Penang Islamic Department Building

The Penang Islamic Department Building is an office building in George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang. Completed in 1909, the building, situated at Downing Street within the city's Central Business District (CBD), was formerly part of the Government Offices, the administrative seat of Penang under the Straits Settlements. It now accommodates the Penang Islamic Department.^[1]

Penang Islamic Department Building
Bangunan Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Pulau Pinang (Malay)
Former names	Government Offices (1907–1944)
General information
Architectural style	Neoclassical
Address	Beach Street, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Town or city	George Town
Country	Malaysia
Coordinates	5.4185°N 100.3437°E / 5.4185; 100.3437
Current tenants	Penang Islamic Department
Construction started	1907
Completed	1909
Opened	1909
Height
Top floor	2
Technical details
Floor count	2

History

Government Offices as seen from the Penang Strait c. 1892.

Side view of the building, as seen from the Jubilee Clock Tower. In the background is the HSBC Building.

Between 1883 and 1889, land was reclaimed along George Town's eastern coast, creating what is now Weld Quay.^[2] This newly created land enabled the Straits Settlements government to construct the U-shaped Government Offices along King Edward Place, Weld Quay and Beach Street.^[2][3]

Construction of the two-storey Neoclassical-style Government Offices occurred in several phases.^[2][3] The first wing along King Edward Place was built from 1884 to 1889. This was followed by an eastern extension along Weld Quay. The second phase included the construction of the Beach Street wing, which housed the Land Office, between 1890 and 1891. The Weld Quay wing was extended southward to Downing Street from 1901 to 1903.^[3]

From 1907 to 1909, the Beach Street wing was also extended southward to Downing Street.^[3] The local media at the time characterised the new extension as "abnormally hideous" and "abominations" built by "gallant but inartistic builders".^[4] After its completion, the Government Offices became the seat of government in Penang, housing the Governor's office, the General Post Office (GPO) and various government departments.^[3]

In 1945, the Government Offices were largely destroyed by Allied aerial bombardment, with only the last constructed section along Beach Street surviving.^[3][5] After the British retook Penang, government departments had to be temporarily relocated to nearby godowns and commercial structures. In 1962, the administrative seat of Penang was officially moved to the Tuanku Syed Putra Building.^[5] The remaining section of the Government Offices currently houses the Penang Islamic Department, a state government agency responsible for Islamic affairs within Penang.^[1][2][3]