The Malaysian Factor in Adelaide

Do you know the connection between Adelaide and Penang, Malaysia? Captain Francis Light is acknowledged to be the founder of Penang. His son, Colonel William Light, is the founder of Adelaide. The first building in the new township of Adelaide was in fact put up at Glenelg, where I am writing this. Interestingly, William Light was born in Kuala Kedah (near Penang) in 1786. It is mind-boggling that a Malaysian-born person founded a state capital of Australia.

As if this connection with Malaysia is not sufficient, a previous Premier of South Australia, Donald Dunstan was married to Adele Koh, who was an ex-Malaysian. Both are deceased now. Adele Koh was a young English tutor at the University of Malaya, and a Resident Fellow at First College in the late sixties.

And…..the first person of Asian origin to become a Federal government minister of Australia, Senator Penny Wong, hails from Adelaide. She was born in Sabah, Malaysia. She is currently the Minister of Climate Change.