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    17th Century

    • Year 1749 The area now called Tanjong Tokong, formerly known as Teluk Tikus by Malays, was opened by Tok Guru Haji Hassan Fusanah, a religious teacher of Jawi Peranakan origin who came from Madura..He also founded the Batu Uban mosque, an area earlier founded by a pioneer Dato' Nahkoda Intan Mohd Salleh. One of the earliest landing sites of Hadramis and Acehnese is Batu Uban another area undergoing rapid urban development. In this sense, the history of Batu Uban is linked to Tanjong Tokong.
      Around the same time Glugor , where Universiti Sains Malaysia is now located, was founded by Dato' Jannatul with the permission and blessings of Sultan Aziz Ishak Mohd Jiwa. The gravestone of Dato' Jannatul remains outside the Minden gates of Universiti Sains Malaysia.
      The tombstone of Tok Guru Hassan is sited at the Tanjong Tokong cemetry. Malays who settled here around this time were Kedah Malays, fleeing atrocities of the Thai in Kedah. Since this settlement was pre-colonial on the water's edge, there was no attempt to procure titles. The first mosque, Masjid Tuan Guru is opened Tuan Guru Hj. Hassan Fusanah. Datuk Ellyas Omar, the former Mayor of Kuala Lumpur is descended from this family.
       

    18th Century

    • Around Year 1820 Pushed by rapid urban development of the Eastern seafront of the island at Gurney Drive, Kelawai and other fishing areas of kampung gigi air, more Malay fishermen settle at Kampung Tanjong Tokong. The Eastern seafront where Malay fishing villages were formerly located, becomes the most prestigious area of housing for Hokkien Chinese kapitans, taipans and the Kedah royalty.
       
    • Year 1820-1920 Areas of Bagan Jermal adjacent to Tanjong Tokong are developed by Chinese entrepreneurs. A Taoist seaside temple is constructed at Tanjong Tokong. Wealthy Malays move out of Tanjong Tokong , Bagan Jermal and Pantai Molek as more Chinese merchants buy land in this area. Malays become a cultural minority. The only Malays who continue to live here are fishermen, labourers, teachers and vendors. Features of a coastal Malay community remain-mosque, school, fishing boats, fishermen's rest huts and wharfs. Fishermen from Kedah begin to settle at Tanjung Bungah and Batu Feringghi and the local Malay population moves Northwards to the Northeast Coast at Batu Feringghi. All along the Northeast and Southeast Coasts, Malay fishing villages, kampung gigi air are the landmarks of an island populated before the coming of Captain Francis Light in 1786.
       
    • Year 1871 It was estimated that there were 61, 797 people on the island, out of which 70 per cent were Malays and 10 per cent Tamil Muslims. Of these Malay Muslims, 322 were Arab of Hadrami origin.Of these Malays, more than 80 per cent were coastal dwellers.
       
    • Year 1893 Karwa Nina Mohamed of Nina Mohamed and Sons, builds the Masjid Karwa at Tanjong Tokong. He was a wealthy money-changer and importer who lived at Muntri Street and set up a money-changer's shop outside the Netherlands Trading Society in Beach Street.
       

    19th Century

    • Year 1910 A wakaf mosque is built at Tanjong Bungah for the fishing community.
       
    • Year 1921 Hafiz Ghulam Sarwar , the first Sunni Muslim to translate the Qur'an into English, gives a special mention to Tanjung Tokong and Tanjung Bungah in "The Word of God and the Wonders of Science" published in The Muslim 1929 (13-14). He describes turtles laying eggs on the shores. "Malay women scout the sandy shores and when they sea turtle laying eggs, they sit down and watch. When the poor creature has retired into the sea, the keen eyed fisher-women digs up the sand and triumphantly carries her basketful to the market…Life is indeed a struggle, a jihad ..."
       
    • Year 1941 The Japanese bomb George Town, Tanjong Tokong and other coastal areas on the island. Japanese occupation and surrender in 1945 created a surge in Chinese residents from George Town moving into this area, at first to protect their families from atrocities and after the occupation to establish retail businesses.
      Residents of Tanjong Tokong offered temporary occupation license
       
    • Year 1954 The British Government uses funds from the Muslim and Hindu Endowment Board to reclaim the frontal portion of the shores where the derelict houses are now located. This includes 54 acres of seafront land built through natural reclamation ( retreating shoreline caused by changes in the sea currents)
       
    • Year 1974 Land titles were issued to 6 lots in Tanjong Tokong town; lots 253,339, 340, 341, 859, 860.UDA is given the mandate to develop Tanjong Tokong.
       
    • 27 April 1981 UDA gives a briefing to UMNO Penang on the proposed development of 13 years with a vested sum of 126 million ringgit, also suggesting in its printed brief that "certain quarters and bad elements who are 'anti-national can take the opportunity to advance self-interests for specific motives with the intention of deliberately misconstruing the actions of UDA"(Brief: 27-4-81).
       
    • 14 December 1983 Memorandum to the Prime Minister and to the Chief Minister of Penang from the people of Tanjong Tokong to convert their temporary occupation license to permanent titles.
       

    20th Century

    • Year 1984-2008 Residents of Tanjong Tokong at loggerheads with UDA over the form, format and policy of urban renewal .Residents Association of Tanjong Tokong challenge the authority and premise of the Jawatankuasa Keselamatan dan Kemajuan Kampung (JKKK) that they are the rightful representatives of the villagers. The JKKK, representing UMNO, had supported the decisions and policies of UDA. This conflict between the Resident's Association and the JKKK had given Penangnites the impression that the villagers were against development, anti-government and radical. In reality, residents of Tanjong Tokong had supported the Gerakan Party of the Barisan Nasional for more than 25 years and had consistently voted for Chinese candidates who only appeared in the village a few days before the General Elections, secure with the belief that the Malays remained loyal to the Barisan Nasional.
       
    • 4 February 2007 Residents hold a meeting to advance the idea of a heritage village with existing tenants allocated flats of 3 rooms. The heritage village prioritised earliest residents of the village of some 300 families. here are altogether 1,044 families claiming housing.
       
    • 7 March 2008 General Elections and Polling Day and a poor turn-out of voters from Tanjong Tokong The Cheah brothers are defeated and the Democratic Action Party candidate, Teh Yee Cheu is the new ADUN of Tanjung Bungah.
       
    • 10 April 2008 Penang Heritage Trusts's Secretary, Ahmad Chik approaches Prof Dato' Dr Wazir Jahan Karim, Adviser to Muslim Heritage to assist the people of Tanjong Tokong. This follows ALIRAN's initiative to form the Penang Forum to develop greater cooperation among NGO's and generate a more vibrant proactive civil society movement. Prof Dato' Dr Wazir Jahan Karim brings in the Academy of Socio-Economic Research and Analysis (ASERA) into the project for purposes of documentation and research. ASERA is a non-profit organisation committed to research on and issues of economic justice. Damina Khairah, a chambering lawyer and voluntary researcher attached to ASERA is engaged to assist with Minutes and logistics. Magadeline becomes the Secretary of the project for Penang Heritage Trust.
       
    • 15 April 2008 A brain-storming of village leaders including the Chairperson of the JKKK and his members was held at the Penang Heritage Trust office chaired by Dato' Prof Wazir Jahan Karim. Cik Gu Salleh Yahya, President of the Resident's Association gave a compelling presentation of the history and current situation of Tanjong Tokong. This brain-storming was attended by YB Teh Yee Cheu and several members of Penang Heritage Trust, including Ahmad Chik, feature journalists, university professors and activists.
       
    • 27 April 2008 A gathering of 500 residents organised by the Resident's Association of Tanjong Tokong meets the new ADUN and asks him to assist them revert the 'ownership' of the land to the people of Tanjung Tokong for purposes of developing it into a model heritage village. Cik Gu Haji Salleh Yahya, President of the Tanjong Tokong Resident's Association and Prof Dato' Dr Wazir Jahan Karim addresses the residents. From the positive comments of the residents, it was obvious that they supported the initiatives of the Resident's Association.
       
    • 06 May 2008 A meeting was held between YB Teh Yee Cheu (ADUN Tanjong Bungah), MPPP President Dato' Zainal Rahim Seman, UDA representatives (En. Kamrudzaman and En. Kamarudin Manan), the Tanjong Tokong Residents Association representatives (Cikgu Salleh & En. Mustafa Kamal as well as representatives from Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) (En. Ahmad Chik, Prof. Wazir, Magdalene) and ASERA (Prof.Wazir & Damina Khaira) to discuss arising issues. The MPPP President began by advising all present to have an open discussion with the Unit Perancang Ekonomi and the State Government. The UDA Representative stated that UDA is an implementation agent for the government while claiming that 75 per centof the residents agree with UDA's plan. There was an argument over the definition and interpretation over the word "redevelopment" between UDA and the Tanjung Tokong Residents Association. Mr. Sivagurupatham, a lawyer, stressed that whatever plans regarding Tanjung Tokong village must be understood within the context of "rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconstruction of Tanjung Tokong village" as stated in the land grant. There was a brief discussion over the definition "village" and how in later documents this word was substituted by "town". The MPPP President closed the meeting after stating that a further meeting should be held between the State Government, the Persatuan Penduduk Kampung Tanjong Tokong and UDA.
      A post-mortem was later held to discuss follow-ups to the above meeting. It was agreed that a meeting would be arranged between YB Teh, the Persatuan Penduduk Kampung Tanjong Tokong Representatives and the Chief Minister. In the meantime, all parties are to contribute to a presentation which will outlining all arising issues from this matter for audiences like the Chief Minister and his staff.
       
    • 12 May 2008 A meeting is held at PHT Office among DAP representatives, Cikgu Mohd Salleh Yahaya, En. Mustafa Kamal, ,Mr. Mooi (architect), Prof Rashid, Dato' Prof. Wazir, Chuah Cheong Wee, Magdalene and Damina Khaira to discuss presentation plans and proposal for the village. It was agreed that the presentation should propose a Malay village lifestyle for Tanjung Tokong, featuring Malay village landmarks like pasar malam, masjid, balai/dewan, kedai kopi, children's playground, while also highlighting the multi-ethnicity of the Kampung Tanjung Tokong community (eg) ethnic assimilation between the Malays and the Chinese, while conveying the lifestyle and vibrancy of Kampung Tanjung Tokong.
       
    • 22 May 2008 Adviser to Muslim Heritage for PHT, Wazir Jahan Karim, communicates with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development on the need for an integrated policy and programme on Family and Community Development in Penang. Dato Ng Yen Yen's office, in a letter dated the 27 May indicates that a Federal Action Council for Penang has been set up, chaired by YB Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Second Finance Minister. [Document:Community Initiative Council (CIC) ]
       
    • 11 August 2008 Wazir Jahan Karim, Cik Gu Salleh and Cik Mustapha Salleh briefly meet YB Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang and presents a documentation for the conservation and upgrading of kampung gigi air as heritage enclaves. The focus of this presentation was the conservation of Kampung Tanjong Tokong (inner enclave) into a national heritage village. Lim Guan Eng said that the State government had no authority over Tanjong Tokong which had been alienated to UDA Holdings but could discuss the plans for development. vis a vis housing . Residents express disappointment over the meeting which was too brief and inconclusive.
       
    • 10 November 2008 Wazir Jahan agrees to present the proposal for the conservation of the inner enclave of Tanjong Tokong into a national heritage village to Y Bhg. Tun Dato' Seri Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, President of Badan Warisan Malaysia and to Y B. Dato' Seri Shafie Apdal, Minister of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage. In a discussion with Tun , he agrees to discuss it with the Minister. The memorandum which includes a proposal for a forum, is personally submitted to Tun on November 10, 2008.
       
    • 12 December 2008 It has been highlighted that the Penang Master Plan will be opened to the public in January 2009, for public viewing and comment. Of the 46 kampungs on Penang Island, only 7 have been classified as 'traditional' and most of these are located in Balik Pulau. Kampung Tanjong Tokong has not been included as a 'traditional' village. Hence it is possible to envisage that all Malay coastal villages will be up for rezoning and redevelopment into valuable seafront properties. It is also important to know what critera was used to define a 'traditional' Malay village. Malays will lose choice settlement sites and may be offered small compensation, in view of the fact that TOL or land grants have never been issued for kampong gigi air. A Royal Commission of Inquiry should be formed to tackle this problem and with political will, a congenial solution can be found for the poorer residents of the island's coasts, regardless of ethnicity.
       
    • 19 December 2008 The Committee of the Tanjung Tokong Resident's Association meets up with Y.B. Tuan Mohamad Fairus Khairuddin, Deputy Chief Minister of Penang and Y.B. Mr Jason Ong Khan Lee , State Assemblyman for Kebun Bunga. Other officers of the State government were also present .Encik Salleh gave the background to the problem with visuals and Dato' Prof Wazir Jahan followed with an explanation of the complexity of the situation. Encik Mustapha gave a presentation of the costing for alternative land to be reclaimed for the State government to obtain revenue to develop Tanjong Tokong.
      The conclusion of the meeting was that a concerted effort should be done to save the original traditional village of 18 acres on the inner road at the base of the hill and cemetery. Furthermore, a new census should be conducted by the State to establish the exact number of families living in this area and the exact number of original families with lot numbers. Residents agreed that new comers, tenants and 'kelamins' without lots can move into the new housing provided by UDA should they wish to.
       
    • 20 December 2008 A press conference was called to explain the plight of the people of Tanjong Tokong at the Astaka on the reclaimed land at 5.30 pm