular Railway Track of Penang Hill; Makam Dato Koyah; Thai Pak Koong Temple; Fooi Chew Association Building; Loo Pun Hong Temple; and Kwangtung and Tengchow No. 1 Cemetery.

Chow said the Hungry Ghost Festival and the six heritage sites would be formally declared and designated at the State Heritage Proclamation and Heritage Site Designation Ceremony on Oct 10.

Also present was state Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, who said the seven new recognitions brought the total number of state heritage this year to 57.

He added that the total comprised 15 heritage sites, 28 food heritage and seven intangible cultural heritage, including the six sites and one festival announced today.

-- BERNAMA