Kapitan Keling Mosque: George Town World Heritage Site Brochure

Kapitan Keling Mosque and Endowment The Kapitan Keling Mosque stands prominently in the middle of the George Town World Heritage Site core zone, bordered by three streets, namely Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, Chulia Street and Buckingham Street. It is part of the Kapitan Keling Mosque waqf (Muslim endowment) lands which have historically supported the needs of the mosque community. On this endowment property are the mosque, minaret, ablution facilities, Islamic school, kindergarten, burial ground, housing, offices, shops, market, roads, easements and green open spaces.

INTRODUCTION
The Kapitan Keling Mosque is the oldest and grandest mosque in the George Town World Heritage Site. The site bordered by Chulia Street and Pitt Street was endowed by the East India Company in 1801. A mosque was founded under the leadership of the “Kapitan Keling” headman of the South Indian community in Penang, and named after its founder. The mosque has played an important role for Muslims in the Penang port, but is of particular significance to the Tamil Muslim community. The Kapitan Keling Mosque served as the official mosque of George Town until the Penang State Mosque was built in the 1980s. To acknowledge the outstanding history of this mosque, Pitt Street was renamed Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling.

Streets and Street Names:

-Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling was originally known as Pitt Street, named after the late 18th century British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger.

-Chulia Street was settled in the late 18th century by South Indians, whom the British called ‘Chulias’. The Chulia sojourners and settlers in Penang were predominantly Tamil Muslims.

-Buckingham Street was created around 1870, when the Municipal Commission cut the street through the endowment property in exchange for free water supply.

-Kampung Kolam was named after a communal water tank (kolam) built and maintained with funds from the Kapitan Keling family endowment.

CONTENTS
Introduction- 5
Tamil Muslims in Penang’s History- 6
The Indian Ocean- 8
Monsoon Traders- 8
Kapitan Keling Cauder Mohuddeen- 11
The Kapitan Keling Tomb in Kampung Kolam- 11
The Early Mosque- 13
Mahomed Noordin, Merchant and Philanthropist- 14
The Mohammedan and Hindu Endowments Board- 15
Renewing the Endowment Properties- 15
Expanding the Kapitan Keling Mosque- 16
The Board’s Architects- 18
Social Housing- 19
Evolution of the Endowments Board- 22
Alternating Friday Prayers- 22
Restoring the Mosque Dome- 24
Visit of Dr Abdul Kalam- 26
The Mosque and Community Today- 28
Celebrating the Mosque’s Heritage- 30

About the Author 

Khoo Su Nin @ Khoo Salma Nasution was born in Penang, of Baba Nyonya (Straits Chinese) descent. She is a graduate of Duke University, United States. She was formerly editor of Pulau Pinang Magazine and Past President of Penang Heritage Trust.

As the great-great-granddaughter of Khoo Soo Hong, a founding senator of the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, she has her roots in the Acheen Street–Armenian Street historic enclave.
She is also custodian of the Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang at 120 Armenian Street and co-founder of Areca Books with a shop along Lebuh Aceh.

A few of her works include, Sun Yat Sen in Penang (2008), The Chulia in Penang (2014) – winner of the 2015 ICAS Book Prize, Sejarah Bergambar Seberang Perai (2015), and Exploring Seberang Perai / Jelajah Seberang Perai (2025).