KOMTAR Penang

KOMTAR is located in central Georgetown, along the north-south Jalan Penang and east-west Jalan Magazine. The 65-storey high-rise and mall is one of the most prominent landmarks in Penang with a viewing deck on the 58th floor offering views of the island and across the straits to Penang’s mainland.

The cylindrical skyscraper is the sixth-tallest building in Malaysia and Penang’s tallest structure. It towers over Georgetown’s western corner, a section of town unofficially known as Chinatown since it is dominated by clusters of shuttered two-storey shop-houses and kongsis (clan houses) that have stood here in a variety of forms since the late 18th century.

Komtar - Best View in Penang

At 761ft the views from the top of KOMTAR, which sits atop a four-storey shopping centre, are the real reason most people see it as an indispensable part of Penang’s tourism scene. These days, KOMTAR has a flawed reputation. In the 90s it was Penang’s most popular mall and an almost mandatory stop on sightseeing trips but as the years went by, most people passed it over due to its worn out exterior. Most noticeably, the mall is not as popular as it used to be – after all Penang has flashier malls like Queensbay Mall and Gurney Plaza. However, recent plans to revitalise the tower has led to its rise from the ashes, so to speak.

Komtar as a transport hub

Besides a great photo opportunity, the 12-sided tower houses retail shops and the administrative offices of the Penang State Government, plus it is one of Penang’s main transportation hubs with the ground floor KOMTAR Bus Terminal acting as the focal point through which all bus routes in Penang radiate from. What’s more, the viewing gallery has a souvenir store and coin operated telescopes much like New York’s Empire State Building. Designed by the Architects Team 3(AT3) of Singapore in 1974, KOMTAR occupies over 11 hectares and was initially built as part of an urban renewal project by the Penang Development Corporation.

Komtar Tower restoration

The proposed revamp of KOMTAR includes the construction of a car park, developing the 5th, 59th and 60th floors and giving the rooftop garden a facelift. Additionally, the concourse of level five is due to be turned into an extreme park and youth performing centre. All in all, apart from the MR850 million Penang Bridge and several new hotels, KOMTAR is one of the city’s most visible structures.

Fun fact: KOMTAR was named after Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, the second prime minister of Malaysia, and there is a similar tower built in Johor Bahru, but on a smaller scale at only 25 storeys.