History of Penang 1957, George Town, the capital of Penang, was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957, becoming the first city within the Federation of Malaya, and by extension, Malaysia. George Town continued to be the only city within Malaysia (other than Singapore between 1963 and its Separation in 1965) until 1972, when Kuala Lumpur was also conferred city status. Penang, as part of the Federation of Malaya, gained independence from the British Empire on 31 August 1957, and subsequently became a member state of Malaysia in 1963. Penang's political landscape immediately after the independence of Malaya became relatively fractured.
Constitution of the State of Penang Constitution of the State of Penang The Constitution of Penang, introduced in 1957, is the fundamental law of the Malaysian state of Penang. The constitution, which came into effect just before the independence of the Malayan Federation (now Malaysia) from the British Empire, concerns the formation and proceedings of the state government. It also establishes the Governor (Malay: "Yang di-Pertua Negeri") as the head of state who acts in the discretion of the Chief Minister, the head of government. The Constitution of Penang was drafted following the accession of the then British colony of Penang into the Federation of Malaya.