‘S’pore & M’sia reunited?’: Penang state bureau uses photo of Singapore street in Merdeka Day Facebook post

Penang state bureau uses photo of famous Singapore street as a Merdeka Day greeting

Malaysia recently celebrated its Merdeka Day on 31 Aug, leading its businesses and organisations to post greetings for the occasion over social media.

However, a Penang state bureau erroneously used a photo of a street in Singapore in its Merdeka Day Facebook post.

Penang state bureau uses Singapore photo in Facebook post

A screenshot of the Facebook post was shared by Sin Chew Daily.

The post was uploaded by the Penang Convention and Exhibition Board (PCEB), a state bureau that develops the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) industry in the Malaysian state.

While the image of the Penang Bridge used was appropriate, sharp-eyed netizens would’ve noticed that the image below it was that of Singapore’s Koon Seng Road.

Koon Seng Road named as one of world’s most beautiful streets

For those not in the know, Koon Seng Road runs between Joo Chiat Road and Still Road in Katong.

It’s known for its colourful shophouses that line both sides of the road.

In May, Condé Nast Traveller named Koon Seng Road in a list of the world’s most beautiful streets that contained scenic 71 streets and roads worldwide.

The road, established during the early 1920s, was described as one of the few places in Singapore that “that pay homage to a more traditional approach to life”, standing in stark contrast against Singapore’s more modern architecture.

Of interest was how its buildings reflected Peranakan heritage with their pastel-coloured facades, intricate tile work and unique architectural designs.

Unsurprisingly, it has also become a popular photo-taking spot for tourists.

Penang resident perplexed by photo choice

Perplexed, a Penang resident named only as Mr Lee told Sin Chew that he didn’t understand why PCEB used a Singapore street instead of one of Penang’s many beautiful landmarks.

This is especially since Penang’s capital George Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, he said, adding:

Those who don’t know would think Singapore and Malaysia had reunited.

Since PCEB is part of the state government, it should have a deep understanding of the culture and history of Penang, Mr Lee said.

Instead, its oversight has “hurt the feelings” of Penang’s people, he added.

Post was supposed to feature street in Penang

PCEB chairman Wong Hon Wai told Sin Chew that the original intention of the design was to feature Jalan Kek Chuan in George Town.

Similar to its Singapore counterpart, Jalan Kek Chuan also has colourful shophouses lining both sides of the street.

In June 2023, it was named in a list of “40 of the Most Beautiful Streets in the World That Will Stop You in Your Tracks” by housebeautiful.com.

The buildings on both streets have “a similar style” in terms of the design of the doors and windows, and the differences can be seen only if one looks closely, Mr Wong said.

Thus, the designer mistook the buildings on Koon Seng Road for those on Jalan Kek Chuan, he added.

A check on PCEB’s Facebook page shows that the offending post is no longer there, with its most recent post dated 29 Aug.

Also read: S’pore Koon Seng Road listed among world’s most beautiful streets on CNT

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Featured image adapted from Sin Chew Daily and @fbirtwistle on Instagram.