THE Penang state Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari has urged the public not to speculate on the re-naming of six roads.

He said there were no “racial undertones” in the renaming of the streets as the individuals were named based on their contributions to society.

The roads renamed are Persiaran Chin Fung Kee (formerly Pantai Sinaran), Jalan Sheik Ibrahim (formerly part of Jalan Tanjung Tokong Lama), Jalan Tun Abdullah Badawi (5.45km stretch along the Bandar Cassia Highway), Jalan SA Abdullah Bukhari (part of Jalan Ayer Itam), Solok Dato Ismail Hashim (part of Jalan Tengah) and Jalan M. Kuppan (formerly Jalan Jiran 1).

I have a number of questions for Zairil who is also the Tanjong Bunga DAP state assemblyman.

Firstly, I understand that there is a policy on naming or re-naming the roads. Only new roads are named and not roads that have existing names. Why was this policy adhered earlier by the state abandoned? What were the pressing reasons?

Secondly, the old or original names have historical and heritage value. Melaka and Georgetown are two heritage sites recognised by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)? Was the re-naming of the streets in compliance with the UNESCO stipulations?

‘Dangerous precedent’

Thirdly, apart from the name of fifth premier Tun Ahmad Abdullah Badawi and Chin Fung Kee (a distinguished engineer who played a key role in shaping Malaysia’s engineering and infrastructure development), what are state and national contributions of others whose names have been given to the streets?

Re-naming streets in Penang cannot be a simple straightforward administrative exercise. It has to be approached in the context of traditional, cultural and heritage context.

Re-naming streets sets a dangerous precedent by setting aside the earlier policy of only giving names to new streets and not the old ones.

The names selected with the exception of one of two, might not fit the bill of having national contributions. Zairil needs to list the contributions of those who name have given to the roads.

Zairil by denying that there were no “racial undertones” cannot put an end to the debate on the policy of re-naming roads or streets in Penang.

As it is, I heard from reliable sources there might even be a legal challenge to the exercise of re-naming roads or streets in Penang.

If the state wants to avert the legal challenge, then the state government must engage the public in a comprehensive manner. – May 1, 2026

Former DAP stalwart and Penang deputy chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.

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